MilitaryForums.co.uk

Posted: **Mon 15 Mar, 2004 10:19 pm**

I was just wondering if the book Soldier 5 is still banned in Britain, because it has just come out here

Posted: **Mon 15 Mar, 2004 10:40 pm**

I think it came out on the 4th of March 2004. For those of you who dont know about this book or why it was banned, this might give you some info, also an intro bout the book itself...

"Soldier Five" is an elite soldier's memoir of his time within the Special Air Service (SAS) and, in particular, his experiences during the 1991 Gulf War. As a member of the Special Forces patrol now famously known by its call sign Bravo Two Zero, he and seven others were inserted hundreds of kilometres behind enemy lines. Their mission was to reconnoitre targets, undertake surveillance of Scud missile sites and sabotage Iraqi communications links, but was to end in desperate failure. From the outset the patrol was dogged by problems that contributed both directly and indirectly to the demise of the mission. The patrol's compromise, and subsequent attempts to evade Iraqi troops, resulted in four members of Bravo Two Zero being captured and a further three killed. One escaped. But the story goes further than the Gulf War itself. Despite numerous books, films and articles on the same subject, the British Government has done its utmost to thwart the release of "Soldier Five", at one stage claiming the book in its entirety was confidential. A campaign of harassment that took some four-and-a-half years of litigation to resolve has now resulted in this publication. "Soldier Five" is a suspenseful account of one man's experiences as a Special Forces soldier. Revealing his conflicts, loyalties and relationships forged, it is the resolution of a soldier's determined fight to see his story told.

Mal

Posted: **Wed 24 Mar, 2004 7:57 am**

I havent been able to get my hands on a copy here, its still banned. However I have found another book also named 'Soldier Five'. Its about SAS troops in vietnam. Good read, just thought I'd mention it so as not to get it confused with the one about GW1.

Cheers,
Bruce

Posted: **Thu 25 Mar, 2004 11:29 am**

Well I was looking at a copy of Soldier Five this morning in W H Smith, so its not banned and I should be on the shelves of your local book shop.
Didn't buy it the end because its only in hardback format at tne moment priced £17.99! I wait until that get it the local library.
Interesting to know if this version is the same as one released in New Zealand?

Posted: **Thu 25 Mar, 2004 11:30 am**

Sorry Bruce didn't see your location, wonder why its banned in Australia

Posted: **Thu 25 Mar, 2004 4:38 pm**

The court case in NZ looked like granting permission to publish, as long as Kiwi didn`t make any money, at one time.
Bruce`s right. It`s not yet freely available in the land of Oz

Posted: **Thu 01 Jul, 2004 12:26 pm**

Just wondering the Mal that posted would`nt happen to be the Mal in Soldier 5??Just a wild guess.Fair play to Mike Coburn on putting the record straight .Obviously I can see why the MOD wanted it banned because the book does cast the regiment in a bad light,I mean like when they arrived back in Hereford the CO telling them they were not going to be court marshalled.That was hard to swallow since most of the cockups must be attributed to the higher command and not the patrol`s.

Posted: **Thu 01 Jul, 2004 12:47 pm**

Padre wrote:Just wondering the Mal that posted would`nt happen to be the Mal in Soldier 5??

I don't think so mate seeing as he's just started basic training with Para Reg!

Posted: **Thu 01 Jul, 2004 4:17 pm**

Chief_1975 wrote:
Didn't buy it the end because its only in hardback format at tne moment priced £17.99!

Chief, try ASDA, they usually knock books out a hell of a lot cheaper than the big book stores do.

Posted: **Wed 18 Aug, 2004 1:10 pm**

I assume you are talking about Soldier Five by Mike Coburn.

It's readily available now. If you can't buy it in the stores, type in Soldier Five in the search area on www.amazon.co.uk.

You'll find it there.

Posted: **Wed 22 Sep, 2004 10:28 am**

Read it while i was away with the cadets, its much better then "McNabs" account and more truthful one would have thought,considering in "Eye of the Storm" he gets slammed many times by the author for making stuff up.

Posted: **Wed 23 Feb, 2005 7:28 pm**

soldier five is on amazon...
banned?

Posted: **Wed 23 Feb, 2005 8:56 pm**

Coburn had to go through the courts to release it. The MoD tried to ban it because they claimed it gave away secrets, but it didnt give anything away that isnt already known, so its not banned and you can buy it from anywhere.

Posted: **Wed 23 Feb, 2005 9:14 pm**

I got it the other day from waterstones in Manchester. So its deffo not banned.