We Were Warriors
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- Create Date：2021-04-26 10:56:11
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Johnny Mercer
- ISBN：1509853022
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Summary
The rounds were single shot from the same two enemy positions， trying to pick me off。 They were kicking up the dirt around me。 Then all hell broke loose as the gunship's Gatling vomited ammo right over my head。 The sound was deafening。 It was now or never。 I got up and ran。
A captain in 29 Commando， Johnny Mercer served in the army for twelve years。 On his third tour of Afghanistan he was a Joint Fires Controller， with the pressurized job of bringing down artillery and air strikes in close proximity to his own troops。 Based in an area of northern Helmand that was riddled with Taliban leaders， he walked into danger with every patrol， determined to protect them。 Then one morning， in brutal close quarter combat， everything changed 。 。 。
In We Were Warriors Johnny takes us from his commando training to the heat， blood and chaos of battle。 With brutal honesty， he describes what it is like to risk your life every day， pushing through the fear that follows watching your friends die。 He took the fight back to the enemy with a relentless efficiency that came at a high personal cost。 Back in the UK， seeing the inadequate care available for veterans and their families， he was inspired to run for Parliament in the hope he could improve their plight。 Unflinching， action-packed and laced with wry humour， We Were Warriors is a compelling read。
A captain in 29 Commando， Johnny Mercer served in the army for twelve years。 On his third tour of Afghanistan he was a Joint Fires Controller， with the pressurized job of bringing down artillery and air strikes in close proximity to his own troops。 Based in an area of northern Helmand that was riddled with Taliban leaders， he walked into danger with every patrol， determined to protect them。 Then one morning， in brutal close quarter combat， everything changed 。 。 。
In We Were Warriors Johnny takes us from his commando training to the heat， blood and chaos of battle。 With brutal honesty， he describes what it is like to risk your life every day， pushing through the fear that follows watching your friends die。 He took the fight back to the enemy with a relentless efficiency that came at a high personal cost。 Back in the UK， seeing the inadequate care available for veterans and their families， he was inspired to run for Parliament in the hope he could improve their plight。 Unflinching， action-packed and laced with wry humour， We Were Warriors is a compelling read。
Reviews
Nin
，
A frank and unapologetic picture of life in Afghanistan as a member of the British Army。 Whilst I don’t agree with many of Johnny Mercer’s political stances， and his final two chapters about becoming an MP were not particularly interesting to me， his account of wartime is absolutely required reading for anyone who wishes to understand the plight that 21st century British veterans face today。
Steve Mitchell
，
Mandatory readingThis book should be read by every man and woman in this country in order to understand the amazing courage being displayed on their behalf by those in our armed services。 It should also be mandatory reading for all politicians！This is a very well written book that was truly unputdownable。 I am sure the fog of battle has distorted some chronological sequences but the respect and care the author showed for those working at his side comes across with great clarity。 A book I firmly Mandatory readingThis book should be read by every man and woman in this country in order to understand the amazing courage being displayed on their behalf by those in our armed services。 It should also be mandatory reading for all politicians！This is a very well written book that was truly unputdownable。 I am sure the fog of battle has distorted some chronological sequences but the respect and care the author showed for those working at his side comes across with great clarity。 A book I firmly commend to you。 。。。more
Mick
，
Good account from the front to the house of commons found this to be a great read
Matt Smith
，
I listened to this book as an audiobook。 It is a fantastic narrative from a modern soldier in the British Army， and shows the positives and negatives that come from experience on the frontline。 Mercer got me thinking about politics from a new perspective。
Paul Crozier
，
Great bookI quite enjoyed this book about one mans way into the army and how he went about day to day until he left and became what he became。 Highly recommended
Eddie McCoy
，
It was as if I was there，I felt this was an eye opener as to what really happened out there。
Kas
，
This was a raw， emotional read by a man of courage， his strength and care sang out throught and gave a good read of raw battle and the trauma it leaves behind no matter how strong you are。
S。
，
a low 4/5， not superb or immersive， but competent and at times， intriguing。 Mercer seems to be a good military officer， but the work here is not the 5/5 level of compelling-ness。 well-written memoir of combat。
Daniël Gonçalves
，
Shaming people that are smart enough not to engage in a war that you very much critique yourself really bothered me。 Author was indoctrinated by his awful parents and seems jealous of those that don’t need as much guidance as him。
Lee Mifflin
，
Highly recommended！Johnny Mercer's story is highly inspirational。 From what started out as an oppressively religious childhood he managed to achieve fantastic feats during his military service。 He guides you through the highs and lows of his career， including losing friends， his experience with the mental health disorders related to military service and his eventual exit from the armed forces & beginning of his political career。 4/5 Highly recommended！Johnny Mercer's story is highly inspirational。 From what started out as an oppressively religious childhood he managed to achieve fantastic feats during his military service。 He guides you through the highs and lows of his career， including losing friends， his experience with the mental health disorders related to military service and his eventual exit from the armed forces & beginning of his political career。 4/5 。。。more
john rogers
，
True and toughIf this story does not move you， then you are dead。 Johnny Mercer is a hero whether he likes it or not。 Respect man。
Alex
，
This book was in our accommodation on holiday and looked interesting。 It was a name I'd heard of but didn't instantly connect。It is very well written and I enjoyed reading it。 It really concentrates on his relationship with his soldiers and how that linked with his own upbringing connects to mental health。 I thought it was an honest and frank discussion which is a positive contribution given the contribution many modern military books are making to the glorification of conflict。 I actually reall This book was in our accommodation on holiday and looked interesting。 It was a name I'd heard of but didn't instantly connect。It is very well written and I enjoyed reading it。 It really concentrates on his relationship with his soldiers and how that linked with his own upbringing connects to mental health。 I thought it was an honest and frank discussion which is a positive contribution given the contribution many modern military books are making to the glorification of conflict。 I actually really liked the parts at the end of the book discussing his entry into politics。 I imagine his suggestion that the conservative party is dysfunctional when it comes to candidates campaigning won't have gone down well。A good book。 I wanted to give it 4。5 stars as there were one or two very small sections that distracted or seemed irreverent to me。 。。。more
Graeme Dear
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A most inspirational readVery compelling， very inspiring and very real。 Johnny & Felicity's resilience and hard work was amazing。 A great great read。 A most inspirational readVery compelling， very inspiring and very real。 Johnny & Felicity's resilience and hard work was amazing。 A great great read。 。。。more
Daisy
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Very powerful and moving。 Really made me aware of the struggles of everyday life in Afghanistan。 Somehow still didn’t manage to put me off joining the forces - the book is written with such heart。
Peter Robertson
，
Extraordinarily vivid and heartfeltI don't have any relevant experience to comment on what it feels like to be under fire but， having read this book， I certainly feel like I have a much better understanding than I did beforehand。 Extraordinarily vivid and heartfeltI don't have any relevant experience to comment on what it feels like to be under fire but， having read this book， I certainly feel like I have a much better understanding than I did beforehand。 。。。more
Jonathan
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An impressive read - excellent study in the military life of an officer - and mental health issues associated。
Phil Morgan
，
A truly gripping war biography， that shows the friendships， rivalries， trials and repurcussions of war。 So engaging and honest from start to finish。
John Mcgee
，
Great up until the point he decided to stand as an mp for the Conservative party， was a good four or five stars until we got to this part
Chudson
，
Great book if you’re interested in the British Army and the life’s of the members。Would recommend
John
，
An element of someone establishing a personal narrative， similar to Obama's book but Interesting account of a journey。 An element of someone establishing a personal narrative， similar to Obama's book but Interesting account of a journey。 。。。more
Suveccha Haque
，
Ahh！ Finally I've finished it and that's all that matters to me。 Ahh！ Finally I've finished it and that's all that matters to me。 。。。more
Jim Bryan
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Great book。 Pulls no punches re the realities of war， himself， and politics。
Iola
，
I've given this 5* as I can't do 4。5*。 This is most definitely a harrowing tale to be sure， but the humanity in it， along with one warring with oneself on a daily basis cannot be faulted。 The struggles this person went through would test the most mentally healthy person on the planet。 I suffer with mental health and I can't even begin to imagine dealing with this guy's life。 He is one very brave man and deserves kudos aplenty。 To go from Army officer into a whole new career he barely knew anythi I've given this 5* as I can't do 4。5*。 This is most definitely a harrowing tale to be sure， but the humanity in it， along with one warring with oneself on a daily basis cannot be faulted。 The struggles this person went through would test the most mentally healthy person on the planet。 I suffer with mental health and I can't even begin to imagine dealing with this guy's life。 He is one very brave man and deserves kudos aplenty。 To go from Army officer into a whole new career he barely knew anything about？ That takes guts， courage and as he said a good partner backing him all the way。 I wish him well in his new career and I hope he gets the changes he's after， although， somehow， I can't see that happening。 。。。more
Charlie
，
My first foray into the realm of soldier’s memoir。 The most gripping part was when he was stranded alone and under heavy fire from the Taliban。 But there are some parts which are left unsaid， where the author says he can’t write about。 Perhaps because the author is now an MP， and it would not be appropriate for a politician to say those things。 However， the harsh realities of combat and losing friends is not spared。
Matt
，
A powerful and descriptive account of the fighting in Afghanistan in this century。 At times， tense， frustrating， funny but above all， deeply moving。 The book closes with the authors maiden speech in the House of Commons， bringing a tear to my eye。
Ailsa
，
Fantastic book， charting Mercer's Strict Baptist background （which has left its mark on him， and not always in a positive way） to public school scholarship， 12 years as an Army officer to member of parliament determined to do better for servicemen and women （fighting Conservative party snobbishness along the way）， this is at times a very emotive read。 Johnny Mercer MP's maiden speech will bring a tear to the eye。 Fantastic book， charting Mercer's Strict Baptist background （which has left its mark on him， and not always in a positive way） to public school scholarship， 12 years as an Army officer to member of parliament determined to do better for servicemen and women （fighting Conservative party snobbishness along the way）， this is at times a very emotive read。 Johnny Mercer MP's maiden speech will bring a tear to the eye。 。。。more
Simon Akam
，
Read as part of book research。
Nathan Fletcher
，
This is a great read。 My respect to all who serve their country。 This is an incredible read about a life many of us will never know thankfully。 The book details the effort in war and after war by a captain。 Highly recommend reading。
Yolanda
，
Should be compulsory reading for anyone with an interest in modern British politics or in mental health。 Anyone who comes from a heavily militarised area of the UK， or who knows anyone who has toured Afghanistan， will recognise the depiction of the Army life， too。 As it happens， I've a mate who survived being blown up by an IED， and I really felt as though I were there while reading Johnny Mercer's descriptions。 Given that Mercer is not a professional author， to say this is a job well done is an Should be compulsory reading for anyone with an interest in modern British politics or in mental health。 Anyone who comes from a heavily militarised area of the UK， or who knows anyone who has toured Afghanistan， will recognise the depiction of the Army life， too。 As it happens， I've a mate who survived being blown up by an IED， and I really felt as though I were there while reading Johnny Mercer's descriptions。 Given that Mercer is not a professional author， to say this is a job well done is an understatement。 。。。more
Anthony Cassidy， Mr
，
True realityWhat an immense change to read an honest account of military life and it’s demands on self and family that the ‘others’ cannot hope to understand least of all the politicians who put service personnel there in the first place。Something I could never get across。
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=We Were Warriors
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=We Were Warriors&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,We Were Warriors&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0