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About the book

 

Brian Foster is a natural story teller and in a ‘Rat in My Tent’ he will make you laugh out loud at times, as he entertains us with his brilliant collection of vividly told stories about growing up in the 1930s and ‘40s, and his chequered career, in the Army and in civilian life.

 

Read about:

  • How ‘spontaneous combustion’ claimed his father’s garage:
  • Causing havoc on the ‘Wall of Death’:
  • The filming of ‘A Reserve Bridge Demolition’:
  • Teaching carpentry and joinery to Malay and Gurkha soldiers:
  • Narrowly avoiding a massacre in the Malayan National Emergency:
  • Working and travelling in India and Nepal in the 1950s:
  • Travelling to Darjeeling with Sherpa Tenzing and an invitation to the Dalai Lama’s birthday party:
  • Flying in an Auster aircraft without doors, in a terrifying thunderstorm over mountain ranges in Malaya:
  • The incident of ‘The 72-inch Cooking Range’ in Germany:
  •  How a 4-ton Army truck wrecked the limousines of the Governor of Gibraltar, the Chief of Police, the Chief Justice and the Chief Minister: Dinghy sailing off Gibraltar:
  • The circular saw and the Jaguar:
  • How the Bradford Hogg lost its tongue:
  • A Ships Radio Course conducted by a young Ellen MacArther (now Dame Ellen):
  • Travels and farming in Australia:
  • Jaguar Car related stories:
  • Moving to live in Spain, and many other fascinating tales.

 

Reviews and comments

Amazon Customer Reviews

His sense of humour is truly amazing too…

By J. Haslam on 16 Feb. 2016

My father served in the British Army too and therefore I have heard many of these stories before but Brian really and truly brings these stories to life!! His sense of humour is truly amazing too. It really gave me such a good insight into the day-to-day up's and down's of what these men went through. I am so glad that he wrote this book and will be leaving such a brilliant legacy behind. This is a must read for anyone wanting to join the army or anyone who has retired from the forces as well. Brian is a good friend and has always been extremely charitable towards all the philanthropic work I do and has helped personally as well as through the sales of the book and by other means too. To see all the work that we do, please visit [...]. My gratitude and sincere respect to Brian for leading such an honourable life and never failing to give-back to the world in any way he can.

Humour in the Forces…

By Amazon Customer on 17 Feb. 2016

As another "Sapper" I have known Brian for many years although our paths have not crossed for a few years, so I started to read his book with a sense of wondering what I would find. Once I started, it was difficult to put it down as I chuckled through the pages until finished. Brian brings a wonderful sense of humour to his life in the forces, and his ability to turn mundane happenings into an enjoyable funny story is one that we can all identify with. Whether you have ever served in the forces or not, this book can be enjoyed by all and I would recommend it to anybody. Brian has written a good read.

Made a good read. A fascinating career of a real soldier ...

By alan Rowlinson on 7 Jan. 2016

A very interesting life story. The stories of life in the British army during post war years in the Far East and exploits at the time, shortly after the war, made a good read.

A fascinating career of a real soldier at the sharp end. Not the stories of a senior officer. This is how it really was.

Highly entertaining and informative book. Full of amusing anecdotes ...

By Mr. D. Mitchell on 2 Feb. 2016

Highly entertaining and informative book. Full of amusing anecdotes and a potted history of life in the armed forces over 5 decades. Recently met the author, a very interesting life he has had.

A few of reader’s comments
direct to the author

 

I have been reading NWREOC Member Brian Foster’s new book “A Rat in my Tent”, and I can commend it to you. … At 285 pages, this often hilarious account is very good value.

Adrian ... Major TD MBE RE (V) North West Royal Engineer Officers Club

* * *

Dear Brian, I am going to buy another copy for my son in law’s birthday. You certainly had some “mind blowing experiences.”

Joan R...  Estepona  Costa del Sol - Spain

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My brother is reading your book at the moment and enjoying it immensely – he says you are a very good writer.....so well done!

Roy S...  Los Barrios, Costa del Sol, Spain.

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I found your meeting with Dame Ellen MacArthur a very engaging tale.

Frank H...  Major GE (Retd) Bourn, Cambridgeshire.

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I am really enjoying your book!

Mick Jones –Proprietor -  Jones Boatyard, St Ives Cambs.

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John got his hands on your book on Sunday and has just finished the story about the bikes on the wall of death - I was upstairs wondering what he was laughing so loudly about as I could tell he had not got the television on - he says you couldn't make it up.

What a contrast in life styles John has not moved more than a mile in 80 years to the house we have lived in for nearly 50 years.

He is having trouble putting the book down but I keep finding him little jobs to do!!!

Carol … Jaguar Enthusiasts Club

* * *

Your book Brian is excellent; I just could not put it down.

David W… Member - Jaguar Enthusiasts Club

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I so enjoyed your excellent book:  A Rat in my Tent, and so many things reminded me of my National Service, but of course my service had no comparison with yours in any way.

John ... Member - Jaguar Enthusiasts Club

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I have now finished reading your book and am writing to congratulate you on a job well done. You have a most attractive way with words, and the book is a jolly good read.

Although we wore different coloured uniforms, the parts about your military life brought back to me the 'feel' of that wonderful life.

Well done!

(Ex RAF Fighter pilot and East African Airways commercial pilot)

* * *

I haven’t stopped  laughing since I started your book........

David Zelder – Double Award winning author of – YOMPING OUTSIDE.

* * *

Very much enjoyed the book. Lots of reflective memory on how the Army was.......

Colonel Professor Alan ...  OBE KStJ TD DL

* * *

… I really enjoyed your natural ability to tell a good story, and I hope many others will buy your splendid book.

Member - Royal Engineer (N & W) Officers Club.

* * *

Just completed the final chapter of “A Rat in my Tent” which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was full of fun and amusement with some really interesting stories which I could relate to, especially as I started work as a joiner and became a Senior C.O.W for Harrogate Council . Although I am a child of the 50s and not the 30s I can well remember the lack of mollycoddling we received as children and the harsher discipline handed out, both at school and as a young cadet.

Well done on producing such a delightful and entertaining read.

Malcolm  ...  Col M D R ...  MBE

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Members who had purchased a copy of Brian’s book at the last meeting said it was an excellent read – very interesting life.

Notts and Borders Jaguar Enthusiasts Club

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…I have read A Rat in my Tent with great enjoyment. It brings back such a host of memories, not only those I have shared with you but also of my own boyhood and in the Army.

Lt Colonel (Retd) David ... Royal Engineers