Max Lauker, Author at THE HISTORY AVENUE

Author: Max Lauker

Max Lauker served in the Swedish Armed Forces, 2002-2018. Primarily serving in Special Purpose Units belonging to the Norrland Dragoon Regiment, Arvidsjaur. Later serving in Stockholm and Karlsborg with units included under the special operations and intelligence umbrella. Several deployments over the years include Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa and the former Eastern Block leading numerous covert operations. Now working in the private security sector with Intelligence as his main discipline.

Reminiscences From a War Zone

I decided to keep a diary today. It’s difficult to understand people sometimes, and God knows that we can only begin to forgive once we understand the causes behind someone’s actions. All I know is that if it hadn’t been for our local expert—a community liaison and explosive ordnance specialist—we would have been finished. As I write this, I want to acknowledge that I don’t fully understand what qualifies as a diary, so maybe this isn’t a diary entry but rather a note. I just need something to help me remember in the future.

News Stories

Books: The Spioenkop Campaign by Robert Davidson

The Spioenkop Campaign, published by Helion as part of the ‘From Musket to Maxim 1815-1914’ series in 2023, is a new and important addition to South African historiography, providing a detailed and engaging account of key battles in the Anglo-Boer War.

News Past, Present & Future The War Diaries

Using ‘Whiteness’: Defeating the Apartheid Intelligence System (II)

We continue this week with an extract from Bob Newland’s life and experience, and his efforts in fighting the Apartheid regime in South Africa.

Past, Present & Future The War Diaries

Using ‘Whiteness’: Defeating the Apartheid Intelligence System (I)

Following the Rivonia Trial in 1964, the leadership of the African National Congress (ANC) and its armed wing Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) were either in prison serving life sentences or in exile. Their underground organisation was crushed. The mass organisations of the African people were banned. A young saboteur from Durban, Ronnie Kasrils, was tasked by Oliver Tambo with finding a way to carry out propaganda exercises in South Africa keeping the name of the ANC alive while they regrouped and reorganised.

Past, Present & Future The War Diaries

Combat Trauma – A Not-So-New Phenomenon

Before the launch of Number 788 and conscious of the impacts of conflict and trauma especially those caused by war, and other military operations, your war diarists wanted to publish a column on combat trauma & PTSD.