Alistair Pope

Starlight is a refreshing book to read. Paradoxically, for a book that I highly recommend it contains a great deal of the blood and gore of war. It also contains observations about the environment and culture of Vietnam as well as some insights into the mind and souls of the ordinary Australian soldier. Tony White, the 5 RAR RMO writes in a conversational style that is as easy to read as a diary. He records events and incidents and expresses the views he held then (and not as so many prefer to remember with the benefit of hindsight). He has no ego about his limited capabilities as a young, inexperienced doctor. The result is that the reader soon feels a sense of being part of the ‘family’ that is a battalion on operations