2017-01-29
Once a Hussar ended abruptly when Ray Ellis reached home and docked at Liverpool, but there was clearly more story to tell and I was eager to hear it.
It started off powerfully enough, with his growing sense of disillusionment, poor treatment by the British Army, and suffering from PTSD. This is something all too important but often missing from WWII military autobiographies, and Ray Ellis’s honesty for his own flaws and failings in this process comes through.
Gradually, he rebuilds his life, and people who might have once been forgotten come to the fore again. It was interesting to see him develop both in and alongside post-war Britain.
I won’t provide spoilers, other than to say that I found Ray Ellis’s story truly fascinating, moving, and uplifting. In fact, after finishing it, I was tempted to write to him to say so, and thank him for his honesty in sharing his account.
Unfortunately, it appears he died a couple of years ago. In which case, I can only hope that his family still benefits from royalties from these books – and to kindly suggest an ebook version! 🙂
Rating: 5/5