Nick Downie

Downie was the only civilian of 120 applicants to the Regular SAS,^[2] but one of six who were accepted into training. Later, Downie stated that at the time he was "your original 10½-stone weakling" but that it was his "all-consuming desire" to serve in the SAS that mattered more than physical fitness during the selection process. ^[3] He was an instrumental figure in the Dhofar Rebellion, where he destroyed a South Yemen fort (with 1,050 lb of gelignite). The rebels were with Russian and Chinese support helping the infiltration of Oman by South Yemen. ^[4] Downie’s final military engagement was with the Peshmerga in Iraqi Kurdistan fighting against Saddam Hussein in 1974–75.^[5]

He later worked as a war correspondent, winning multiple awards. The Royal Television Society recognised his work with three awards.^[6]

Downie became disillusioned by the viewers' desire for images over analysis.^[7]

In 2006, Downie started a 10,000-mile (16,000 km) journey by horseback from the Caucasus to South Africa.^[8]

He died on 12 May 2021, from COVID-19, at the age of 74 in South Africa.^[9][10]