Soldier Spy by Tom Marcus

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is just the beginning ...

In the Chetwode Hall at the Indian Military Academy, there is written the following words spoken by the Field Marshal, on the inauguration of the Academy. Every cadet passing through it's portals absorbs these words into himself as he prepares for the ultimate responsibility that he is about to take upon himself :

"The Safety, Honour and Welfare of your Country comes first, always and every-time. The honour, welfare and comfort of the men you command comes next. Your own ease, comfort and safety comes last, always and every-time."

'Soldier Spy' by Tom Carl Marcus is perhaps the only book so far, that dwells so closely on the life of the highly skilled and motivated undercover agents who put themselves in the face of clear and present danger; rendering a silent but most essential Service, while ensuring the safety of ordinary people of the United Kingdom. This book is a true reflection of the life of a hard-core operative, "TC", who gave his everything, who placed the honour, safety and welfare of the United Kingdom above his own ease, comfort and safety and served his Country with complete dedication and devotion to duty. Carefully and delicately, this true story de-shrouds the otherwise secretive lives of the MI-5 operatives.

The book's form is organized in a subtle manner that conveys a crisp and clear account of TC's life starting from his early days on the streets of Britain, joining the Army, switching over as a PTI from a mechanic, earning a recommendation to serve in the Special Ops Team, proving his mettle as a honest and straightforward soldier, training in covert operations, serving in Northern Ireland finally reaching the MI5 and on a few operations in which he was actively involved. The chapters takes us through several situations where the operatives pass through enormous amount of mental stress, take incredible risks and are forced to live a blank life among the general public, while keeping them safe from possible large scale dangers and from organizations and individuals that are a threat to the unity and integrity of that country. The narrative, in true military style, paints the familiar picture of the rigours of training, the modes through which the psyche of a young man is moulded to become tough, fearless, brave and at the same time develop some extraordinary mental analytical skills and a very high order of cognition that is an essential skill for a covert operative.

The transformation of the highly efficient operative to a mental wreck within the span of a few years of Service takes the reader to some really very worrisome facts. Firstly, of the enormous amount of mental and biological stress that the Service, by virtue of the nature of the job involved, induces into the lives of their agents. Secondly, the dark realities related to the consequences of pent up emotions manifesting themselves in unexpected forms that goes to ruin the life of fine professionals with some really very rare skills. A third and important fact which, on the positive side is about the superb balance maintained by the wife of TC, herself a one-time covert operative, who lives the motto of "Sempre Vigilat" as his best friend, life partner, best buddy, mother and the axis around which, TC's personal life revolves.

The book gets one thinking quite a bit about what it is that ultimately matters in the life of a Soldier. Do we realize the existence of people like TC around our lives ? Does their line of duty and existence really matter to us, as ordinary citizens ? What is the price of freedom that we pay ? As we go about our daily businesses, do we stop to think about people like TC ? One is encouraged to think that the Supreme Sacrifice need not necessarily be the ultimate sacrifice. In reality, the lives that are thrashed to nothing by conditions like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as in the case of TC are the ones that have been ultimately sacrificed. They are the ones that nations really owe their freedom and existence to. They are the living representatives of the many such individuals who gave the Supreme Sacrifice in the line of duty, for the safety, ease, comfort and welfare of the people of the Country, they owed their allegiance to.

The closing remarks of the book is the most engaging. Despite having suffered severe mental trauma from giving his best in the line of duty, "TC" still maintains his composure in re-assuring his countrymen that they could continue to live a safe and peaceful life fearlessly, because there are many out there, like he was, toiling night and day in all corners of the world around them, stopping those who wish to do them harm.

Men and women like "TC" may be tiny little cogs in the government machinery that ensures the safety of each and every citizen; but as he borrows from the IRA : the government has to be lucky 100% of the time, whereas the enemy has to be lucky just once. That sums up the enormous stress that the lowest rungs of the government machinery, the man on the street who has to keep all his five senses open all the time, has to endure. He does not know you or me. Yet he gives up his personal comfort, ease and safety for you and me. He does it happily - for you, for me and for our families - so that we may smile at the end of the day and get that essential good sleep every night, something that he always yearned for, but, for him, remained ever elusive.



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