Chris Ryan

For the actor, see Christopher Ryan.

Chris Ryan (born 1961) was one of the members of the disastrous "Bravo Two Zero" mission, during which a patrol from the Special Air Service (SAS) were sent behind enemy lines in the first Gulf War. From the start their communications devices were useless (having initially been given the wrong codes) they were also sent in totally unprepared for the terrain they were going to face as the information they were given was that the desert would be full of sand and have high temperatures but it was the opposite of this as the terrain was barren and rocky and the temperatures plummeted during the night, forcing them to turn back to their rendezvous point to collect another radio and appropriate survival gear. Out of the initial eight SAS soldiers who were sent behind enemy lines, Chris Ryan was the only soldier to successfully escape from Iraq and into neutral territory. He traveled 200 miles in eight days on foot, in both the freezing cold and baking sun, with Iraqi forces chasing him. He suffered sleep deprivation, starvation, and other such physical ailments. Three of the original squad of eight died, while the rest including the leader Andy Mcnab were captured and brutally tortured. Chris made history with this "longest escape and evasion by an SAS trooper" and this remarkable achievement was recognised by the award of the Military Medal.

Since leaving the SAS, Ryan has written several books, including The One That Got Away (ISBN 1574881566)—his own account of the Bravo Two Zero mission—as well as a number of novels, including Greed and The Increment. He has also gone on to write a series of books for younger readers — the "Alpha Force" books - and combines a successful career juggling roles as a bestselling writer and presenter of television documentaries including Hunting Chris Ryan.

In 2005, Chris Ryan presented a BSkyB show called "How Not to Die", explaining how one should act in various life-threatening situations.

Books

Non-fiction

• The One That Got Away (1995)
• Chris Ryan's SAS Fitness Book (2001)
• Chris Ryan's Ultimate Survival Guide (2003)

Fiction

Geordie Sharp

• Stand By, Stand By (1996)
• Zero Option (1997)
• The Kremlin Device (1998)
• Tenth Man Down (1999)

Other

• The Hit List (2000)
• The Watchman (2001)
• Land Of Fire (2002)
• Greed (2003)
• The Increment (2004)
• Blackout (2005)

Alpha Force

• Alpha Force 1: Survival (2002)
• Alpha Force 2: Rat-catcher (2002)
• Alpha Force 3: Desert Pursuit (2003)
• Alpha Force 4: Hostage (2003)
• Alpha Force 5: Red Centre (2004)
• Alpha Force 6: Hunted (2004)
• Alpha Force 7: Blood Money (2005)
• Alpha Force 8: Fault Line (2005)
• Alpha Force 9: Black Gold (2005)
• Alpha Force 10: Untouchable (2005)