Weekend Warrior

Kevin J. Mervin was one of over 2,000 British Territorial Army soldiers called up to fight in the Iraq War in February 2003. Based on a diary kept throughout his tour of duty, the author's personal account of the conflict illustrates what it was like for a 'part-timer' to fight alongside the regular army. Weekend Warrior chronicles the difficulties and traumas Mervin and his colleagues endured while carrying out their work, including situations in which they literally had to fight for their lives. The author also describes how he and his companions dealt with the horrific sights, sounds and realities of war. Thrust unexpectedly into the middle of a dangerous conflict, Mervin's memoirs relate not only the fear and excitement he experienced but also his sadness at the scenes of poverty he witnessed and his anger towards the media, which, he feels, reported the conflict to the world with an anti-war bias. On his return home, Mervin faced further challenges when he lost his job because of his call-up and he also received criticism from an often hostile public. Weekend Warrior paints a startlingly vivid picture of fear and confusion on the front line and highlights the problems faced by those lucky enough to return home.