I liken this book to another privileged account by Julian Amery (Approach March), where he recount his war and/or WW2 military record. This author sailed thro life with the knowledge that his family background and Empire connections ensured his war record memoirs was worthy of recounting. He did write well and for the first third, I did really enjoy it, both his writing style and life experiences. It covered him up to the early part of the war, in which he served with the Black Watch regiment, but in intelligence work, than regimental infantry. The second third concerned his experiences in the Burma campaigns and his views on Wingate and Wavell (all too brief, and I suspect because he has written about them elsewhere), for whom he served as an ADC and drew upon his friendship through this military career. The final third was his post-War career, notably involvement in Palestine as Israel was being created and the Arab uprisings from the British mandate, culminating in the disaster of Suez in 1956. In fact, like Amery, much of the book recounted pursuing worthy causes that ultimately did not succeed, and it was interesting to note that his career did not seem to be unduly impacted, until Suez, after which he left the service. Not to ignomy, but to be the third generation of Governor-General's of New Zealand. What are the odds of that !? Unless you are blessed with the privilege and traditions that surrounded certain families who attended the right schools and knew the right people. It was unwritten, but obvious, that those connections secured his military promotions.

As a historical account of a Regimetal officer serving thro interesting times it's a five star read, as he wrote it so well; as a record of a brilliant or successful military career, less so.