Lions, Donkeys and Dinosaurs - Lewis Page

For years guns and tanks have been designed for use in Europe and are therefore unsuitable for use in, say, the desert.

Book Review by Keir Hind | 16 Apr 2006
Here's a real oddity, a book about how the armed forces waste money, written by a scarily qualified ex-commando. Lewis Page believes British soldiers to be the best in the world, but he also believes that the army is very badly run, and this book focuses on the causes of what he sees as the major problems. He points out that for years guns and tanks have been designed for use in Europe (for fighting the Russians) and are therefore unsuitable for use in, say, the desert. The book describes how mismanagement affects every level of the military, from the troops themselves and their rifles to the most advanced tanks and helicopters. Page traces the cause of these problems to the defence industry and the government. Unfortunately this is often a dry subject, involving figures and contracts. Page can't really enliven it with anecdotes about his time in the army either because much of that is officially secret. Occasionally he writes clever and revealing imaginary dialogues, but these aren't enough to carry the book. It can be a hard slog sometimes, but it's a laudable book and a worthwhile read for those interested in military affairs. [Keir Hind]
Published by William Heinemann. Out now. Cover price £12.99