Ebook: Out of the firing line ... into the foyer: my remarkable story

War hero and '60s Soho doyen Bruce Copp has lived a unique life in which he has formed lifelong friendships with celebrities, swam regularly with a James Bond, hung out with Lenny Bruce and spent an unforgettable night with Marlene Dietrich. Serving in the army throughout the Second World War, he witnessed the deaths of his comrades, suffered a nervous breakdown and tried to commit suicide by walking into enemy fire. He miraculously survived and was subsequently mentioned twice in dispatches for bravery. Bruce describes his extraordinary experiences as a young gay man in the army and provides a unique insight into how homosexual relationships persisted with the tacit agreement of the authorities. After the war, Bruce went on to become an important figure in London's 'swinging sixties', running a series of successful theatrical restaurants, including Peter Cook's legendary The Establishment Club, which attracted the icons of the era, most notably the Kray twins. Out of the...