A Tom Archer Series
UNDER FIRE, UNDER COMMAND
Book 1
Tom Archer never trained for this. Fresh from officer school and sent into the thick of the fighting in France, he’s tasked with impossible missions: escorting lost units through enemy territory, blowing bridges to stall the German advance, and holding crumbling lines just long enough for others to escape.
Each order comes with a price—and Archer learns fast that leading means more than tactics. It’s about instinct, sacrifice, and keeping his men alive in a war that’s slipping into chaos.
Before the beaches of Dunkirk, there were desperate stands, narrow escapes, and a thousand moments that could have gone either way. This is where it all began—under fire, under command.
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UNDER FIRE, UNDER COMMAND
Book 1
Tom Archer never trained for this. Fresh from officer school and sent into the thick of the fighting in France, he’s tasked with impossible missions: escorting lost units through enemy territory, blowing bridges to stall the German advance, and holding crumbling lines just long enough for others to escape.
Each order comes with a price—and Archer learns fast that leading means more than tactics. It’s about instinct, sacrifice, and keeping his men alive in a war that’s slipping into chaos.
Before the beaches of Dunkirk, there were desperate stands, narrow escapes, and a thousand moments that could have gone either way. This is where it all began—under fire, under command.
Check Out The Excerpt
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Character Introduction
From Chapter One of Under Fire, Under Command
“You’re new to the battalion, aren’t you?” Pembroke asked, his gaze appraising Archer.
“Yes, sir. Only joined the Battalion today.”
“Fresh out of officer training?”
“That’s right, sir. Before that, Reading Grammar School.”
Pembroke’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “T. Archer—was that you who knocked up a hundred and fourteen not out against Eton a few years back?”
Archer blinked, surprised. “Did you hear of that innings, sir?”
Pembroke laughed. “Hear of it? I was bowling for Eton that day. You gave us a proper drubbing, and I’ve never quite forgiven you for it.”
Tom smiled at the memory. The moment passed, and the room fell back into the hush of strategy, maps, and the hard business of war
From Chapter Ten of Under Fire, Under Command
The battlefield was alive with the thunder of gunfire. Webb’s Bren gun spat round after round, its harsh, mechanical bursts cutting through the early morning air.
On the high ground, Jacks, O’Hara, and Tanner worked their Lee-Enfield’s in a deadly rhythm. Their rifles cracked in unison—fire, bolt, reload—each shot either hitting its mark or forcing German soldiers to ground.
Archer had already taken out the armoured car with a well-placed grenade. Smoke rose from its wreckage as he pushed forward through dust and fire, dropping to one knee to fire, then sprinting for cover. Webb kept up a steady barrage, forcing the enemy to stay pinned.
“Keep the pressure on them!” Jack barked. “Don’t let up!”
The German line buckled under the storm of fire. Amid shouts and confusion, Archer reloaded and fired again, the Lee-Enfield bucking against his shoulder. They were holding the line—for now
Book Blurb
In May 1940, as Nazi Germany unleashes its Blitzkrieg on France and the Low Countries, the British Expeditionary Force finds itself on a desperate retreat to Dunkirk. Amid the chaos, 2nd Lieutenant Tom Archer, a newly commissioned and untested officer, must lead his platoon through the crucible of war. Thrust into a relentless campaign against overwhelming odds, Archer faces his first real taste of combat—learning to lead, survive, and earn the trust of hardened veterans.
When orders come to blow a crucial bridge to delay the advancing German forces, Archer and his platoon must hold the line long enough for Royal Engineers to set the charges. As the chaos intensifies, Archer is thrust into a daring mission to rescue a group of Allied cryptographers trapped behind enemy lines—key figures holding vital intelligence that could turn the tide of war. Battling exhaustion, dwindling ammunition, and relentless German assaults, Archer quickly learns that the weight of command is far heavier than he ever imagined.
Through vivid depictions of camaraderie, sacrifice, and the brutal realities of war, Under Fire, Under Command tells a gripping story of courage and leadership in the face of impossible odds. A visceral and authentic portrayal of the Dunkirk retreat, this novel captures the human cost of war and the bonds forged in battle.
