Brothers in Arms: Real War. True Friends. Unlikely Heroes.

by Geraint Jones

Darkly funny, shockingly honest, Brothers in Arms is an unforgettable account of a soldier's tour of Afghanistan, the brutal reality of war – every scary, exciting moment – and the bonds of friendship that can never be destroyed.

‘If you could choose which two limbs got blown off, what would you go for?’ Danny said. ‘Your arms or your legs?’

In July 2009, Geraint (Gez) Jones was sitting in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan with the rest of The Firm – Danny, Jay, Toby and Jake, his four closest friends, all junior NCOs and combat-hardened infantrymen. Thanks to the mangled remains of a Jackal vehicle left tactlessly outside their tent, IEDs were never far from their mind. Within days they’d be on the ground in Musa Qala with the rest of 3 Platoon – a mixed bunch of men Gez would die for.

As they fight furiously, are pushed to their limits, hemmed in by IEDs and hampered by the chain of command, Gez starts to wonder what is the point of it all. The bombs they uncover on patrol, on their stomachs brushing the sand away, are replaced the next day. Firefights are a momentary victory in a war they can see is unwinnable. Gez is a warrior – he wants more than this. But then death and injury start to take their toll on The Firm, leaving Gez with PTSD and a new battle just beginning.

'Jones writes of his brothers and their Afghan experience, from its adrenalin-filled highs to the many lows, with passion and candour.' – Major Adam Jowett, bestselling author of No Way Out

'A gritty, brutal book about men at war. Raw and real. Brilliant.' – Tom Marcus, author of Soldier Spy

Genres: Nonfiction, War, Memoir, Audiobook

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 16, 2019

Reviews

[Sphinx · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will not write a review of this book because to do so is like judging the writer and I can’t do that. He has been through more than anyone would wish on their worst enemy. All I will say is that the writing is vibrant and the narrative compelling. I knew nothing of the author so I didn’t know where I was being led. That’s the best way to read it.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Reveals all about how shit our soldiers are treated. We should be ashamed. We owe them so much. Chapter 28 was particularly good. I definitely recommend this book if you want to understand more about what makes our soldiers tick.

[Trang Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very respectable perspective of Geraint. It painted real story in the battle field.

Even though I grew up in Vietnam and have heard many story from the war, it is still a one-sided story of locals. This one really helps me get a view in the spepective of foreign soldier, of those who have dreams, have fears and deserve to live as anyone else. War is so worthless that makes everyone struglle and turn human against each other. The result is that, everyone gets hurt.

[Amira Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I would rate it a 3.5.

Some of the acronyms/jargon got me and I lost focus.

Overall 'Gez' as nicknamed by 'The Firm' is totally honest and I appreciated him more for it. It made me a little more hateful of the government and Armed Forces if I'm being totally honest. The lack of empathy and explanations must be completely and utterly frustrating. I could understand why the outcome afterwards for most of these veterans, were much alike.

The tour through Afghan territory clearing IEDs .....from reading, it seemed....pointless, repetitive and totally demoralising. To watch day after day the Taliban plant more IEDs in place of the ones you have removed or blown up. To watch your comrades die or be blown up by the replaced IEDs. Fruitless!

I am in awe of the men and women who have/will put their lives on the line for us as civilians. To have the life we do mainly due to the actions of war.

To those we have lost, we will remember them.

[Annie Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Brothers in Arms by Geraint Jones in December 2020.

Geraint writes a gripping account of his tour as an infantryman in Afghanistan 2009. He intimately describes his experiences serving alongside his “brothers in arms”; the thrill of their action-fuelled days and the struggles they faced whilst on tour and upon return to their U.K. barracks.

As well as an element of humour as Geraint spiels his adventures and bonds with his Brothers in Arms, the book is also a real and raw portrayal of Geraint’s adversity in the field and back home as a civilian where his battles continued, met with the darkness of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; a bifactor of his descent into a life of drinking and drugs.

As the story unfolds, Brothers in Arms transports you to encounter the experiences of Geraint as he confronts them. It is an insightful and compelling read for all.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to "Box of Stories" for sending me this. Couldn't give it less than 5-stars. So hard to write a review.

Note re acronyms as many have commented on them, there is a glossary at back of book!

Deepest respect to our infantry and what they strive to accomplish, they deserve so much more support when they come home. I really do not know how they do it, incredibly brave.

A very honest book, shocking of course, but thankfully a happier ending for the author. Point to note, PTSD is such a serious condition and in whatever way you end up suffering from it, get help and find someone to talk to. Plus you are not weak if you cry, that's so old school, the strong person will let it out - why do you think women cry all the time, we learnt this year's ago! 😘

All these guys deserve our heartfelt gratitude.

[David Westwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geraint Jones’ Brothers in Arms is blunt and brutally honest. I suppose this makes perfect sense, since he was a soldier in Afghanistan, and soldiers are our blunt instruments of war. He does not paint a pretty picture of battle, the British army’s command, or the almost-inevitable PTSD that follows deployment. In fact it dispels most of the myths of patriotism and courage in a welter of gory detail. But it is this that makes his book so valuable and unique. Nothing is dressed up here, not details nor language, and if we are to send people off to war we should know what they face.

[Andrew Neveils · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this book in a fury, engrossed in the narrative and dark humor that only veterans can eschew. But then I put it down to read/finish another book. Then another and then, off and on over the course of 3 years, this became the book I’d read between books (including a novel by Geraint Jones!) — sometimes just one chapter at a time while waiting for my next book from the library.

It was easy to pick up where I left off. Jones’ writing style is engaging, raw, emotive. He left it all on those pages and I appreciate that honesty. I look forward to other books by this author.

[Bethan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this really hard to get into. Apart from the traditional army talk and swearing that accompanied every sentence I couldn't picture in my mind what it would have been like to be there. As someone with a very active imagination I struggled to relate and/or connect with the author or their journey, they were trying to tell. May come back to it another time but for now... It will be put back on the shelf.

[Kevin Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

This is a excellent and so
metimes moving account of the authors experiences in Afghanistan his return home and his battle with ptsd. The author does not hold back on his account and tells it like it is, a highly recommended read , I would olso highly recommend the authors historical novels which are olso superb.

[Chris Wathall · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most honest accounts of modern war and life in the army that I have ever read. Will make you question a great many things, and hopefully if previously kissing, have a new found level of respect for all our military personnel, both active and retired.

[Katie Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read, very honest and unfiltered. I hope this book can help other vetrians in need, great touch to the book. Only slight criticism is that I found it jumps around slightly making it hard to follow on occasion but overall you get a good sense of what it was like to be in the authors shoes.

[Gemma Sheppard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having never read a book like this before I had no idea what to expect...but I loved it! It made me laugh out loud, smile and cry - impressive. Think my husband got sick of me reading bits of it to him but well,it was too good not to share.

[Mark Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warts and all description of being in the Afganistan "war". No false heroics in what was another war you wondered what the point of was. I loved the comment that this war had no good music unlike the Vietnam war. Enthralling though.

[Folio Persuit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, enjoyed it. It shows that us ex forces are people, we all have feelings. The highs and lows of serving in battlezones.

[Jenny Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to rate as it wasn't my style of book. Tried to get into it as have never read this sort of biography but ended up skim reading.

[Ariele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raw, honest story... extremely vulgar, but true to the life of an infantry soldier, nothing was held back, I'm glad I finished it but I couldn't read it again.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As well as action on the battlefield this book is threaded with a brutally honest account of the bleak reality that veterans face both on the battlefield and when they return home, feeling isolated and surrounded by their closest- but who feel like strangers; having no concept of what it is like to live on a knife-edge and unable to ask for help through the oppressive code of silence enforced by the forces.
A very powerful book about life on and off the battlefield which has given me insight like no other but is interspersed with so much humour. Very cleverly written.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received through Box of Stories.

I’ve read a lot of war books recently- though mainly fiction or the experience of war reporters- and so Jones’ emphasis on his desire to kill was a shock and took some getting used to. I thought I wouldn’t enjoy it based on this, but I was completely sucked in and could hardly put the book down.

From a soldiers perspective it’s astoundingly easy to question the decisions made by the Army superiors, which range from a waste of time and unnecessary risk to utterly ridiculous.

Crudely funny, at it’s heart this is a touching tale of the bonds of brotherhood.

[Joanne Marlow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable book. It gives the reader knowledge of what really happens out there I feel for all of our servicemen on the frontline.