Popski's private army cover

Popski's private army

by Vladimir Peniakoff

Born in Belgium of Russian parentage Vladimir Peniakoff, otherwise known as 'Popski', was a middle aged engineer working in Egypt when World War II broke out. Inspired by British army officer, Colonel Ralph Bagnold, a pioneer of desert exploration, Popski converted his car 'The Pisspot' to undertake his own desert travels. Anxious not to remain a civilian, 'Popski' obtained a commission in the British led, Libyan Arab Force. Subsequently he persuaded a British commander at GHQ Middle East to allow him to found his own unit, Popski's Private Army. The PPA, as it became known, led by Popski, participated in long range reconnaissance and combat missions against Axis forces in North Africa and Italy. Comprising not more than one hundred men at its zenith, the PPA created havoc behind Italian and German lines. Popski's story is a tale of derring-do emulated today by special forces units such as the SAS and the Green Berets.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?