Six Months Without Sundays: The Scots Guards in Afghanistan

by Max Benitz

Max Benitz reports from the frontline of a highly controversial war in a perceptive and revealing account of several months spent in Afghanistan with this world-famous infantry battalion. Training with them and living amongst them as they undertake their tour in Helmand province, Benitz gives a unique insight into the pressures faced by those who risk their lives every second of the day in one of the most dangerous places on earth. Fascinating and illuminating, The Scots Guards in Afghanistan reveals new insights into the war raging in Afghanistan and the men and women who bravely serve there for the British forces.

237 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2011

Reviews

[Jim Perialas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six Months Without Sundays: The Scots Guards In Afghanistan written by Max Benitz is a true story about the British military unit known as the Scots Guard and their efforts in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Benitz writes about his observations of this unit while embedded with it in the summer of 2010. He provides insight into the Scots Guard' and it's battle with insurgents, battle with the general population, battle with rough Terrain and a harsh climate, battle trying to make the Afghan army "battle ready", and its daily battle trying to win an unpopular war in horrible conditions in an unfamiliar country. Quite a list of battles, all of which add up to one hell of a book.
While reading the book it became evident to me that the the Scots didn't necessarily strive for a high body count but instead wanted to represent their country and the rest of the free word in a professional way and along the way take out bad people who want to do bad things to innocent people.

Mr. Benitz writes like an author who has several books in his resume' but this is his first effort. I am extremely impressed by his ability to write military books because he has the ability to make the chapters flow, to "paint pictures" of the events that are vivid and to seemingly place the reader directly into every event. I hope this is not his last book in this genre because he is too talented to retire after one release. If you enjoy military books, I highly recommend this book. To use an overused cliche, Six Months Without Sundays is truly a page Turner.

[Gordon Taggart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, horrific subject at times. The story of the Scots Guards, the ceremonial soldiers you see outside Buckingham palace on the front line in the professional infantry role.

What I felt let the book down a little and for which I had to drop a star was the cutting backwards and forwards. I appreciate the difficulties of the subject matter, and that the author approached it as an interested outsider rather than a more 'professional' writer. He had a refreshing and personable view, but that structure just I feel meant it wasa bit too loose for me - maybe it is because I like to follow a more logical and ordered approach to things

Well worth the read, and kudos to our brave boys in Afghanistan. Even more interesting bookended with Dead Men Risen, the story of the Welsh Guards in afghan.

[Alistair Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good read. You will finish the book full of admiration for the Scots Guards and for our armed forces generally. Also for Max Benitz, who as he modestly points out, is not a soldier; and apparently could never have been one, but is clearly very brave as well. This is balanced by loathing for the politicians who got our soldiers into the Afghan mess and sent them in with defective or inadequate equipment. Temple Bar has now been re-erected in London: all it requires is the heads of Blair, Brown, etc on spikes to complete the decor.