A Soldier Erect by Brian Aldiss

Brian Aldiss made his name as a writer of science fiction but in the nineteen seventies struck out with a trio of comedy/erotic novels of which this is the second volume.   In the first volume "A Hand Reared Boy"  the "hero" Horatio Stubbs is introduced in all his sweaty desparation to encounter sexual experience.   He runs away from home to London in the hope of finding more opportunity for sex in the wicked city but ends up signing on as a regular soldier.   Another act of desparation.

This volume is set in 1944 and Horatio is a wireless operator with the Royal Mendips sent by ship to join the Fourteenth Army in India.   His unit is designated for training and acclimatisation prior to being sent to Burma to confront the Japanese.   This comprises the long central section of the book as Aldiss gives a wonderful account of the boredom inducing routine enlivened by expeditions into nearby towns in a hunt for beer and women.   The beer is easily come by but in India the squaddies only hope of female company is in the brothels all of which are out-of-bounds to British Other Ranks.   This, of course, does not deter Horatio and he takes every oportunity to risk either disease or arrest or both.   One thing is clear and that is the unsatisfactory nature of these couplings.   Horatio satisfies his lust but never finds the love that his romantic nature craves.

The final part of the book is a marvellous description of the relief of Kohima with Horatio and his mates slogging through miles of muddy jungle lacking food water and sleep until they finally acheive their objective and the Japanese begin to retreat.   As one character points out if the Japanese had simply bypassed Kohima the Fouteenth Army would have been unable to prevent them from driving right into India.  

This is an excellent and entertaining depiction of men in war and either Aldis actualy served in this campaign or he is a much better writer than he is given credit for.   Or possibly both!