Operation Certain Death

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The newly acquired French-made weapons were highly effective and threatened a humiliating defeat for the British fleet. The veteran, often known as "Big Phil" due to his size, joined the Royal Hampshires before becoming one of the few British soldiers to pass both the Royal Marines Commando selection and that of the Parachute Regiment, and then get into the Special Air Service (SAS). The British also applied political pressure through the United Nations Security Council on the Revolutionary United Front (RUF)—the second main party to the civil war after the government—and on Sierra Leone's neighbour Liberia, which had provided support to the RUF. British forces in Sierra Leone were operating on the authority of the Sierra Leone government, but President Ahmad Kabbah allowed British forces to negotiate for the soldiers' release themselves, as his government lacked the requisite expertise. He also identified the bodies of West Side Boys killed in Magbeni and Gberi Bana, which were subsequently buried in a mass grave.

Once the helicopter was destroyed, Richard and two of his crew had to remain uncaptured for eight days.The SFSG was formed in 2006 from an infantry battalion—originally 1 PARA, which was the first battalion to serve in the role—with supporting elements from the Royal Marines and Royal Air Force Regiment.

The DSF, who usually attends COBRA meetings during crises which may require the use of special forces, was represented by his chief of staff and by Lieutenant Colonel Tim Collins, [note 5] operations officer at Headquarters Special Forces. As planning for a potential military operation to release the captive soldiers progressed, it became clear that, given the number of West Side Boys and their separation between two locations (Gberi Bana as well as the village of Magbeni; see below), the operation could not be conducted by special forces alone.The following day, the media was reporting that British forces had arrived in Sierra Leone "as a contingency". A people that is not ready to die for its liberties loses them … Believe passionately in the ideas and in the way of life for which one is fighting. The British team nicknamed the attack Operation Certain Death because they would be outnumbered by at least 5/1. My main complaint is that the author asks us to treat part of the story as a 'creative writing' exercise, i.

The success of Operation Barras was a factor in the decision to form the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG), a permanent unit whose role is to act as a force multiplier for British special forces on large or complex operations. They began monitoring the West Side Boys' movements and gathering intelligence, such as details of weapons, as well as identifying viable landing sites for helicopters. The British special forces kept a low profile, as was traditional, and the media interest surrounding 1 PARA allowed D Squadron, 299 signal squadron, 22 SAS to enter Sierra Leone unnoticed. Excellent account well written,i lived about ahalf mile from the Quayside from where,they left from,for this mission. The risks of Operation Barras were acknowledged by the MoD and by officers involved in the planning and the assault.Alternates effortlessly between the personal experiences of the individuals involved and the bigger picture of politics and diplomacy.