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Chris Ryan

Chris Ryan MM (b. 1961) is a former British soldier turned novelist. Chris came to public prominence for being the only member of the failed eight man SAS mission, Bravo Two Zero to escape, during the First Gulf War, 1991. He has subsequently written a number of works of fiction, including "One Good Turn" a specially commissioned story for the Quick Reads Initiative, aimed at improving adult literacy. Chris Ryan is believed to be a pseudonym; his real name is unknown.

Background

Chris Ryan MM was born in Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear, North East England in 1961. Ryan, originally aspired to join the army, after his cousin, Billy, invited Ryan to come to the Barracks at weekends. Since doing this, Ryan has aspired to join the army.

Chris Ryan originally applied for selection with the Territorial, 23 SAS Regiment after unsuccessfully trying to get into the army as a boy soldier at 16.Eventually, almost passed selection several times, but was too young to continue selection and do 'test week'. He eventually joined 23 SAS and shortly afterwards began selection for the Regular 22 Regiment, as a medic. He passed, joining 'B' squadron. However, needing a parent regiment he, along with another soldier who had joined the SAS from the Royal Navy, planned to spend three months with the Parachute Regiment at Aldershot, but after only a few weeks he was seconded back to the SAS to go with 'B' Squadron to Aden, where they parachuted into the sea to secure the beach heads whilst the British pulled out.He then spent seven years carrying out both covert and overt operations with the SAS in various theatres of the world.

Bravo Two Zero

One of Ryans last missions, was the Bravo Two Zero patrol in Iraq, during the First Gulf War, they were tasked to report on enemy positions and calling aistrikes to attack important targets, as well as destroying fibre optic communication lines, along with mobile Scud Missile Launchers. The patrol's signaller was initially given the wrong codes for the radio, making it useless, and the SATCOM did not function. Their emergency TACBE radio devices which were thought to be able to communicate with coalition aircraft in extreme circumstances were in fact almost out of their operational range. They were also unprepared for the terrain, as intelligence reports detailed the area as being a hot and sandy desert. As it was, the area was barren and rocky and the temperatures plummeted during the night, also, for the first time in thirty years, it snowed in the Desert. Also, the patrol is perhaps most notable for being compromised. The patrol was compromised by a young boy, after this an engagement took place with Iraqi troops. Due to the SAS Patrol having been compromised, they decided to try and escape to neutral Syria. During the ensuing days, while the patrol was trying to escape out of an eight man patrol, four were captured as POWs (including fellow author, Andy McNab), three died, Chris Ryan was the only member of the patrol to escape to neutral Syria. Walking 300KM, or 200 Miles

Chris Ryan made history with the "longest escape and evasion by an SAS trooper or any other soldier". This achievement was recognised by the award of the Military Medal. This feat had only ever been matched by another SAS trooper, Jack Sillito, while lost in the Sahara Desert in 1942. Ryan beat his distance by over , but they were in entirely different circumstances.

After the events of Bravo Two Zero, along with the other members who survived, Chris received many injuries from drinking water that unbenknownst, was contaminated with nuclear waste. Along with muscle ailments, and losing 36Ibs, which is potentially fatal. Due to the injuries he received, after the events of 1991, Ryan did not return to front line operational duties. Instead he selected and trained potential recruits, eventually being Honourably Discharged from the SAS in 1994.

Post-SAS work

Since leaving the SAS in 1994, Ryan has written several books. Such as; The One That Got Away, his non-fiction account of the Bravo Two Zero mission, including fictional bestsellers such as Strike Back (2007) and Firefight (September 2008). He has also written fictional books for teenage readers, such as the Alpha Force Series, and "Code Red". Chris combines successfully authoring his bestselling books, along with security lectures and presenting television documentaries including Hunting Chris Ryan.

In 2005, Ryan presented a Sky One show called How Not to Die, detailing how not to die in various life-threatening situations, including violent burglary, mugging, and violent attacks. It was described as "One of the most thought provoking programs of its time", by Chris Thompson in 2006.

Chris, was also the military advisor on the video game I.G.I.-2: Covert Strike. Helping to make the game accurate of military operations and tactics, along with weapons and equipment.

Ryan both co-created, and starred in the TV show Ultimate Force. He was a military, technical advisor and played the role of Blue Troop leader Johnny Bell in series 1.

Ryan trained and managed a six-man team to represent Team GB at Sure for Men's Extreme Pamplona Chase in Spain, and starred in Special Forces: Manhunt airing on the Military Channel.

Ryan produced several programmes titled Terror Alert: Could You Survive, in each programme Chris demonstrated how to survive disasters include, flooding, nuclear terrorist attack, mass blackouts, and plane hi-jacking.

He lectures in business motivation, and is currently a Bodyguard in the USA.