Peter McAleese needs little introduction His classic book No Mean Soldier was an immediate bestseller and set the bar for the modern military memoir. Few have since met its match. This completely revised and expanded edition sees a philosophical McAleese revisiting his time with Britains Parachute Regiment, the SAS, Rhodesias SAS and the South African Defence Forces 44 Para Brigade. Oh, and a few other adventures in and between Colombia, private military companies and near fatal skydiving accidents; mercenary, soldier of fortune or flawed ideologist? Nows your time to consider this and more as has McAleese himself. Its a compelling read and with the addition of previously unpublished photos from McAleeses private collection, theres no other way to describe it. Beyond No Mean Soldier does exactly that, going deep and further beyond the experience of No Mean Soldier. Over many months and into the early hours, McAleese reflected on his wide and expansive experiences the men hes served with and the operations hed conducted. Here in startling detail are the Aden insurgency, covert operations with the Rhodesian SAS and one of the first ever operational HALO inserts in British military history. The sheer terror of flawed mercenary operations in Angola with the likes of Colonel Callan and heart pumping assaults on SWAPO positions with 44 Paras Pathfinder Company; near death in Colombia when an assassination attempt went terribly wrong. McAleese recounts all of this with amazing clarity and even more humility. Im just an ordinary person who happened to find himself doing extraordinary things he says. Yes, perhaps thats true to a point, but what rides through all of McAleeses narrative is his total commitment to the profession of arms soldiering. His attention to detail, his consummate knowledge of military skills from field craft to skill at arms; airborne operations to the tactics of small unit SAS operations. All of this echoed by the commentary of the numerous individuals that served with McAleese. From around the world, dozens have contributed perspective, commentary and reflection. Pete does not take fools gladly and this is based upon his comprehensive combat experience where idiots will cause casualties Alistair MacKenzie Former 22 SAS Officer. I managed to get myself into some very nasty but also exciting scraps while latching on to the Pathfinders to see how they were shaping up as the so-called Philistines. They did excellently while under fire, proof that Peters selection and training regime paid high dividends Colonel Jan Breytenbach Former Commander 44 Para Brigade Pathfinder Company, Founder 32 Battalion. These are just two of the contributions featured in Beyond No Mean Soldier. In an age where we debate courage and leadership, its all here. Go Beyond No Mean Soldier, it will certainly change the way you see soldiering.
The author, Peter McAleese, 1969
Originally from Glasgow, Peter McAleese found a way out of the slums by joining the British Army. He joined the Parachute Regiment and found himself in the Mortar Platoon traditionally the hardest platoon in any Battalion. He went onto the SAS and saw action in Borneo before being sent back to the Parachute Regiment in disgrace for fighting.
Things started to go wrong after he was demobbed from the army, when he found himself detained once or twice at Her Majestys pleasure. On release, he endured the horrors of the Angolan civil war as a hired gun where many of his colleagues were murdered at the hand of Colonel Callan and his associates. Service in the Rhodesian SAS followed and thereafter, South Africas 44 Para Brigade, where he saw extensive action in the, then, South West Africa, now Namibia.
Security work in South Africa followed. Here McAleese was to dice even closer with death when his canopy failed during an exhibition skydive. Lucky to retain the use of his legs and troubled by injuries that still persist today, McAleese went on to an assassination job where his helicopter crashed, leaving him injured and stranded on a mountain for three days. From this, he moved to a private military company working in Algeria for eleven years.
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Text Peter McAleese 2015
Photographs Authors collection
ISBN: 978-1-910294-01-7
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Contents
List of photographs
The author, Peter McAleese, 1969
IN COLOUR SECTION
On the semi-submersible drilling platform Sedco K in the North Sea, 1974. A monastic existence if ever! I needed to get back to the military and Rhodesia called.
The Rhodesian SAS; range work to ensure my ever-reliable FN was green on. We used live ammunition all the time. Training was very rarely dry.
Flying back from the Muroro camp attack with George McLagen.
Training surrendered enemy personnel, Bindura, for Special Branch. They were used by the Branch as force multipliers to be deployed where they could best use their language skills and local knowledge.
44 Para, Pete Jooste instructing on the 40mm grenade launcher. A nonchalant officer lets his attention wander in the background!
Leading a Special Branch sweep in Bindura. The days were long and the pace relentless.
Conversing with the officers prior to Op Daisy. Despite their Calvinistic fervour, I found the South African officers good to work with.
Going firm for the night on Op Daisy. We had exhausted our water supplies and so were forced to halt for the night. American KD Clark and I ponder next moves.
Trialling a new camouflage-patterned smock with 44 Para. Known as Giraffe pattern, it was never adopted for operational use.
Instructing on demolitions and improvised explosive devices.
Fire and manoeuvre; under the relentless African sun, 44 Para trained until their tactics were the best they could be.
Keeping the SADF in the public eye a fundraising freefall display in aid of Parabat welfare organisations.
Moving the Voice of America into position for a range session. The 50 cal was an indispensable support weapon for the Pathfinder Company.
Colombia: rehearsals, rehearsals and yet more rehearsals. We spent 12 weeks training for the Escobar raid.
Recuperating after the helicopter crash. It had been a very near thing.
Russia training Close Protection Teams. My colleague, Afghanistan, adopts the inert position.
