Immediate Action - Hardcover

Andy McNab

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0593037820 ISBN 13: 9780593037829

Publisher: Transworld, 1995

Synopsis

In "Bravo Two Zero", Andy McNab gave an account of his experiences as commander of an SAS patrol behind enemy lines in Iraq. Now he tells the story of his life, from the day he was found in a carrier bag on the steps of Guy's Hospital to the day he went to fight in the Gulf War. As a delinquent youth, McNab kicked against society; as a young soldier he waged war against the IRA in the streets and fields of South Armagh; and as a member of 22 SAS Regiment he was at the centre of covert operations for nine years, on five continents. In this book he details his activities in a world of surveillance and intelligence-gathering, counter-terrorism and hostage rescue.

About this title

About the Author

Andy McNab, Sergeant, SAS, joined the British infantry as a boy soldier.   In 1984 he was "badged" as a member of the SAS--the British special forces--and has since been involved in elite intelligence and combat operations worldwide. During the Gulf War he commanded Bravo Two Zero, a patrol that in the words of his commanding officer "will remain in regimental history forever."  After six months of medical treatment immediately following his release by the Iraqis, Andy McNab was back on active service.  He remained with the SAS until February 1993, at which time he was the most highly decorated soldier in the British Army.  He is also the author of Bravo Two Zero.


From the Paperback edition.

From the Back Cover

the most highly decorated soldiers alive.  He is also the first to break the code of silence about the most elite fighting force in the world. What Andy McNab has to say is so explosive that the British government tried to stop him.

A street fighter, a hard case, and a flawless soldier, Andy McNab became one of the elite fighting men in "the Regiment"--Britain's covert SAS.   His actions behind the lines in the Gulf War made him a hero.   But the full story of his life and his amazing career in Special Forces has remained a secret...until now.

In harrowing detail, McNab takes us inside the Regiment, chronicling nine years of covert operations on five continents.   Plunging us into a world of surveillance, counterintelligence, and hostage rescue, he takes us behind the scenes on some of their top secret missions.   For the first time, he reveals the shocking details of their training--physically severe, mentally grue

From the Inside Flap

the most highly decorated soldiers alive.  He is also the first to break the code of silence about the most elite fighting force in the world. What Andy McNab has to say is so explosive that the British government tried to stop him.<br><br>A street fighter, a hard case, and a flawless soldier, Andy McNab became one of the elite fighting men in "the Regiment"--Britain's covert SAS.   His actions behind the lines in the Gulf War made him a hero.   But the full story of his life and his amazing career in Special Forces has remained a secret...until now.<br><br>In harrowing detail, McNab takes us inside the Regiment, chronicling nine years of covert operations on five continents.   Plunging us into a world of surveillance, counterintelligence, and hostage rescue, he takes us behind the scenes on some of their top secret missions.   For the first time, he reveals the shocking details of their training--physically severe, mentally grue

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

"I want to fly helicopters," I said to the recruiting sergeant.  "I want to go in the Army Air Corps."

I took a simple test in English and Maths, which I failed.

"Come and try again in a month's time," the sergeant said.  "The test will be exactly the same."

I went down to the public library and studied a book on basic arithmetic.  If I could master multiplication, I told myself, I'd never again have to hear the sound of a cell door slamming.

Four weeks later I went back in, sat the same test, and passed--by two points. The sergeant gave me a pile of forms to take home.

"What are you going in?" my dad said.

"Army Air Corps."

"That's all right then.  We don't want any of that infantry shit.  You don't learn anything in that."

I was given a travel warrant and went off to Sutton Coldfield for the three-day selection process.  We were given medicals and simple tests of the "If this cog turns this way, which way does that cog turn?" variety, and did a bit of sport. We watched films and were given talks about teeth arms and support arms, and where the army was in the world.  I was loving it.  The Army Air Corps seemed to operate everywhere; Cyprus and Hong Kong looked good for starters.

As I was going through the tests, though, the terrible truth dawned on me that there was no way I was going to become pilot.  A lot of the other candidates were in the brain surgeon bracket, loaded down with O levels and going for junior apprenticeships to become artificers and surveyors.  You'd have to be in same league as them to go for pilot training, and I didn't have a qualification to my name.  All the time I had wasted humping coal and lemonade flashed in front of me as if I was a drowning man.  For the first time since I'd been old enough to do something about I was surrounded by blokes who had something that I wanted--but this time it was something that couldn't be nicked.

At the final interview, an officer said to me, "You can go into the Army Air Corps, and train as a refueller.  However, I don't think you would be best suited to that.  You're an active sort of bloke, aren't you, McNab?"

"I suppose so."

Probably fancy a bit of traveling, seeing a bit of the world?"

"That's me."

Well then, have you considered a career in the infantry? There's a lot more potential--the battalions move every two or three years, you're going to different places.  It's a more exciting life for a young man.  We have vacancies in the Royal Green Jackets."

"Right, I'll have some of that."

I was quite proud of myself.  I thought I'd cracked it, I was a man, I was in the army now.  I couldn't wait to get home and tell my parents the news.

"What did you land up in then?" the old man asked, looking up from his paper.

"The Royal Green Jackets."

"What's that?"

"Part of the Light Division," I beamed.  "You know--light infantry."

"You wanker!" he exploded, hurling his newspaper to the floor.  "You're not going to learn anything.  All you're going to do is run around humping a big pack on your back."

But I was not going to be deterred.  A couple of days later, when it was clear that my mind was made up, my mum handed me an envelope and said, "I think you need to know all about this."

I opened the envelope and pulled out my adoption certificate.  It wasn't a shock.  I knew my brother was adopted, and I'd always just taken it for granted that I was, too.  I wasn't really fussed about it.

"I met your natural mother when you were about a year old," my mum said.  "She told me that she worked for a Greek immigrant who'd come over to England in the fifties and was running a nightclub in the West End.  She sold the cigarettes in the club, and was seventeen when she fell pregnant by him.  She told me neither of them wanted a baby so she left you on the hospital steps in a carrier bag."

My mum and dad had fostered me more or less straightaway, and eventually adopted me.

"She wasn't really concerned about you, Andy," my mum said.  "She said to me, "I can always have other kids."


From the Paperback edition.

Edition details

• Publisher: Transworld
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0593037820
• ISBN 13: 9780593037829
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 389