From SAS to Blood Diamond Wars

On the point of being demobbed from the SAS, Fred Marafono was recruited by David Stirling for his private security company. After Stirling's death, Fred found himself in the midst of Sierra Leone' Blood Diamond wars, and formed an unbreakable bonding with the country's champion of democracy, Chief Hinga Norman, whose leadership and tragic death are integral to the story. Fred was recruited by Simon Mann for the finest of all private military companies in Africa, Executive Outcomes. Fewer than two hundred of them defeated the rebels in their strongholds. Through political weakness, Executive Outcomes were made to leave the country, and chaos ensued. Committed men like Hinga Norman and British High Commissioner Peter Penfold saw that in the absence of military commitment from the West, only high calibre mercenaries would win the fight to restore democracy; three of them kept a vital air bridge open – 'What God abandoned, these defended'. Fred's final action was supporting the SAS in their brilliant hostage release, 'Operation Barras'. Peter Penfold sums it all up in the book's foreword, writing of the, 'confidence trust and admiration I have for this remarkable man'. AUTHOR: After National Service in RAF, Hamish Ross worked in the Scottish Education system. He taught in schools and university and served as a senior official in educational administration. His earlier books include: Paddy Mayne, the widely acclaimed biography of one of the revered figures of the SAS, and Freedom in the Air, an absorbing story of a Czech airman and his Alsatian dog during the Second World War, 16 pages b/w photographs

Fred Marafono is an author and historian. Hamish Ross is the author of 'Paddy Mayne', the acclaimed biography of one of the revered figures in the SAS; 'Freedom in the Air', which was translated into Czech and for which he was awarded the Commemorative Medal by the Czech Republic; and 'From SAS to Blood Diamond Wars' with Fred Marafono. He lives with his wife in Glasgow.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.