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Apache Dawn
In the summer of 2007 the British Army's 662 Squadron deployed its most potent weapons system in combat for the very first time - the iconic Apache attack helicopter. This is the definitive story of the aircraft and of the crew who fly her, and of their baptism of fire in the battle for Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Under the call-sign Ugly, four of the Army Air Corps' finest pilots flew a relentless series of missions during their 100-day deployment, stretching the aircraft, and themselves, to the limit. Apache Dawn recounts these operations from the perspective of the aircrew, plus the soldiers on the ground who owe their lives to the Apaches' intervention during the white-hot heat of battle. Bestselling author Damien Lewis has been given unprecedented access to the pilots of the Apache Attack Squadrons - an elite band of warriors operating at the very limits of modern warfare. Apache Dawn is their story, and it is one of untold bravery and resilience against all odds.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
56 people are currently reading
494 people want to read
About the author
Damien Lewis
78 books435 followersDamien Lewis became an author largely by accident, when a British publisher asked him if he'd be willing to turn a TV documentary he was working on into a book. That film was shot in the Sudan war zone, and told the story of how Arab tribes seized black African slaves in horrific slave raids. Lewis had been to the Sudan war zone dozens of times over the past decade, reporting on that conflict for the BBC, Channel 4 and US and European broadcasters.
His slavery documentary told the story of a young girl from the Nuba tribe, seized in a raid and sold into slavery in Khartoum, Sudan's capital city, and of her epic escape. The publisher asked Lewis if the Nuba girl would be willing to write her life story as a book, with his help as co-author. The book that they co-wrote was called 'Slave', and it was published to great acclaim, becoming a number one bestseller and being translated into some 30 lanc guages worldwide. It won several awards and has been made into a feature film.
Over the preceding fifteen years Lewis had reported from many war, conflict and disaster zones – including Sudan, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, Burma, Afghanistan and the Balkans (see Author's Gallery). He (and his film crew) traveled into such areas with aid workers, the British or allied military, UN forces or local military groups, or very much under their own steam. He reported on the horror and human impact of war, as well as the drama of conflict itself. Often, he worked alone. Often, he filmed his own material over extended periods of time living in the war or conflict zone.
During a decade spent reporting from around the world Lewis lived in deserts, rainforests, jungles and chaotic third world cities. In his work and travels he met and interviewed people smugglers, diamond miners, Catholic priests 'gone native', desert nomads, un-contacted tribes, aid workers, bush pilots, arms dealers, genocidal leaders, peacekeepers, game wardens, slum kids, world presidents, heroin traffickers, rebel warlords, child prostitutes, Islamist terrorists, Hindu holy men, mercenaries, bush doctors, soldiers, commanders and spies. He was injured, and was hospitalised with bizarre tropical diseases – including flesh-eating bacteria, worms that burrow through the skin and septicemia – but survived all that and continued to report.
It was only natural that having seen so much of global conflict he would be drawn to stories of war, terrorism, espionage and the often dark causes behind such conflicts when he started writing books. Having written a number of true stories, in 2006 he was chosen as one of the 'nation's 20 favourite authors' and wrote his first fiction, Desert Claw, for the British Government's Quick Read initiative. Desert Claw tells of a group of ex-Special Forces soldiers sent into Iraq to retrieve a looted Van Gogh painting, with a savage twist to the tale. That fiction was followed up by Cobra Gold, an equally compelling tale of global drama and intrigue and shadowy betrayal.
Damien Lewis's work, books and films have won the Index on Censorship (UK), CECRA (Spain), Project Censored (US), Commonwealth Relations (UK), Discovery-NHK BANFF (Canada), Rory Peck (UK), BBC One World (UK), BBC-WWF Wildscreen (UK), International Peace Prize (US), Elle Magazine Grande Prix (US), Victor Gollanz (Germany), and BBC One World (UK) Awards. He is a Fellow of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
His slavery documentary told the story of a young girl from the Nuba tribe, seized in a raid and sold into slavery in Khartoum, Sudan's capital city, and of her epic escape. The publisher asked Lewis if the Nuba girl would be willing to write her life story as a book, with his help as co-author. The book that they co-wrote was called 'Slave', and it was published to great acclaim, becoming a number one bestseller and being translated into some 30 lanc guages worldwide. It won several awards and has been made into a feature film.
Over the preceding fifteen years Lewis had reported from many war, conflict and disaster zones – including Sudan, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, Burma, Afghanistan and the Balkans (see Author's Gallery). He (and his film crew) traveled into such areas with aid workers, the British or allied military, UN forces or local military groups, or very much under their own steam. He reported on the horror and human impact of war, as well as the drama of conflict itself. Often, he worked alone. Often, he filmed his own material over extended periods of time living in the war or conflict zone.
During a decade spent reporting from around the world Lewis lived in deserts, rainforests, jungles and chaotic third world cities. In his work and travels he met and interviewed people smugglers, diamond miners, Catholic priests 'gone native', desert nomads, un-contacted tribes, aid workers, bush pilots, arms dealers, genocidal leaders, peacekeepers, game wardens, slum kids, world presidents, heroin traffickers, rebel warlords, child prostitutes, Islamist terrorists, Hindu holy men, mercenaries, bush doctors, soldiers, commanders and spies. He was injured, and was hospitalised with bizarre tropical diseases – including flesh-eating bacteria, worms that burrow through the skin and septicemia – but survived all that and continued to report.
It was only natural that having seen so much of global conflict he would be drawn to stories of war, terrorism, espionage and the often dark causes behind such conflicts when he started writing books. Having written a number of true stories, in 2006 he was chosen as one of the 'nation's 20 favourite authors' and wrote his first fiction, Desert Claw, for the British Government's Quick Read initiative. Desert Claw tells of a group of ex-Special Forces soldiers sent into Iraq to retrieve a looted Van Gogh painting, with a savage twist to the tale. That fiction was followed up by Cobra Gold, an equally compelling tale of global drama and intrigue and shadowy betrayal.
Damien Lewis's work, books and films have won the Index on Censorship (UK), CECRA (Spain), Project Censored (US), Commonwealth Relations (UK), Discovery-NHK BANFF (Canada), Rory Peck (UK), BBC One World (UK), BBC-WWF Wildscreen (UK), International Peace Prize (US), Elle Magazine Grande Prix (US), Victor Gollanz (Germany), and BBC One World (UK) Awards. He is a Fellow of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
April 21, 2022
Не препоръчвам тази книга.
Описанието на войната в Афганистан е сухо, скучно и безинтересно. Единствената ценна информация за мен беше свързана с бойните хеликоптери - Apache, Chinook, Lynx и самолета с вертикално излитане и кацане Harrier, участвали в сражения срещу талибани и муджахидини в провинция Хелманд. Има далеч по-интригуващи военни книги. Пропуснете тази.
Описанието на войната в Афганистан е сухо, скучно и безинтересно. Единствената ценна информация за мен беше свързана с бойните хеликоптери - Apache, Chinook, Lynx и самолета с вертикално излитане и кацане Harrier, участвали в сражения срещу талибани и муджахидини в провинция Хелманд. Има далеч по-интригуващи военни книги. Пропуснете тази.
March 29, 2020
This was an informative, captivating book. It is about an Apache squadron and its tour in Afghanistan. It starts out with a rescue mission involving another squadron (the 656th) to introduce the reader to what the Apache pilots experienced while fighting. It then focuses on the 662nd squadron for the rest of the book. I felt the author did an excellent job presenting the thoughts and attitudes of the individuals involved as well as how their daily lives alternated between trying to offset the tedium when not flying a mission versus the intensity of flying a mission.
While the book focuses primarily on four men in the squadron, it also talks about the other flights as well, but that is more in passing. In any case, I thought it was well-written and respectful of the men and how they served their nation in Afghanistan. I thought the author did an excellent job of honoring these brave men and their respective ground crews in the book as these men allowed a window into their lives to be shared with the rest of the world.
While the book focuses primarily on four men in the squadron, it also talks about the other flights as well, but that is more in passing. In any case, I thought it was well-written and respectful of the men and how they served their nation in Afghanistan. I thought the author did an excellent job of honoring these brave men and their respective ground crews in the book as these men allowed a window into their lives to be shared with the rest of the world.
February 10, 2018
This was a decent book, but it seemed to me, like a couple of other books written by British service members about the Afghan / Iraq wars, kinda sterile. Maybe that's the English character, downplay the danger, take it all in stride.
I still remember the impact that Romesha's Red Platoon had, it felt like the closest you can get to battle without actually going there with guys.
Well-written, and I did not know that there are Apache squadrons in the British army.
I still remember the impact that Romesha's Red Platoon had, it felt like the closest you can get to battle without actually going there with guys.
Well-written, and I did not know that there are Apache squadrons in the British army.
February 6, 2021
I have mixed feelings about this book. It definitively gives one the experience of what that tour was like, which is great. But I found the prose stilted and the style formulaic, as if the book had been thrown together very quickly.
November 23, 2016
What a cracking read and an amazing piece of kit.
August 4, 2019
Brilliant read
It is as if you are in the cockpit during each battle and with the team on base sharing all the highs and lows.
It is as if you are in the cockpit during each battle and with the team on base sharing all the highs and lows.
April 8, 2020
fab book
5 stars for this book it was a book you could not put it brings the stories to life well done
5 stars for this book it was a book you could not put it brings the stories to life well done
August 26, 2020
Brilliantly written book about one tour of battle for a flight of talented and brave airman.
September 28, 2021
A superb helicopter and some even better flying and accounts of it in action!
February 25, 2020
First book I have read that is anything front line or army related. I found it really engrossing. Gave me a complete new perspective into what those soldiers go through and a great sense of new appreciation. Especially the part regarding to when they come home and it’s as if no one knows there’s a war on. Opened my awareness to it all and I’m sure this was all down played a lot as well not being able to include everything involved. Definitely a good read.
July 9, 2018
Very good book about a British Apache crew in Afghanistan. Not too technical. Not Top Gun-y.
January 27, 2020
Very different to my usual read, but I have read Damien Lewis’ War Dog books before
This was about British Apache pilots in Afghanistan. A lot of action. Well written
This was about British Apache pilots in Afghanistan. A lot of action. Well written
October 3, 2024
A thrilling read, full of non-stop action. Hard to put down.
January 28, 2015
Apache Dawn is a non-fictional story by Damien Lewis. Like many other war story writers, he has actually seen the action, and his writing is uncanny. Basically, the idea behind this book is to recognize apache pilots in a documentary style, an amazing read even if you're not interested in the topic. The day to day activities will capture your minds.
Their story starts with their training on the Salisbury Plain of England where the local village's newsletter warns of a new training schedule of parachuting, aircraft trials, jet activity, live firing, helicopter night flights, but otherwise there should be little disturbance.
If you do not already know the amazing coordination needed to fly any helicopter where one foot and hand have opposite tasks to do, then you will really be astounded by these pilots who have one eye on a firing monocle and another doing the `seeing`, much less controlling over 200 buttons with 4 functions each. You will certainly have a new respect for the fighting men of all forces who fly these deadly instruments of war.
In the first 15 pages the descriptions of soldiers strapping themselves to the outside of the Apache with their heads in front of the screaming engines in order to rescue a wounded Royal Marine you will know that you are in for a book that can leave you filled with awe for what the military can ask and accomplish with their men.
Their story starts with their training on the Salisbury Plain of England where the local village's newsletter warns of a new training schedule of parachuting, aircraft trials, jet activity, live firing, helicopter night flights, but otherwise there should be little disturbance.
If you do not already know the amazing coordination needed to fly any helicopter where one foot and hand have opposite tasks to do, then you will really be astounded by these pilots who have one eye on a firing monocle and another doing the `seeing`, much less controlling over 200 buttons with 4 functions each. You will certainly have a new respect for the fighting men of all forces who fly these deadly instruments of war.
In the first 15 pages the descriptions of soldiers strapping themselves to the outside of the Apache with their heads in front of the screaming engines in order to rescue a wounded Royal Marine you will know that you are in for a book that can leave you filled with awe for what the military can ask and accomplish with their men.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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August 28, 2011Whilst a good book, the author starts with the apache rescue at Jugroom Fort highlighting excellent work by 656 squadron apaches, perhaps he should have read the book by Ed Macy(MC) decorated for his action in flying an Apache and subsequent action on the ground during the rescue of Marine Matthew Ford...funny he doesnt mention this at all. was that a glaring omission as were some other aspects like the incorrect names of all the Apache aircrew involved...
And there is no excuse for perhaps the names were changed or the likes, because it is documented in the Afghanistan Honours list for the 4 AAC aircrew who were decorated for their actions in that operation and Ed Macy wrote about it in his own book and it was also well documented in others books written by ex forces who were there.... I would like the author to acknowledge that glaring mistake.... this detracts from the accuracy of the read IMHO because any mistake at the start of a good read that glaring then ruins the rest of the read...
And there is no excuse for perhaps the names were changed or the likes, because it is documented in the Afghanistan Honours list for the 4 AAC aircrew who were decorated for their actions in that operation and Ed Macy wrote about it in his own book and it was also well documented in others books written by ex forces who were there.... I would like the author to acknowledge that glaring mistake.... this detracts from the accuracy of the read IMHO because any mistake at the start of a good read that glaring then ruins the rest of the read...
June 21, 2015
An interesting read.
It is the story of a group of British Apache pilots during the Afghan conflict, told from a British point of view. That is, it is an interesting contrast to the usual American version of these things, with less jingoism and flag-waving.
Interestingly, the author makes the point several times that the British pilots took extreme care in ensuring that their human targets were, in fact, hostile forces and not innocent civilians. In fact, the pilots in the book were quite upset at one point about the possibility that their victims might have been innocent bystanders (as it turns out, the victims were enemy combatants). The only "collateral damage" mentioned in the book were inflicted by American pilots. How closely this corresponds to what really happened, I do not know.
One interesting fact that I found interesting, is that the British Army pilots are allowed to rise from the ranks, and to be of varying ranks. This seems to be in direct contrast to the Air Force (British or American), where the pilots must be officers.
It is the story of a group of British Apache pilots during the Afghan conflict, told from a British point of view. That is, it is an interesting contrast to the usual American version of these things, with less jingoism and flag-waving.
Interestingly, the author makes the point several times that the British pilots took extreme care in ensuring that their human targets were, in fact, hostile forces and not innocent civilians. In fact, the pilots in the book were quite upset at one point about the possibility that their victims might have been innocent bystanders (as it turns out, the victims were enemy combatants). The only "collateral damage" mentioned in the book were inflicted by American pilots. How closely this corresponds to what really happened, I do not know.
One interesting fact that I found interesting, is that the British Army pilots are allowed to rise from the ranks, and to be of varying ranks. This seems to be in direct contrast to the Air Force (British or American), where the pilots must be officers.
December 9, 2013
A document of a 100 day tour of duty of the aircrew (and a little about the groundcrew) of Apache helicopters in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan in 2007.
The Helicopter sounds awesome, the pilots: brave as f...
You know - I just don't feel as if I can comment on the things that go on in this book - they are so far outside of my experience that anything I say would just be ... I don't know ... kinda awkward or wrong. The way the book is written makes it sound like any wins were won only because of... nah, I can't say that - I just don't know.
This is a well written book that gives a great description of what needs to be described and keeps the action flowing in a way that keeps the pages turning.
Good job all round.
The Helicopter sounds awesome, the pilots: brave as f...
You know - I just don't feel as if I can comment on the things that go on in this book - they are so far outside of my experience that anything I say would just be ... I don't know ... kinda awkward or wrong. The way the book is written makes it sound like any wins were won only because of... nah, I can't say that - I just don't know.
This is a well written book that gives a great description of what needs to be described and keeps the action flowing in a way that keeps the pages turning.
Good job all round.
December 8, 2010
I truly admire the excellent job which the apache pilots did here and especially in undoubtedly saving lives of ground troops. The book describes many of the operations they were involved in. It goes into too much technical detail for my liking. I found the book exciting and sad in places and mundane in others, much like the lives of the participants I imagine. No offence to the pilots but it's only OK. A two and a half.
August 6, 2011
Wow! This book was amazing. It helped me to understand the war in Afghanistan more and more. I knew very little about it but once I finished this book I had a great understanding. The courage of the crew on Flight Ugly was amazing.These men fought for their country and showed determination and skill.
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August 6, 2011Wow! This book was amazing. It helped me to understand the war in Afghanistan more and more. I knew very little about it but once I finished this book I had a great understanding. The courage of the crew on Flight Ugly was amazing.These men fought for their country and showed determination and skill.
May 22, 2014
This book is about the Afganistan war were the apache's were stationed into five groups they had the moto, always outnumbered, never outgunned. It was a true story of how the inexperienced had became heroes and they keep having funny humour with occasional swear words in it. I felt it was the best book I ever read about and it is about a true story, so this book is a one to read.
October 19, 2019
This an interesting, no-nonsense, journal of a British Army Air Corps flight comprising two Apache Helicopters and crew on a three-month deployment to Afghanistan. I enjoyed the personal comments about family back in the UK and the relationship between the flyers and their ground crews and with other flights on the same deployment.
November 16, 2010
Damien Lewis has an amazing ability to drop you right in the action and enable you to have a real insight into what the Apache pilots have to deal with not just under fire but the emotions they go through after missions. Amazing read couldnt put it down.
June 14, 2012
Compelling, easily read but also leaves the reader with a sense of frustration after reading. So the donkey lives but does it save Afghanistan when all the others are killed in droves (read and you will comprehend)
October 8, 2013
Really liked this book and the first one of Damien's I have read. Explains about what goes on in Afghanistan in much more detail than you hear on the news as you hardly ever hear about the helicopter teams that are supporting the ground troupes. Can wait to read more of Damiens work.
February 10, 2019
If you love great stories about combat, you'll love this book. If you love the Apache helicopters, you'll LOVE this book. This, 'Hellfire' and 'Apache' (both by other pilot authors) I could not put down. Love them all.
July 22, 2016
Just finished this book and it was OK, surprisingly for Damien Lewis I didn't find it really caught me and whilst it was OK it definitely isn't one of his better books. If you're interested in the Apache read the two by Ed Macey, they are far better.
January 4, 2011
Good for the carnage but not as personal or in-depth as Macy's books, Hellfire and Apache.
April 20, 2011
Damien Lewis' books have yet to disappoint me, hopefully this one holds up to the same standard.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews