Des Powell served in the Parachute Regiment as a sergeant major before spending 20 years in the SAS at the heart of Counter Terrorism and Special Projects teams. A former PT instructor in 1 PARA, he became the Unarmed Combat and Fitness instructor for B Squadron, and pioneered HALO, HAHO and other covert airborne entry techniques. He was the second-in command of the Bravo Three Zero patrol in 1991. Special forces had not originally been intended to play a large part in the Gulf War, but following an escalation in the conflict were rushed to the Middle East. They were therefore badly equipped and prepared, Des Powell was even in the middle of buying a house when he was deployed. Fowler, Will (2005). SAS Behind Enemy Lines: Covert Operations 1941-2005. London: Collins. p.179. ISBN 0-00-719990-2. Because of a malfunctioning emergency radio that allowed them 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 by a US jet pilot. 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 an attempt to locate them and to hinder attempts by Iraqi troops trying to capture them. Also in 2002, the BBC's Panorama series released a documentary titled "A Question of Betrayal" featuring both Coburn and MacGowan, alleging that the patrol's distress calls had been received and ignored. [23] [24]

The first public literary mention of the patrol was in Storm Command, [18] the autobiography of Lieutenant-General Peter de la Billière, who served as the commander of the British Forces during the Gulf War, although the patrol is only mentioned in passing. The book was released in 1992. Colin Armstrong wrote The One That Got Away ( ISBN 0-09-946015-7) under the pseudonym Chris Ryan. It criticized Mitchell's leadership of the patrol and was particularly hostile in tone to the conduct of Phillips. Armstrong used the same pseudonyms as McNab for those who survived, but also referred to Phillips, Lane and Consiglio by their real names. Ratcliffe said of this move that it was "insensitive" for Mitchell and Armstrong "to hide behind pseudonyms when they named their dead colleagues in their books, in deliberate contravention of the Regiment's traditions." [6] :247 The book was released in 1995. The key difference between Bravo Three Zero and the other two patrols was their decision to take vehicles, which weren’t fit for purpose, but ‘better than nothing’. However the stakes couldn’t have been higher. Saddam Hussain had begun to launch Scud missiles at Israel, trying to draw the Arab Alliance against him into switching sides and provoke World War III. ITV produced a one-off dramatic version of Armstrong's book, also titled The One That Got Away, in 1996. The film starred Paul McGann as Ryan and was directed by Paul Greengrass.This year is the 80th anniversary year of the SAS and 30 years since the first Gulf War and deployment of Bravo Three Zero behind enemy lines in the Iraq desert. In conversation with ex-spook Paul Hughes, Des Powell provides us with an intimate look into the life of the SAS on this timely, commemorative evening. In 2003, the television series JAG ran an episode ("The One That Got Away", S9, EP04) loosely based on the story of Bravo Two Zero involving US Marines Force Recon in Iraq. The name of the team that was involved was Bravo Two One. In 2002, Channel 4 aired Asher's documentary (which accompanied his book), also titled The Real Bravo Two Zero, directed and produced by Gavin Searle. [22] I would hope that we may be able to read more about the exploits of Des Powell, to be able to spend some time in this mans company would be some experience

The patrol also had a PRC 319 HF patrol radio carried by Lane, [1] :24 four TACBE communication devices (carried by McNab, [1] :55 Ryan, [1] :55 and two others) to communicate with allied aircraft, a Magellan GPS carried by Coburn, [1] :41 and a KITE night sight carried by MacGown. [1] :62 The total weight of each member's kit was estimated at 95kg (15.0st; 209lb) by McNab [2] :66 and 120kg (19st; 260lb) by Ryan. [1] :29 Even as warnings came in that McNab’s patrol was on the run,Bravo Three Zeroremained undetected – the furthest Coalition forces behind Iraqi lines. Slipping through enemy positions, a string of targets were taken out. But with the desert turning bitter and snow starting to fall, they were forced to fight a running battle against the elements as much as the enemy. An enjoyable read of soldiers overcoming adversity, not always of the enemy's making, to achieve success. A very credible 4.5 Mr Mushroom Heads. In part the book is autobiographical of Des Powells life it gives a sense of his upbringing and utter determination to succeed, where most would faila b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab McNab, Andy (1993). Bravo Two Zero. Great Britain: Bantam Press. ISBN 0-552-14127-5. a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Asher, Michael (2003). The Real Bravo Two Zero. England: Cassell. ISBN 0-304-36554-8. a b Cowell, Alan (5 March 1991). "AFTER THE WAR: P.O.W.'S; 6 Americans, Including Woman, Among 10 Released by Baghdad". The New York Times . Retrieved 25 October 2011. What should my average pace be with loaded Bergen? No military experience, but looking into taking on a challenge next year.

Maguire, Kevin. "Davis, S "The SAS story they want to suppress". The New Statesman, 26 Nov 2001". Newstatesman.com . Retrieved 25 October 2011. The book is written with feeling and through the darkest of times there are moments of humour and real human emotion And it is the incredible story of one of the three SAS patrols. The opening few hours were important and the SAS had its role to play. Bravo One Zero, Bravo Two Zero and Bravo Three Zero. Their main role that morning was to seek and destroy the Scud missiles that Sadam Hussain was trying to create a wider and more serious war. Bravo Two Zero was the call sign of an eight-man British Army Special Air Service (SAS) patrol, deployed into Iraq during the First Gulf War in January 1991. According to Chris Ryan's account, the patrol was given the task of gathering intelligence, finding a good lying-up position (LUP), setting up an observation post (OP), and monitoring enemy movements, especially Scud missile launchers [1] :15 on the Iraqi Main Supply Route (MSR) between Baghdad and North-Western Iraq; however, according to Andy McNab's account, the task was to find and destroy Iraqi Scud missile launchers along a 250km (160mi) stretch of the MSR. [2] :35Told in first person in an almost conversational style, it was so easy to fall into step alongside Des Powell and his regiment as he navigates his way through that fateful, and almost fatal, mission into Iraq to hunt down the locations of Saddam Hussain's scud missiles. As a unit who almost didn't get deployed to Iraq, originally due to remain in the UK on counter terrorism duties, we join the Powell and his fellow soldiers as they learn of their impending deployment, as they engage on pre-mission training, much condensed, and as they make those first moves behind enemy lines. Interspersed with this story are some of the key moments in Des Powell's career, from his initial attempt at selection for the SAS - which, aside from the intensive and gruelling exercises he needed to endure, ended in pretty grim fashion - through to some of the happier moments in his private life and the near miss moments in his career that make you wonder just how many cats he had to barter will to obtain some of their extra lives. It certainly seems as though he used a good number up without even making it into combat. What is the most difficult part of SOF training and what did you learn about yourself during and after the training?

a b "torinternational" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2011 . Retrieved 25 October 2011. It is difficult to put down in words my thoughts on reading this. It is more than a story of courage or bravery in the face of adversity. It is though a compelling read and a reminder of the sacrifices made by others There are obvious comparisons between ‘SAS Bravo Three Zero’ and Andy McNab’s ‘Bravo Two Zero’. They are both firsthand accounts of an SAS patrol sent behind Iraqi lines, something the authors do not shy away from, referencing Andy McNab‘s patrol throughout. There were three patrols that fateful January 1991 morning: Bravo One Zero, Bravo Two Zero and Bravo Three Zero. It was the opening hours of the Gulf War and the SAS were flown deep behind enemy lines to hunt down Saddam's Scud missiles, the use of which threatened a Third World War. One of those questions, and the next one I ask Des, is naming the most challenging moment his team experienced on the ground.The patrol has been the subject of several books. Accounts in the first two books, one in 1993 by patrol commander Steven Mitchell (writing under the pseudonym Andy McNab), Bravo Two Zero, and the other in 1995 by Colin Armstrong (writing under the pseudonym Chris Ryan), The One That Got Away, do not always correspond with one another about the events. Both accounts also conflict with SAS's Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) at the time of the patrol, Peter Ratcliffe, in his 2000 memoir, Eye of the Storm. Another book by a member of the patrol, Mike Coburn, titled Soldier Five, was published in 2004. How does your time training for and serving in the SF world help you today in your Civvy St, and how does it hinder you? In the opening hours of the Gulf War, the SAS were flown deep behind enemy lines to hunt down Saddam Hussein’s Scud missiles. There were three SAS patrols that fateful January 1991 morning: Bravo One Zero, Bravo Two Zero and Bravo Three Zero. Despite suffering from the effects of hypothermia, Bravo Three Zero we’re able to avoid capture and death to call in airstrikes that inflicted significant casualties on the enemy.