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For those contemplating joining 21 or 23 SAS two books you should read before hand.

1.'The Quiet Soldier' by Adam Ballinger.
Detailed description of the Selection and continuation training, plus what changes you can expect the Regiment to make to you.

2. 'Shoot to kill' by Michael Asher,
The man who exposed Bravo Two Zero, his autobiography of life as a regular para, service in B Sqdn 23 SAS and in the RUC in Northern Ireland.

chunky from york wrote:
2. 'Shoot to kill' by Michael Asher,
The man who exposed Bravo Two Zero, his autobiography of life as a regular para, service in B Sqdn 23 SAS and in the RUC in Northern Ireland.

Good book, i'm reading it at the mo

What are the requirements for joining the SAS reserve regiments? Are they similar to 22 regiments requirements?

Shoot to Kill = great read
I was Just about to suggest it and was checking no one else had already. - great book though

Don't mean to sound ignorant but what was wrong with Bravo Two Zero?? Did McNab and Ryan tell a fairy tale or something? I've heard a lot of criticism about them both I've just never been sure why.

Have you read the books? McNab is an exaggerating cockney/greek who covered up his mistakes, Ryan is a Geordie who has an ego problem.

Asher's is half true. Read Mike Coburn's Soldier Five for the facts.

I've read McNab's Bravo Two Zero and some of the things his team does sounds near to impossible but I just assumed with them being SAS that it might be close to truth.

Unless any of you guy's know either of these men I would seriously think about what you have written. Your opinions are based on what you have read not what you have seen. What makes what one book slagging down another soldiers exploits any more plausable than the orginal soldiers story?

Remember, not everything you read is true, and that includes half the critisism following it!

Rant over...

gone

What makes what one book slagging down another soldiers exploits any more plausable than the orginal soldiers story?

There's not just one book. Peter Ratcliffe's "Eye of the Storm" also questions McNab's and Ryan's versions of events. Ratcliffe was the RSM during the Gulf War and he claims the debriefing both of them gave once back in England differed significantly from the way they portrayed their story in their books. So that's three books slagging off those two, I'd say there's enough reason to doubt then.

Back on topic, I'm currently reading The Quiet Soldier and it is a great read. When I'm reading that book I'm always itching to go running or something!

Maroon wrote:Unless any of you guy's know either of these men I would seriously think about what you have written. Your opinions are based on what you have read not what you have seen. What makes what one book slagging down another soldiers exploits any more plausable than the orginal soldiers story?

Remember, not everything you read is true, and that includes half the critisism following it!

Rant over...

reminds me of a saying:

There are three sides to every story - yours,mine and the truth

I think that McNab wrote what he was allowed to and in 30 years his real story may be released, there is somekind of 30 year secrets act, right?

Although you guys may not like him, you have to feel sorry the way small watch companies use his name to sell Traser watches (I know he wears a Baby G ). Unless he allows them to.

I also read in one book that the patrol had to carry 15 stone of equipment each, even McNab wouldn't say that.

Why do the SAS books I have generally accept his story as the real one? I have 5 different ones and they all tell the same.