The Junior Officer's Reading Club

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

Bandanas, Shades And Penguin Classics

20090622

Patrick Hennessey reads his soldier's tale for the 21st century - an account of his experiences at Sandhurst and then on deployment in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan's Helmand Province.

Hennessey is at a tea party, on a dam, in the middle of a war. Helmand Province is where the British Army has allied with the Afghan National Army to find the Afghan solution to an Afghan problem, but that is easier said than done.

A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4.

Marking Time And Making Friends

20090623

Patrick Hennessey reads his soldier's tale for the 21st century; an account of his experiences at Sandhurst and then on deployment in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan's Helmand Province.

With war raging around him, Hennessey wonders how he arrived in Afghanistan. An English graduate at Oxford, the transition to Sandhurst was a difficult one

A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4.

Tower, Windsor, Buck And Jimmys

20090624

Patrick Hennessey reads his soldier's tale for the 21st century; an account of his experiences at Sandhurst and then on deployment in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan's Helmand Province.

Hennessey is commissioned into the Grenadier Guards and is straining at the leash to get to the Middle East. But the British army has other plans for him - parading and primary school teaching.

A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4.

Hennessey is commissioned into the Grenadier Guards.

Cleaning Your Room

20090625

Patrick Hennessey reads his soldier's tale for the 21st century; an account of his experiences at Sandhurst and then on deployment in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan's Helmand Province.

The Guards are ecstatic - rumour becomes reality and they head to Iraq. The surge is ongoing, but it is not their surge. Instead they are listening to Elvis and Johnny Cash, as they throw anything but parties at the Iraqi jail.

A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4.

Rumour becomes reality and the Guards head to Iraq.

05 LAST

The Road To Sangin

20090626

Patrick Hennessey reads his soldier's tale for the 21st century; an account of his experiences at Sandhurst and then on deployment in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan's Helmand Province.

From Iraq to Helmand Province and the road to Sangin. Battle contact, so long anticipated, proves satisfying for Hennessey and Operation Silicon is a success. But they must now fight their way up to Sangin, as the casualties mount.

A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4.

Battle contact, so long anticipated, proves satisfying and Operation Silicon is a success.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01	Bandanas, Shades And Penguin Classics	20090622	Patrick Hennessey reads his soldier's tale for the 21st century - an account of his experiences at Sandhurst and then on deployment in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan's Helmand Province. Hennessey is at a tea party, on a dam, in the middle of a war. Helmand Province is where the British Army has allied with the Afghan National Army to find the Afghan solution to an Afghan problem, but that is easier said than done. A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4.
02	Marking Time And Making Friends	20090623	Patrick Hennessey reads his soldier's tale for the 21st century; an account of his experiences at Sandhurst and then on deployment in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan's Helmand Province. With war raging around him, Hennessey wonders how he arrived in Afghanistan. An English graduate at Oxford, the transition to Sandhurst was a difficult one A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4.
03	Tower, Windsor, Buck And Jimmys	20090624	Patrick Hennessey reads his soldier's tale for the 21st century; an account of his experiences at Sandhurst and then on deployment in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan's Helmand Province. Hennessey is commissioned into the Grenadier Guards and is straining at the leash to get to the Middle East. But the British army has other plans for him - parading and primary school teaching. A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4. Hennessey is commissioned into the Grenadier Guards.
04	Cleaning Your Room	20090625	Patrick Hennessey reads his soldier's tale for the 21st century; an account of his experiences at Sandhurst and then on deployment in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan's Helmand Province. The Guards are ecstatic - rumour becomes reality and they head to Iraq. The surge is ongoing, but it is not their surge. Instead they are listening to Elvis and Johnny Cash, as they throw anything but parties at the Iraqi jail. A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4. Rumour becomes reality and the Guards head to Iraq.
05 LAST	The Road To Sangin	20090626	Patrick Hennessey reads his soldier's tale for the 21st century; an account of his experiences at Sandhurst and then on deployment in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan's Helmand Province. From Iraq to Helmand Province and the road to Sangin. Battle contact, so long anticipated, proves satisfying for Hennessey and Operation Silicon is a success. But they must now fight their way up to Sangin, as the casualties mount. A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4. Battle contact, so long anticipated, proves satisfying and Operation Silicon is a success.