Soldier Five: The Real Truth About The Bravo Two Zero Mission [Paperback]

The book kicks off in much the same way as McNab's "Bravo two Zero", describing the build up to the patrol's insertion into the Gulf. I found the lack of macho and self afirming nostalgia regarding the famous SAS banter distinctly refreshing. Coburn discribes eloquently this passage of time. A trend which continues throughout the book.

As any reader of alternative accounts will know, nothing much goes right from the moment they step on the helicopter. I found Coburn to handle the ensuing section of the story with great tact, combining suspense, humour and fact - the latter being an element sadly lacking from McNab and Ryan's books. Distinctly unlike the other books at no point does Coburn use his story as a means to massage his ego regarding his abilities as a soldier or person. This is something which I found to allow me to believe what I was reading - why would I have a reason not to? In fact Coburn constantly references the fact that he really was the 'baby' of the patrol having been selected only some six months prior to engagement.

This combination of elements leads to a thrilling read. Its a definate cliché, but I really could not stop my fingers grabbing at the pages in anticipation of what was to come. His story reaches a crescendo as he comes face to face with an Iraqi private. Imagine then my dismay to turn the page only to find him prattling on about where he was born and where he used to live when he was 8! However, dispite my apprehensions at the story apparently coming to a shuddering halt, the next five chapters turned out to be some of my favourite from the book. We learn of the author's transformation from a failing school rebel to a determined and capable soldier. I won't give too much away, but that in its self is as enjoyable a read as any other part of the book.

After the gloriously gory details given by McNab regarding his torture in his own book, I found myself somewhat disappointed with Coburn's offering. The section entitled 'Guest of Saddam' seemed to me rather brief, and nowhere near as exciting as I had perhaps hoped. Although this is very much to the author's credit; Far from elaborating stories for shock or entertainment value, Coburn appears to give a very straight forward and at times shining account of his treatment by his captors. That said, my one criticism of the book is that it struggles to pick up pace after the description of his capture and the ensuing delve into his past.

I would highly reccomend this book to anyone who has read any previous accounts of the B20 mission. As well as offering Coburn's story in his own words, it also dispells some of the myths surrounding the mission. For those who are not currently acquainted with this story, this is as good a place as any to start. For me, Coburn is a far more proficient author than any of his comrades. This is enhanced by the fact that he is bent on telling the truth and clearing the name of an innocent man. Far from being an elaborate war thriller based loosely on the events of the B20 mission as other books are, this is an honest account of what happened - no bucks passed, no lies told.

For Mike Coburn, this book means everything. He spent his life savings fighting court battle after court battle trying to get it published, and not to read it would be an injustice to not only him, but to Vince Phillips - the man he fought for so long for to clear his name.

It's been pretty much established that Andy McNab greatly exaggerated and even fabricated a number of key events in his book. It's been shown that Chris Ryan distorted facts and added a few embellishments as well. Ryan also scapegoated the patrol's 2nd in command, Vince Phillips (who died during the mission) for much of what went wrong, portraying him as cowardly and generally incompetent. The other surviving members of B20 as well as others in the SAS adamantly spoke out against Ryan for this.

As of now, there are quite a few books available that deal with the events of Bravo Two Zero. Aside from McNab, Ryan, and Coburn's books, there is also "The Real Bravo Two Zero" by Michael Asher. Peter Ratcliffe also comments briefly on B20 in "Eye of the Storm". For a clear perspective on things, it would be worth examining all the accounts mentioned above and drawing your own conclusion.

After looking at all accounts and making my own analysis, I believe that Soldier Five is the most credible account of the B20 mission. Coburn comes across as a humble, fair, and honorable man whose main motivation is to set the record straight on Bravo Two Zero. In his introduction, Coburn describes his frustration towards all the outrageous claims and controversy surrounding B20. It is also worth noting that another surviving patrol member writes a brief foreword in Soldier Five where he endorses Coburn's account as the credible one and echoes Coburn's sentiments regarding all the hooplah that is already out there.

Coburn's account agrees with some general aspects of Chris Ryan's, although he completely refutes Ryan's scathing indictment of Vince Phillips. Furthermore, whereas Ryan repeatedly portrays himself as the leader and hero of the mission, Coburn does not show Ryan's role as any more significant than that of the other patrol members. Coburn's description of the combat experienced during the mission seems much more credible than previous accounts. The vast majority of the Rambo-like action movie heroics described by McNab (and to a lesser extent, Ryan) are not supported. His account of the mission seems brutally honest, with no glorification or embellishment whatsoever. His analysis of the events is objective, thoughtful, and intelligent.

Soldier Five's middle section deals with Coburn's history in the New Zealand military/special forces and his eventual journey over to the UK SAS. The end of the book also includes an interesting account of the legal battle and personal struggles Coburn had to go through in order to finally get his book published. After finishing the book, I am left with profound respect for Coburn's strong character and personal integrity. He truly exemplifies the quiet professionalism and honor of Special Operations soldiers, and his book is a brutally honest and intelligent examination of a special forces mission gone horribly wrong. After many publications and a great deal of controversy, I believe that Coburn has finally set the record straight. I only hope that his book will reach as wide of an audience as the previous ones have had.