Chris Ryan

Sergeant ‘Chris Ryan’ MM is the pseudonym of a former British Special Forces operative and soldier turned novelist. Ryan came to public prominence for being the only member of the eight-man SAS mission Bravo Two Zero to escape, during the First Gulf War, 1991. He has subsequently written several books, including The One That Got Away and "One Good Turn", a specially commissioned story for the Quick Reads Initiative, aimed at improving adult literacy. 'The One that Got Away' has since been heavily criticised by Trooper Mike Coburn and Sergeant Andy McNab, two of the surviving... members of the patrol, particularly in regard to its negative portrayal of Sergeant Vince Phillips, who died of hypothermia during the patrol's attempted escape. Ryan was born in Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear, North East England. After attending Hookergate secondary school, he enrolled in the Army as a boy soldier at 16. His cousin was in the 23rd SAS Reserves and invited Ryan to come up and "see what it's like to be in the army". Ryan did this nearly every weekend, almost passing selection several times, but he was too young to continue and do 'test week'.
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