07 Jun

Review by Eric Morris, military historian

This is the memoire of Bruce Duncan, an officer in 3 RTR who, either by luck or design, was largely able to avoid the tedium of the closing decade of the Cold War and the “eternal triangle” of postings from BAOR to Catterick to Salisbury Plain, by serving in tropical climes.  A succession of postings on secondments and in military training teams successively in 6 nations from Brunei to Sudan and Nigeria, Oman twice, Kuwait and Jordan, interspersed with UK deployments, allowed for a very interesting and varied life both for him and his family until tragedy struck.  Read more

01 Feb

Army and Navy Club 19 January 2017

Thank you to the Army & Navy Club who sent thank you following a talk by Bruce Duncan,  author of The Loan Soldier:

“We are immensely grateful for the wonderful talk you delivered yesterday evening at the Army & Navy Club. We have had numerous comments from Club Members during the course of today to say how much they enjoyed your talk.”

21 Mar

One of the most interesting books I have ever read!

Commented Captain (retd) P Broadbent RN after reading Bruce Duncan’s book The Loan Soldier.

“I just wanted to say that it really is one of the most interesting books I have ever read.  You seem to have an amazing ability to describe places, activities and people in ways which give the reader a most vivid picture of all the countries you served in and what went on there.  Your memory of everything is staggering as I fully realised when I reached the Nigeria pages.  Despite having been there at the same time as you and Toni, I remembered only a very small proportion of all the people and events which you recorded. I could not have enjoyed the book more and I would like to add too, that I found it extremely moving.  It was also nice that having been the 2nd in command of a Tribal Class Frigate based in Bahrain I am also familiar with some of the places you visited and described.”

10 Mar

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity Event

Bruce Duncan MBE attended a charity event on Sunday 6 March where he presented copies of The Loan Soldier to Captain Heather Stanner MBE, a serving officer in the Royal Regiment of Artillery (RA), who with her partner in the Women’s coxless pairs are the reigning World, Olympic and European champions and world record holders.  Scott Meenagh and Jordan Beecher, former Parachute Regiment Paralympians.

From left to right are: Toni Duncan, Jordan Beecher, Scott Meenagh, Bruce Duncan MBE, Captain Heather Stanner MBE

From left to right are: Toni Duncan, Jordan Beecher, Scott Meenagh, Bruce Duncan MBE, Captain Heather Stanner MBE

17 Feb

The Loan Soldier – what people say!

We have had some tremendous comments from people who have read the book, below are a selection of these comments:

So well written that it makes it easy to read and enjoy…

…I was both absorbed and very moved…

…I have never read such a totally frank insight into army family life…you share your experiences so generously…

…the detail and descriptions are so clear and colourful

The Loan Soldier is compelling on so many levels

Good simple descriptions are interlaced with military anecdotes and meeting with interesting people, from Bedouin in desert tents to kings in their palaces

… a fantastic read; I could not put it down