ThisisKenWharton'seagerlyawaitednewbookchroniclingtheNorthernIrelandtroublesfromtheBritishsoldier'sperspective.Hisfinestbooktodate,surpassinghis2011work"TheBloodiestYear-NorthernIreland1972,"looksatthebloodyperiodof1973/4andfeaturesmanycontributionsfromthosewhoweretherebesidessuperbandpainstakingresearch.'Sir,they'retakingthekidsindoors'wasacryheardbymostifnotalloftheBritishsoldierswhoservedoneitherthe4monthemergencyorthe2yearresidentbattaliontoursofNorthernIreland.ItreferstotheIRAtacticofwarningthecivilianpopulationinRepublicanareasoftheimpendingarrivalofoneoftheirgunmen.Clearly,aswitnessedbythenumberofciviliandeathsamongtheCatholicpopulationdirectlyorindirectlyatthehandsoftheir'protectors'intheIRA,theywerenotaversetokillingorcausingthedeathsofCatholics.Oncethe'jungledrums'hadwarnedmothersoftheapproachingdeathatthehandsofthe'widowmaker'theywouldbringtheiroffspringindoorsandthusgivetheIRAthe'moralhighground'ofnotshootingtheirownsupporters.Onceasoldierhadcalledoutthesewordstocomrades,thepatrolwouldknowthattheangelofdeathwasinthearea,neverfarawayatthebestoftimes.Itwouldalertthemtothefactthattheyhadtobereadyforsomethingmorelethalthantheaimedbricks,Molotovcocktails,deadanimals,dogexcrementandusedsanitarytowelswhichthewomenoftheRepublicanareassocharminglysavedfortheoptimummoment.Itwouldheraldtheapproachofagunmanorgunmenandthelocals,especiallythosewhoreveledintheprospectof'shootingaBrit'oradherentstotheProvisionals'lineofkillingasoldieradaywouldhavetheirsadistichatredsatedforadayatleastatthesightofBritishbloodstainingthestreets.OneonlyneedconsulttherollofhonorinanyofKen'sbookstoknowthatthereweremanystreetsinBelfastandLondonderrywheretheRepublicanmobshaddancedinthebloodofayoungmanfromEngland,Scotland,WalesoreventheirownNorthernIreland-SpamountStreet,NewLodge;FlaxStreet,Ardoyne;GlenalinaGardens,Ballymurphy;ArdmonaghGardens,TurfLodge;Shaw'sRoad,Andersonstown;LeckyRoad,LondonderryandIniscarnRoad,Creggan,Londonderry.AllsawBritishbloodstainthetarmac;insomecasesonmorethanoccasion.TheblinkeredIrish-Americanssowillingly,andsometimesnotsowillingly(thereweregenerallyIRAsupportersonhandto'encourage'contributions),gavetheirhard-earneddollarstosupportthesepeople.Themoneywascollectedonthepretextthatitwasforthe'familiesofthemenbehindthewire'oralmsforthepeople'backhome.'Hugesumswereraisedwhich,farfromprovidingalmsactuallyprovidedarmsfortheperpetrationandperpetuationofthemiseryforover1.5millionpeoplelivinginNorthernIreland.Butitwasn'tjusttheIrish-Americans-Irish-Australians,ColonelGaddafiofLibyaandtheprovocateursoftheformerUSSRalsoplayedtheirpart.Byfocusingexclusivelyonthe1973-74period,KenhasbeenabletowriteingreaterdetailthanhithertopossibleabouttheBritishArmyandtheirexperienceduringthisbloodyandimportantperiodof'theTroubles'.