Bravo Two Zero

Bravo Two Zero (B20) was the call sign of an eight-man British Army SAS patrol, deployed into Iraq during the First Gulf War in 1991. The patrol were tasked with observing the main supply route (MSR) between Baghdad and North-Western Iraq, along with locating and destroying Scud missile launchers. The patrol is perhaps most famous for Chris Ryan walking 300 km (190 mi) during eight days, to reach allied Syria, as well as Andy McNab's capture and torture.

The patrol was the subject of several books, including both Andy McNab's and Chris Ryan's versions of the events. However, accounts by the members do not always correspond, leading to accusations of lying from the media. For Andy McNab's conduct in the mission he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, and Chris Ryan the Military Medal.

The patrol

Insertion

During the prelude to the allied ground invasion of Iraq, B Squadron 22 SAS were stationed at a forward operating base in Saudi Arabia. This Squadron provided a number of long range patrols into Iraq including one with the callsign Bravo Two Zero. This patrol were transported into Iraqi airspace by a Chinook during the night of 22 January 1991. Sergeant Andy McNab, the patrol leader, led the patrol across a claimed 20 km (12 mi) of Iraqi Desert, before stumbling across a Wadi. Eye-witness accounts of Bedouin tribesmen, and re-creations suggest that the distance was 2 km (1.2 mi). Mike Coburn's account also suggests that the patrol was dropped closer to their intended location, due to a navigational error made by the Royal Air Force.

Soon after the patrol landed on Iraqi soil, the signaller discovered that they had severe communication problems and could not receive messages on the radio. It later transpired that they had been issued with incorrect radio frequencies for Kuwait City, rather than Iraq. Former SAS Regimental Sergeant Major Peter Ratcliffe lays the blame for the incorrect frequencies on patrol leader McNab, as due to him being the patrol leader it was his job to make sure the frequencies were correct.

Each member of the patrol was wearing a Bergen rucksack which contained; 25 kilos of sandbags and observation post equipment, fourteen days worth of rations, spare batteries for the radio, demolition equipment, intravenous drips and fluids for emergencies. The patrol also had a PRC 319 HF patrol radio and four TACBE communication devices to communicate with allied aircraft. Each man had two sandbags filled with extra rations, along with an NBC suit of charcoal lined clothes and the standard S10 Respirator. Four of the members carried M16 rifles with underslung M203 grenade launchers attached, and the other four members of the patrol carried Fabrique Nationale Minimi light machine guns, with one member being armed with a personal Browning Hi-Power pistol.

Discovery

After hiding themselves during the day in a wadi, the patrol was stumbled upon by a young goatherder who escaped and then reported their position to the Iraqi Army close by. Believing themselves compromised, due to the boy knowing their position, the patrol decided to exfiltrate, leaving behind excess equipment. As they were preparing to leave they heard what they first thought to be a tank approaching their position, the patrol took up defensive positions and prepared M72 LAW anti-tank launchers, and waited for the tank to come into sight. Once it did come into view, it became clear that the 'tank' was in fact a bulldozer, which reversed rapidly after seeing the patrol. Realising that they had now definitely been compromised the patrol withdrew from their position. Shortly afterwards, as they were exfiltrating (according to Andy McNab's and Chris Ryan's accounts) a firefight with Iraqi Armoured Personnel Carriers and other forces developed, although the nature and size of the contact is disputed.

Michael Asher interviewed the Bedouin family that said they discovered the patrol, while writing his book, The Real Bravo Two Zero. The family claimed that the young shepherd (not a goatherder as previously thought, as they did not keep goats) was near the patrol, but never saw them and were only spotted by the driver of the bulldozer. According to the family, they were not sure of who the men were and followed them a short distance, eventually firing several warning shots—whereupon the SAS patrol returned fire and moved away. Upon Micheal Asher's investigation into the events, the terrain and position of the Iraqi Army supported Andy McNab's events, and excludes an attack by Iraqi soldiers and the Armoured Personnel carriers. In Mike Coburn's book, Soldier Five he partially supports McNab's versions of events, specifically the presence of one Armoured personnel carrier (APC) and describes being fired upon by a 12.7 mm DShK heavy machine gun and numerous Iraqi soldiers. In Chris Ryan's version, he describes that "Somehow, I missed that." but later estimates that he fired 70 rounds during the incident.

Emergency pickup

The British standard operating procedures (SOP) state that in the case of an emergency or no radio contact the patrol should return to their original infiltration point, where a helicopter would land briefly every 24 hours. This plan was complicated by the incorrect location of the initial landing site, the patrol reached the designated emergency pickup point, but the helicopter never appeared. SAS Regimental Sergeant Major Peter Ratcliffe later revealed that this was due to an illness suffered by the pilot, while en route.

Because of a malfunctioning emergency radio, that allowed then only to send messages and not receive them, the patrol did not realise that while trying to reach overhead allied jets,they had in fact been heard. The jet pilots were aware of the patrol's problems but were unable to raise them. Many sorties were flown to the team's last known position and their expected exfiltration route in attempt to locate them and to hinder attempts by Iraqi troops trying to capture them.

Exfiltration route

Standard operating procedures mandate that before an infiltration of any team behind enemy lines, an exfiltration route should be planned so that members of the patrol know where to go if they get separated or something goes wrong. The plans of the team indicated a south route into Saudi Arabia, instead, the lightly equipped patrol started a march in freezing conditions of nearly 300 km (190 mi) to exfiltrate north-west to the Syrian border. Mike Coburn's account suggests that during the pre-planning phase of the mission, Syria was the agreed upon destination should an escape plan need to be implemented. He also suggests that this was on the advice of the Officer Commanding of B Squadron at that time.

According to Ratcliffe, this change in plan nullified all efforts over the following days by allied forces to locate and rescue the team. Andy McNab has also been criticised for refusing advice from superiors to include vehicles in the mission (to be left at an emergency pickup point) which would have facilitated an easier exfiltration. Another SAS team successfully employed Land Rovers in this role when they also had to abandon a similar mission. However, it is also suggested that the patrol jointly agreed not to take vehicles because they felt they were too few in number and too small (only short-wheel base Land Rovers were available) to be of use and were ill-suited to a mission that was intended to be conducted from a fixed observation post.

Separation

During the night, whilst trying to raise a passing, high-altitude Coalition aircraft via TACBE emergency beacons, the team became separated after losing contact due to a miscommunication. The patrol was thus split into two groups. Despite attempts, the two parts of the patrol were unable to locate each other again in worsening weather conditions. Both separate groups continued to implement their escape and evasion plan whilst experiencing unexpectedly harsh freezing weather, including snowstorms. The teams were ill-equipped for the cold winter nights of this desert region carrying only their belt order, due to having ditched their bergens (rucksacks) and thus the majority of their kit during the firefight as they exfiltrated from the wadi position.

The cold weather would eventually contribute to the death of two team members, Vincent Phillips and Stephen Lane. A third, Robert Consiglio, was killed in a firefight with Iraqi troops or police. Other surviving SAS members (some of whom had undergone Arctic Warfare training in Norway) would subsequently claim that the conditions were amongst the coldest they had ever had to endure. The death of Phillips, a veteran of a number of these Arctic Warfare courses, indicates the severity of the conditions with which both groups had to contend.

Corporal Chris Ryan led a group of three, which included the more senior Sergeant Vincent Phillips, who was already beginning to suffer with hypothermia. McNab led the other group of five. Ryan's group was bolstered by the presence of night viewing aid.

Capture

The larger of the two groups, led by McNab, commandeered a taxi to get closer to the border, but had to abandon it at a checkpoint. It was later revealed that instead of leaving the driver of the taxi on the side of the road as McNab's account says, the driver drove them to the check point. and eventually the driver alerted the police. Of this group, one died of exposure, one was shot and killed and three were captured. In Ryan's group, Phillips died of exposure and the other member ("Stan") was captured after soliciting help from a shepherd. Only Ryan reached Syria after a remarkable eight days of evasion, suffering from exhaustion, starvation and dehydration.

The captured soldiers were moved numerous times, enduring torture and interrogation at each successive location. They were last held at Abu Ghraib Prison before their release.

Patrol members

Except as noted, these names are pseudonyms or nicknames used by McNab and subsequent authors.

Andy McNab DCM MM (pseudonym)

former Royal Green Jackets, captured by the enemy later released. Currently security advisor/lecturer and best-selling author, including Bravo Two Zero.

Chris Ryan MM (pseudonym)

former 23(R) SAS, the only member of the patrol to escape capture, now a security advisor and best-selling author of The One That got Away.

Bob Consiglio MM (real name)

former Royal Marine. Killed by enemy fire in the line of duty.

Steve "Legs" Lane MM (real name)

former Parachute regiment. Died of hypothermia during action.

Vincent Phillips (real name)

former Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Died of hypothermia during action. DOD 26/1/91 Age: 36.

Ian "Dinger" Pring

former Parachute Regiment. Captured by the enemy, later released.

Malcolm "Stan/Mal" McGowan (real name)

captured by the enemy, later released.

Mike Coburn (pseudonym) a.k.a. "Mark the Kiwi"

captured by the enemy and later released. Currently living in New Zealand and author of Soldier Five.

Literary accounts

• The first public mention of the patrol was in the autobiography of Lieutenant-General Peter de la Billière, the commander of the British Forces during the Gulf War. The autobiography entitled Looking for Trouble: SAS to Gulf Command - The Autobiography (ISBN 0-00-637983-4), only mentioned Bravo Two Zero in passing, but it broke the ground for further books to be written on the patrol.

• The leader of the patrol published an account of the patrol in a book titled Bravo Two Zero (ISBN 0-440-21880-2) under the pseudonym Andy McNab.

• Soon, Chris Ryan published another account, The One That Got Away (ISBN 0-09-946015-7). It criticized McNab's leadership of the patrol and was particularly hostile in tone to the conduct of Vince Phillips. In a later TV appearance Ryan (and perhaps in partial retraction) may have alluded to Phillips' memory saying he had once seen 'a very brave man' dying of hypothermia.

• Both the above accounts are critiqued in a book by SAS reservist veteran Michael Asher, The Real Bravo Two Zero (ISBN 0-304-36554-8), where in post-war Iraq, he followed the path of the patrol and interviewed local Iraqis who witnessed the events.

• A further account, Soldier Five by Mike Coburn (ISBN 1-84018-907-X), published in 2004, aimed to "set the story straight", especially with reference to criticism of some of the deceased team members in previous publications.

• The ex-SAS warrant officer 'Gaz Hunter' (pseudonym) was the leader of B Squadron SAS at the time of the Gulf War, and wrote about it in his autobiography The Shooting Gallery. In particular he criticises the way that he and his fellow B Squadron staff sergeant were sent to Colombia to help the Colombian military in combating the drug cartels while their squadron was sent to the Gulf without them.

• W A Harbinson under the writing pseudonym Shaun Clarke presents a strikingly similar story to that told in the accounts of Andy McNab and Chris Ryan in the first book of his "factoid" SAS adventure series (ISBN 1-898125-00-7) entitled "Soldier A SAS: Behind Iraqi Lines". Given that the factoid-novel was published in the same year as McNab's Bravo Two Zero account and two years prior to Ryan's version, the details found within Clarke's version are somewhat curious. Biographic details regarding Clarke/Harbinson does not enlighten the discussion as to how details seemingly specific to the Bravo Two Zero patrol appear in a fictional novel released in the same year as the first popularly received account by McNab, when the detailed events would not be common knowledge. The publishing dates for the accounts also present problems, for McNab's version first appeared in October of 1993, while "Soldier A" was first published in July of 1993. Events that seem to be one in the same include: The crossing of the Euphrates and subsequent death of "Legs" Lane in a hut nearby; the drinking of radioactive/contaminated water by a lone SAS member running for Syria; the patrol being split into 3 and 5; the group of 3 splitting up after one dies of hypothermia, and the incident regarding that member thinking his hands had turned black, when he was indeed wearing gloves; the remaining two of that group splitting up after one decides to follow a goat-herder. Of course not all the events are mirrored, but the parallels are numerous enough to raise a certain curiosity.

Film accounts

• Chris Ryan's book was turned into a TV film (ITV Production), also entitled The One That Got Away, in 1996. It was directed by Paul Greengrass, director of the films United 93 and Bloody Sunday.
• A TV movie (BBC Production), Bravo Two Zero, based on the Andy McNab book followed in 1998, starring Sean Bean and directed by Tom Clegg.

Controversy

The events of the patrol are disputed since the facts in two books written by two members of the team, Andy McNab and Chris Ryan do not always correspond. Their accounts have been criticised by a third member of the team, Mike Coburn, in a book titled Soldier Five: The Real Truth About the Bravo Two Zero Mission. Michael Asher, himself a former SAS reservist, travelled to Iraq to interview witnesses and recreate the patrol. His findings were published in a book titled The Real Bravo Two Zero: The Truth Behind Bravo Two Zero and he also raises serious questions of the accounts given by both McNab and Ryan.

Most of the controversy surrounds the blame placed on one team member, Vince Phillips, for the discovery of the patrol, particularly by Chris Ryan. Eyewitness accounts by the Bedouin family that discovered the team and contradictions in the accounts by McNab and Ryan seem to refute this claim. Surviving members of the patrol (whilst still serving with the regiment) were later permitted by the SAS to write to the Phillips family rejecting Ryan's accusations and condemnations of Vincent Phillips. Both Asher and Coburn are quite specific that a significant factor in the writing of their accounts of the patrol was the desire to exonerate the reputation of Phillips who was a popular and greatly experienced soldier.

It is also accepted that McNab and Ryan (to a lesser extent) exaggerated the size of enemy forces and number of enemies killed. By most accounts they never encountered military opposition only exchanging fire occasionally with police or civilians—albeit commonly armed with AK-47s. However, Coburn's account does suggest that the patrol endured a brisk contact after it was compromised and began exfiltrating from their wadi position. Coburn also agrees that they came under fire from a distant 57 mm AZP S-60 anti-aircraft position, a claim which the Bedouin rejected. According to Coburn the incoming rounds were identified as such by "Dinger" who had experienced them before (in a ground attack role) whilst fighting in the Falklands Conflict as a member of the Parachute Regiment.

References

• Asher, Michael (2002). The Real Bravo Two Zero: The Truth Behind Bravo Two Zero. Cassell military. ISBN 978-0304365548.

External links

• Andy McNab Official Website