Always A Marine

StevenPreece

Active member
I've recently received a couple of emails from an ex Royal who made me realise that the statement at the end of my second book wasn't quite what I meant.

If you've read it and these emails you may understand.

Here goes:

Steve Im an ex bootneck and have read your first book in 04 and loved it, I read that book 3 times. I related so much to what you say about the corp, although my experiences were similar and yet my path through the corp was different to yours (Condor, Hamworthy then across the water for a long stint) I can relate to all the people you talk about, i I know a person exactly like you describe in the other people in the book, especially the nobbers mate. I pissed myself when you talked about the bootneck corner in Warrior, and curling one in the ice bucket, f@#k hilarious mate, I spent the last 4 years of my career in NI on special duties and we had a corner in the det bar, and anyone who entered was subjected to the same shit. Funny though looking back. Im now tucking into your second book which I waited for weeks to come ( I live in Switzerland now) and have just got to the bit when you banged out the Legionaire, hoofing mate, love it. My wife said to me she has never heard or seen me curl up pissing myself on the sofa, or cry with laughter, though i didnt notice it as I was transported back in time to the good old days. I just wanted too say thanks for writing something that has been a good therapy for me, and made me realise the path I have been walking since gettin out in 02. My oppos i still keep in touch with love the read as well, and if your ever this way I'll get the lads down for a run ashore. Cheers Royal

I replied to him and this is what he sent me this morning:
Hi Steve

Thanks for the reply, I read your second book from cover to cover mate, took me 8 hours and 6 beers to get through it, and I loved every page. I was sad to read Taff had ripped you off, that is chad, people like that I just cant get me head around. I related alot to your second book as much as the first, definatly getting used to dealing with civis is still a problem I have. But your right about the last sentance mate, you'll always be a marine, no matter what. Its what we are, we can never change this, it will always be inside us till we go to the grave mate. We learn to adapt and improvise in our new enviroment and go on to live normal lives, but deep inside the green light stays on, flickering in the darkness waiting to be ignited.

I never tell anyone about the corp and only talk about it when I get together with the lads once or twice a year. Nobody understands what Im on about.

Interestingly my Mate got court martialled at Warrior and booted out the corp for assualt, basically the story goes he banged out another bootneck in self defence, but the Corp didnt quite see it that way and booted him out the corp as an example. my mate is in Iraq at the moment so when he gets back in Sept I'll tell him to get your book off amazon.

keep up the fizz and remember 'Pain is weakness leaving the body'

Lets us know when your next book comes out and I'll raid the piggy bank and order it!

Best regards


I was quite pleased with this and guess he was right.

Its a Fact: Once a Marine, Always A Marine.

Best Regards

Steven Preece
Author of Amongst The Marines and Always A Marine
 
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