In 1984 Wing Commander Mike Clegg left the UK's maritime headquarters at Northwood, where he'd been responsible to the Air Officer Commanding 18 Group for the prosecution of Soviet submarines, to take up a NATO position on the staff of Commander Maritime Air Forces Mediterranean in Naples. In this book he gives a fascinating account of the three years he spent in a markedly different professional environment with the added excitement of dealing with the challenges of living in Naples.
Mike reminds us that throughout this time the Cold War was the backdrop for NATO's ongoing activities and he describes his involvement in the development of war plans and in the planning of and participation in the exercises designed to test them. He also explains the little- known internal political issues that adversely affected both plans and exercises in the Southern Region.
He gives a captivating insight into life away from the office through the many communal activities enjoyed by the NATO families - social, sporting and charity events - and describes many places of interest in Naples itself and in the surrounding area. As an amateur archaeologist he took great delight in the opportunities offered in this part of Italy and he takes us to many fascinating sites that are hidden from public gaze. He also describes his participation in an excavation of a pre-Roman site in Lucania and introduces us to his 'own' villa.
This Italian adventure reflects a world that has, from a military perspective at least, largely disappeared. It was a privilege to be part of it.