What do you think?
Rate this book
Popski's Private Army
In October 1942, Vladimir Peniakoff-nicknamed Popski-formed his own elite fighting force in the North African desert. Over the next year, this "private army" carried out a series of daring and truly spectacular raids behind German lines: they freed prisoners, destroyed installations, and spread alarm. An enthralling first-person account, filled with danger and thrills.
435 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1950
30 people are currently reading
196 people want to read
About the author
Vladimir Peniakoff
6 books4 followersVladimir Peniakoff served in the British Army during World War II as Lieutenant-Colonel.
He was born in Belgium to Russian parents. After studying at Cambridge University he enlisted in the French army. He then went to live and work in Egypt, where he joined the British Army during the war. He is known as the founder and commanding officer of "Popski's Private Army".
He was born in Belgium to Russian parents. After studying at Cambridge University he enlisted in the French army. He then went to live and work in Egypt, where he joined the British Army during the war. He is known as the founder and commanding officer of "Popski's Private Army".
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 28, 2019
A long and very detailed WWII memoir covering the author’s experiences in the North African and Italian campaigns. I found it absorbing, but I think individual readers’ views might be determined by their reaction to the very forthright and opinionated character of the author, Vladimir Peniakoff, nicknamed “Popski”.
Peniakoff was born in Huy in Belgium in 1897. His parents were Russian émigrés “of an intellectual type”. In 1914 his father took him to Britain where he enrolled at Cambridge University, but he later joined the French Army as an artilleryman. After WWI he moved to Egypt, where he spent his free time making long solitary expeditions into the desert. He became an expert in desert navigation (no GPS in those days) as well as proficient in Arabic and Italian. He therefore had skills that were of obvious use when war broke out, and was given a British Army commission after Belgium joined the War in May 1940. Peniakoff was initially allocated to the “Libyan Arab Force”, recruited from Libyan opponents of Italian colonial rule.
Peniakoff’s unit of the LAF undertook intelligence gathering and reconnaissance, operating well behind enemy lines and liaising with desert sheikhs. On one occasion he took the opportunity to blow up a large Axis petrol dump that the Italian Army had left unguarded. By this exploit he gained his own command. Officially called “No.1 Demolition Squadron”, it gained the nickname that forms the title to this book.
Peniakoff is clear that WWII was the happiest time of his life. He describes his pre-war life in Egypt as “dreary” and in the early sections of the book comes over as something of a misanthrope. This might have been a reflection of his own unhappiness at the time, as it becomes less obvious during his account of the war years. For him, the war provided excitement and an escape from a life of mediocrity. I understand the point he is making, but some of the feelings he claimed to experience stretched my credulity a little. I suppose no-one can truly know another’s mind.
Peniakoff was also one of those who sees the world in black and white rather than in shades of grey. He has a fondness for sweeping generalisations about nationalities and other groups. He professes an intense dislike of the French, as well as anyone from an upper-class background, whether British or Italian. In contrast he has an overwhelmingly positive view of New Zealanders. Initially he describes them as the best soldiers amongst the multi-national Allied force assembled in North Africa. Left at that I would have accepted it as his judgement, but he extends his comments about New Zealanders to a degree of hero-worship that eventually becomes cringeworthy.
The military aspects of the story come over as authentic though, not least because Peniakoff writes up his failures as much as his successes. I’ve read a few memoirs from these “military maverick” types – Fitzroy Maclean, Patrick Leigh Fermor, etc, and they all seem to share a quite ridiculous level of nerve and daring. One incident in this account, in Southern Italy, almost redefines the word “audacious”.
I would say this book is strictly for those with an interest in WWII memoirs. It’s well-written though, and as long as you’re not likely to be offended by Peniakoff’s barbed comments, his unusual personality adds interest to the memoir.
Peniakoff was born in Huy in Belgium in 1897. His parents were Russian émigrés “of an intellectual type”. In 1914 his father took him to Britain where he enrolled at Cambridge University, but he later joined the French Army as an artilleryman. After WWI he moved to Egypt, where he spent his free time making long solitary expeditions into the desert. He became an expert in desert navigation (no GPS in those days) as well as proficient in Arabic and Italian. He therefore had skills that were of obvious use when war broke out, and was given a British Army commission after Belgium joined the War in May 1940. Peniakoff was initially allocated to the “Libyan Arab Force”, recruited from Libyan opponents of Italian colonial rule.
Peniakoff’s unit of the LAF undertook intelligence gathering and reconnaissance, operating well behind enemy lines and liaising with desert sheikhs. On one occasion he took the opportunity to blow up a large Axis petrol dump that the Italian Army had left unguarded. By this exploit he gained his own command. Officially called “No.1 Demolition Squadron”, it gained the nickname that forms the title to this book.
Peniakoff is clear that WWII was the happiest time of his life. He describes his pre-war life in Egypt as “dreary” and in the early sections of the book comes over as something of a misanthrope. This might have been a reflection of his own unhappiness at the time, as it becomes less obvious during his account of the war years. For him, the war provided excitement and an escape from a life of mediocrity. I understand the point he is making, but some of the feelings he claimed to experience stretched my credulity a little. I suppose no-one can truly know another’s mind.
Peniakoff was also one of those who sees the world in black and white rather than in shades of grey. He has a fondness for sweeping generalisations about nationalities and other groups. He professes an intense dislike of the French, as well as anyone from an upper-class background, whether British or Italian. In contrast he has an overwhelmingly positive view of New Zealanders. Initially he describes them as the best soldiers amongst the multi-national Allied force assembled in North Africa. Left at that I would have accepted it as his judgement, but he extends his comments about New Zealanders to a degree of hero-worship that eventually becomes cringeworthy.
The military aspects of the story come over as authentic though, not least because Peniakoff writes up his failures as much as his successes. I’ve read a few memoirs from these “military maverick” types – Fitzroy Maclean, Patrick Leigh Fermor, etc, and they all seem to share a quite ridiculous level of nerve and daring. One incident in this account, in Southern Italy, almost redefines the word “audacious”.
I would say this book is strictly for those with an interest in WWII memoirs. It’s well-written though, and as long as you’re not likely to be offended by Peniakoff’s barbed comments, his unusual personality adds interest to the memoir.
January 29, 2019
Good reading but too wordy. BUT, worth the time to read it.
Read
August 18, 2016Though I am impressed with Rick Atkinson's massive, beautifully written trilogy on WW II, its American-centricness leaves me less than satisfied with respect to not only strategic planning but tactical carry-through, specifically the behind-the-lines actions of the various small units (often termed private armies) such as the LRDG, the SAS, etc.
Popski, born Vladimir Peniakoff, raised in Belgium and working in Egypt previous to the war, decided to get in, and found himself a place. In his own mind, he's a humble, hard-working, non-glory seeking soldier, but to many of his fellow units, he was a crazy demagogue, which I find almost as fascinating as his story. There appears to be a strong rift of class consciousness in his attitude; he demonstrates a particular loathing for the public school officers of David Stirling's sort, to the extent that he didn't want them in his force, even preferring rejects and jailbirds.
Popski works with the local Arabs, drawing on his Egyptian experience, during the North African conflict, and then takes what he learned to the horrible inch-by-inch fight up Italy. It's very interesting to compare his account to others, even if I'm still not getting a clear picture.
Just how important were these guys in turning the tide in North Africa? Rommel's papers, largely written from a god's-eye view, mention them at key places, even going to far as to name Stirling of the SAS.
Anyway, immensely readable, very much a grounds-eye view.
Popski, born Vladimir Peniakoff, raised in Belgium and working in Egypt previous to the war, decided to get in, and found himself a place. In his own mind, he's a humble, hard-working, non-glory seeking soldier, but to many of his fellow units, he was a crazy demagogue, which I find almost as fascinating as his story. There appears to be a strong rift of class consciousness in his attitude; he demonstrates a particular loathing for the public school officers of David Stirling's sort, to the extent that he didn't want them in his force, even preferring rejects and jailbirds.
Popski works with the local Arabs, drawing on his Egyptian experience, during the North African conflict, and then takes what he learned to the horrible inch-by-inch fight up Italy. It's very interesting to compare his account to others, even if I'm still not getting a clear picture.
Just how important were these guys in turning the tide in North Africa? Rommel's papers, largely written from a god's-eye view, mention them at key places, even going to far as to name Stirling of the SAS.
Anyway, immensely readable, very much a grounds-eye view.
February 26, 2019
Really a great perspective to a little known faction of British forces in WWII. it might seem egotistical in it's presentation, but I think he was just telling it like it was. WWII adventures in North Africa & inland Italy are not as common as you think, especially from a frontline soldier.
September 6, 2023
An awesomely understated memoir of special ops in the Western Desert and then Italy. Great personal memories of battles and administration of a small force behind enemy lines... A must-read.
April 18, 2020
Some of the things Poski and his small team got up to were extraordinary. One describes one for example how they were based in a farmhouse in Italy. Each day they sent one of their partisans over to their neighbours the Germans in the next farmhouse to sell them milk. Learning the route there through the minefield. After a few days they popped over and captured them all without firing a shot.
At an earlier occasion having learnt who the local German quarter master was Popski phoned him up pretending to be an Italian quater master arranged to sell him Brandy for the officers mess. Popped over knocked him out and obtained a complete list of every German facing 8th Army out side the port where they had landed in Italy and proving it was a far smaller force than feared.
At an earlier occasion having learnt who the local German quarter master was Popski phoned him up pretending to be an Italian quater master arranged to sell him Brandy for the officers mess. Popped over knocked him out and obtained a complete list of every German facing 8th Army out side the port where they had landed in Italy and proving it was a far smaller force than feared.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2023
Peniakoff, aka Popski, was a businessman in Egypt when war broke out. He had already been exploring the deep dessert as an adventuresome distraction in his time off, and he managed to parlay this experience into working with the Long Range Dessert Group harassing Rommel's forces well behind the lines. His habits of preparation and his practical turn of mind led to much success, and finally his own unit was formed--Popski's Private Army--operating something like the SAS. This is a very matter-of-fact account of the wild forays PPA engaged in, first in North Africa, and then in Italy. There are troubling aspects to their actions, of course, but this frank portrayal makes for an astonishing read.
July 9, 2022
Private Army by Vladimir Peniakoff - published 1950 - this Corgi edition 1965. The mission: “Sow despondency and alarm.” A riveting eyewitness account of the British Army’s first forays into special forces’ irregular warfare in the north African theatre of the Second World War. ‘Popski’ is a charmingly erudite writer and one who has no ego. He willingly tells of as many cock-ups as triumphs, and gradually the reader becomes bewitched by his unorthodox and self-taught approach to waging war behind enemy lines. Following victory over Rommel’s Afrika Korps, the story crosses the Med to Italy - where the action is at its most gripping. Reminiscent in the desert chapters of Lawrence’s Seven Pillars prose, this one’s a real gem.
September 5, 2023
Excellent read
Very underrated unit. Up there with some odd the best elite units fighting behind eny lines.. theybshould have received far more awards for their bravery and intelligence
Very underrated unit. Up there with some odd the best elite units fighting behind eny lines.. theybshould have received far more awards for their bravery and intelligence
February 3, 2023
Read this years ago in its Bantam book incarnation. A fascinating tale well told (IIRC). Introduced me to this unit and increased my interest in unconventional warfare in North Africa.
March 17, 2023
Fantastic story of true gallantry
September 2, 2011
Your a male babyboomer and you remember sitting in front of the tv while wearing your Monkey Division helmet and cradling the latest weaponry from Mattel, just barely making it through a Marlboro commercial while waiting for the familiar "dum-da-da-dum" strains coming through that 4 inch speaker on the Zenith - and then in a flurry of sand, revving engine sounds and 30cal machine gun clatter - it begins.... THE RAT PATROL.
Who would have guessed it, it actually had some basis in truth.
Introducing Lt. Col. Vladimir Peniakoff - "Popski".
His team of handpicked commando troops along with Arab, Italian, Libyan and several other local allies generally harass and make asses out of the German and Italian Army troops from the Libyan desert to the mountains of Italy - while riding in jeeps. Not just regular jeeps, modified units with,among other things, 30 and 50 caliber machine guns. One mounted a la The Rat Patrol on a swivel in the back, one mounted on the hood.
Popski's story is full of characters and situations, places and locations usually reserved for the most rollicking movie release in your typical summer theater. Always working behind enemy lines with limited supples and a major dose of chutzpah- Popski's Army got things done!
A good book, a very interesting man and a tale worth knowing about.
Who would have guessed it, it actually had some basis in truth.
Introducing Lt. Col. Vladimir Peniakoff - "Popski".
His team of handpicked commando troops along with Arab, Italian, Libyan and several other local allies generally harass and make asses out of the German and Italian Army troops from the Libyan desert to the mountains of Italy - while riding in jeeps. Not just regular jeeps, modified units with,among other things, 30 and 50 caliber machine guns. One mounted a la The Rat Patrol on a swivel in the back, one mounted on the hood.
Popski's story is full of characters and situations, places and locations usually reserved for the most rollicking movie release in your typical summer theater. Always working behind enemy lines with limited supples and a major dose of chutzpah- Popski's Army got things done!
A good book, a very interesting man and a tale worth knowing about.
February 19, 2013
Peniakoff and his unit manage to do terrifically impressive things without being at all gung-ho. V enjoyable. I liked his description of the more regular units of the British Army encountered during their progress through North Africa and Italy- brave, and very good at getting killed needlessly....
October 27, 2008
Insightful account of life in a special unit at this early time in their evolution.
June 17, 2013
Although the style of writing is somewhat dated, the content is wonderful. It shows hownhumble the real heros were.
February 7, 2018
One of the most amazing stories i have ever read! Written in a most enjoyable style by an eloquent and infinitely likable author; if only there were another 40 chapters.
January 12, 2021
es un libro más de los ejercitos particulares de Inglaterra durante la 2da.Guerra. Poco destacable.
November 30, 2022
Why did it take until 2021 before this inspirational book came to my attention? Popski - what an amazing real-life character.
Read
August 16, 2018One of the best WWII retrospectives I've read. Well written and fast paced, "Popski" was an incredible real life character. Really an interesting book, written by a truly brave man and leader.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews