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Understanding 9/11The Secret Battle
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LibriVox recording of THE SECRET BATTLE, by A.P. Herbert. Read by ROGER MELIN.
Like many soldiers at the beginning of their military careers, Harry Penrose has romantic ideas of climbing the ranks and attaining hero status. However, while stationed at Gallipoli, the realities of war begin to take their toll on Penrose, not only physically, but also mentally where the war has become a 'battle of the mind.' This is his story as related by a fellow soldier, as well as the story of the campaign at Gallipoli which is vividly portrayed from the author's own personal experiences.
During his tenure as an officer, Penrose slowly asserts himself; the war takes a toll on his personality, but he begins to live up to his early dreams of heroism. However, his creeping self-doubt grows by degrees; following Gallipoli, he is reassigned from his post as scouting officer once on the Somme, knowing he cannot face another night patrol, and earns the wrath of his commanding officer - an irascible Regular colonel - over a trivial incident. The colonel piles difficult, risky work on him - remarking to the narrator that "Master Penrose can go on with [leading ration parties] until he learns to do them properly" - and Penrose submits, working doggedly to try and keep from cracking. After a long period of this treatment, by the winter of 1916, Penrose's spirit is worn down. What follows his downward spiral may surprise and even shock today's readers, but was common and controversial at the time. (Introduction adapted from Wikipedia with contributions from the narrator and the proof listener.)
For further information, including links to online text, reader information, RSS feeds, CD cover or other formats (if available), please go to the LibriVox catalog page for this recording.
For more free audio books or to become a volunteer reader, visit LibriVox.org.
Download M4B(163mb)
Like many soldiers at the beginning of their military careers, Harry Penrose has romantic ideas of climbing the ranks and attaining hero status. However, while stationed at Gallipoli, the realities of war begin to take their toll on Penrose, not only physically, but also mentally where the war has become a 'battle of the mind.' This is his story as related by a fellow soldier, as well as the story of the campaign at Gallipoli which is vividly portrayed from the author's own personal experiences.
During his tenure as an officer, Penrose slowly asserts himself; the war takes a toll on his personality, but he begins to live up to his early dreams of heroism. However, his creeping self-doubt grows by degrees; following Gallipoli, he is reassigned from his post as scouting officer once on the Somme, knowing he cannot face another night patrol, and earns the wrath of his commanding officer - an irascible Regular colonel - over a trivial incident. The colonel piles difficult, risky work on him - remarking to the narrator that "Master Penrose can go on with [leading ration parties] until he learns to do them properly" - and Penrose submits, working doggedly to try and keep from cracking. After a long period of this treatment, by the winter of 1916, Penrose's spirit is worn down. What follows his downward spiral may surprise and even shock today's readers, but was common and controversial at the time. (Introduction adapted from Wikipedia with contributions from the narrator and the proof listener.)
For further information, including links to online text, reader information, RSS feeds, CD cover or other formats (if available), please go to the LibriVox catalog page for this recording.
For more free audio books or to become a volunteer reader, visit LibriVox.org.
Download M4B(163mb)
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Reviews
Reviewer:
tripet
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October 27, 2018
Subject: MAN'S INHUMANITY TO MAN.
Subject: MAN'S INHUMANITY TO MAN.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE SADDEST BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ BUT IT DOES BRING TO MIND 'THE PROFESSIONAL SOLDIER', THAT WAS WHAT HE LOVED EVEN OVER AND ABOVE THE LOVE OF HIS WIFE. HARRY WAS NOT HAPPY WITH HIS HUMDRUM LIFE AND CRAVED EXCITEMENT. HE WAS A GOOD MAN, A GREAT MAN, BUT HIS PROBLEM WAS THAT HE REALLY BELIEVED HE WAS INDISPENSIBLE, WHICH IS AN EGO PROBLEM WHICH OF COURSE HE DID SUFFER FROM BUT HE COULD NOT SETTLE HIS MIND, BY NO REAL FAULTOF HIS OWN, THAT THERE IS A MIDDLE ROAD, HE EITHER LIVED AT THE BOTTOM EXTREMETY WHERE HE HAD NO EGO AND DRIVE TO THE UPPER EXTREME WHERE HIS EGO ACTUALLY DROVE HIM TO HIS OWN DESTRUCTION, I THINK IF HE'D HAD A STRONGER WIFE WHO COULD CONVINCE HIM THAT HE HAD SERVED HIS COUNTRY WELL AND THAT HE COULD REST ON HIS LAURELS THE END WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. I WILL PUT A PERSONAL BIT HERE, I BELIEVE IN KARMA AND I HOPE THOSE NASTIES GOT THEIR JUST DESERTS. THOSE MEN DID CRUCIFY HARRY.
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