Rats' tales - Nicholas Benson

Chosen as one of the units to spearhead the British contribution to the allied build-up in Saudi Arabia, the 1st Battalion The Staffordshire Regiment underwent a massive upheaval as it was reinforced and mobilized for its task. After reaching the Gulf area, the battalion underwent a period of acclimatization and intensive desert training, right up to the point at which it was launched into battle as part of 7th Armoured Brigade, in Operation Desert Storm.;Providing an account of the human aspect of the story, this book covers the viewpoint of both those who served and their families. These families were exposed to high levels of stress - the uncertainty over the use of chemical weapons, the gross over-estimation of the effectiveness of the Iraqi troops and the scale of casualties to the allied troops. The views expressed by those serving at battalion level range from the individual's thoughts on the morality of the scale of carnage, and cynicism towards the politicians sent to cheer on the troops, to considerations of logistics and equipment effectiveness.;The author served in the battalion during the Gulf War.