SAS: The Ambush: The True Story of One of the SAS's Most Dangerous Assault Missions

by Tony Hoare

'Tony is the real deal.' Andy McNab

Sierra Leone, 2000.

While on patrol as part of a peacekeeping mission, eleven British soldiers are kidnapped.

The captors are a dangerous rebel group known as the West Side Boys. Fuelled by alcohol and drugs, the behaviour of the rebels is notoriously unpredictable. How long the soldiers have, no one knows. Rescuing them becomes the British military's highest priority, and so they bring in the SAS for Operation Barras, a mission that will go down in special forces history.

After negotiations break down, there are fears that the men being held in the compound could be executed at any moment, but there is no easy way in to save them. The only option is to shock the enemy on their home turf. A plan is put in place. The ambush begins.

Told from the perspectives of multiple people involved in the operation, and with Tony Hoare's expert insight into the forces, this is a heart-pounding retelling of one of the SAS's most dangerous missions.

213 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 22, 2025

About the author

Tony Hoare joined the Army Cadets, where he learned to fire a gun at the age of 13. He then signed up to the Infantry on his 17th birthday and enlisted into the Royal Green Jackets. He passed SAS selection in 1978 and with them, went on multiple tours and trained numerous recruits, including Andy McNab. Since leaving the Army in 1996, he has undertaken security and consultation on various highly dangerous projects, including a stint as a UN Security Officer in South Sudan. His first book, Born For War, retold his story of the Falklands War and was a WHSmith Travel Book of the Month.

Reviews

[Frank T]

I've read a few books about "Operation Barras" and there's no doubt about the bravery of every single person involved in that operation right down to the medics and other personnel involved in the aftermath, it's a testimony to the excellence of ALL our armed forces.
Although I enjoyed this telling of the operation, I did find it a a little long winded at times, although I did appreciate the information regarding the long term affect it had on some of the casualties, because we should not forget their continued sacrifices long after the battle is over, those men and women are still fighting their personal battles just to live their best lives and we should not ever forget that.

[Bill Todd]

ELEVEN British peacekeepers were kidnapped in Africa in 2000 by the West Side Boys, 600 drug-fuelled, heavily armed terrorists hiding in thick jungle.

The soldiers' lives hung by a thread. Only solution - send in the SAS.

Falklands veteran Hoare tells the story through personal memories of SAS troopers and support forces.

An account of military cuts after the Cold War and a history of Sierra Leone from ex-slaves homeland to anarchy set the scene.

As Operation Barras kicks off you can feel the adrenalin of controlled aggression crackling.

A gripping tale bang on target.

[Ben Mapletoft]

Audiobook, enjoyed it a lot. Scratched the itch for ‘sneaky warfare’