Unscathed: Escape from Sierra Leone

by Philip Ashby

Major Phil Ashby already had a reputation for surviving scrapes, where others would - and did - break bones and worse. His strength, resourcefulness and luck had been tested to the full during his career in the Royal Marines' elite Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre and various adventurous expeditions. That luck, however, appeared to have run out in May 2000, when he was working for the UN, disarming brutalized rebels in war-ravaged Sierra Leone. When the rebels turned on the UN's representatives, butchering, skinning alive and dismembering several peacekeepers and taking over 500 hostages, it seemed that all was lost and that Ashby and the other two Brits and a Kiwi would perish violently and gruesomely. Instead, Ashby took the decision to die quickly rather than slowly by attempting to escape through rebel lines. They were vastly outnumbered. They were unarmed. Somehow he led his three colleagues on a daring, dramatic escape through hostile jungle. He was awarded the Queen's Gallantry medal for his actions.

Genres: Nonfiction, Military Fiction, Africa

256 pages, Hardcover

First published May 10, 2002

Reviews

[JD · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read about the life of Philip Ashby RM, that culminates in his successful escape from RUF rebels in the jungles of Sierra Leone along with three other officers. The book is well written and chronicles his early life and training with the Royal Marines where he becomes a Mountain Leader, the most highly trained of the marines. Also in between is his climbing exploits which can be a book on it's own which ads real value to the book.

His time spent with the United Nations in Sierra Leone during the civil war there is very interesting as he was in a rural area controlled by the rebels and interacted with the locals a lot. He writes about his experiences there in a very graphic way and lays bare the atrocities committed by the rebels against the locals and UN troops captured. His story is the one you will not see on mainstream media and it was eye opening to read about the events, I knew that civil war was bad, but not that bad.

His escape from a UN compound along with the other European officers of the detachment is harrowing and showed true grit to escape certain death (he himself was threatened to be eaten after his capture by the rebels). During this time he also illustrates the kindness and help received from the general populace that shows the brighter side of Sierra Leone.

Great read and highly recommended for adventure book lovers.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book many, many years ago and the imagery from the text and the atrocities witnessed by Ashby remain with me. Ashby, a former United Nations Peacekeeper, recounts his terrifying ordeal in Sierra Leone during the war of the 1990s. I absolutely recommend this book for anybody who is interested in the collapse of Sierra Leone at the hands of the RUF and other militia groups at the end of the 20th century. Although by no means a holistic and exhaustive account of the war, it provides an excellent starting point for historical inquiry. Western complicity in the diamond trade as well as a fear of intervening in a foreign war is brought to the fore in this text and it is an incredible personal account of the conflict. The effectiveness of the United Nations is brought into question and many of the issues raised in the book remain relevant to this day. Some of the text is dedicated to Major Ashby's personal life and his training prior to deployment but this is easily skipped if you purely want one account of the ground war in Sierra Leone. The prose is simple and straightforward and the story is incredibly gripping.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read, and pretty well written. There was a bit of repetition, but for the most part this was a concise account of Major Ashby's life-to-date (being around 2001), with particular focus on his time in Sierra Leone. The more I read about Africa, the messier it looks, however. I admire those that spend their time trying to help and encourage those who live there.

[Patroochie · Rating 1 out of 5]

just no

[Ram · Rating 5 out of 5]

True story of a UN peacekeeping gone horribly wrong in Sierra Leone in 2000. The inability of the UN unarmed peace keeping missions to return fire from rebel soldiers as young as 12 and 14 years comes out as horrifying especially when these child soldiers have no compunction in shooting down people. .

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read. A great look into the training of British Mountain Leaders and the Sierra Leone civil war situation and issues.

[Arjun Rawat · Rating 4 out of 5]

True stories of a soldier how he faced the life while he was posted in different challenging posts and came with victory

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my usual read but so pleased that i did. Well written and reminds me never to forget how much respect i have for the men and women past and present who have served in our armed forces.

[Martin Augood · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another story of the brave Brits overseas forces, we very proud of them already . Really the preamble and training parts makes over 60% of the book is classic military upbringing and base for the main tour of duty, this case a unfortunate term as advisor for UN in Sierra Leone. I found the Background story of the Sierra Leone Civil war and RUF brutality a stark reminder of this terrible period in their history (and many other parts of Dark Africa, and ongoing), and once again you just wonder what the UN can actually do effectively. The story was bit of ramble and would have a limited readership. That said Green Beret off to Phillip for his efforts, and strength to survive against all odds and make it home to his family. I would recommend everybody to to read Ranulph Fiennes, if you want a autobiography that places am military background as a basis and for a life adventurous, and world achievements.

[Nicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a true account of Major Phil's training and subsequent deployment, this book is quite shocking, both in the matter of fact recitation of the feats he had to accomplish voluntarily to earn his place in various corps, and the atrocities seen and experienced in Sierra Leone. Without doubt he is a pretty astounding person, and very strong mentally. However, I did find the book a bit repetetive, and that combined with the horror of the situation, did make it a bit hard to read. Still, I'm glad that I finished it!