Commando: A Royal Marine’s Story

by Geoff Nordass

From the riot-torn streets of Belfast to the bleak moors of the Falklands and the scorched deserts of Iraq, Royal Marine Commando Geoff Nordass has been an eyewitness to some of the bloodiest conflicts of the late twentieth century.

GEOFF’S ARMY CAREER
•Arctic warfare training in an elite unit
•The China-Hong Kong border
•The Falklands War
•Northern Ireland, at the height of the Troubles
•With NATO in Norway
•Parachutist, coxswain, hovercraft specialist
•Served in support of SBS forces

HIS SECURITY
•Bodyguard to Mohammed and Dodi al-Fayed
•Directed security on cruise liners
•Ran a private security mission in Iraq at the height of the insurgency, as comrades fell victim to suicide bombers, convoy ambushes and assassinations.

Commando is an epic story of courage, loyalty, endurance and loss – and a remarkable insight into one of the world’s most famous fighting regiments.

362 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 4, 2013

Reviews

[Andrew Weston · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone who has served, “Commando” by Geoff Nordass is much, much more than a trip down memory lane; it’s a drag you by the nails, evil grin of a reminder of what it’s like to be one of “the best of the best.”
You’ll be introduced to “Pusser” one-on-one: The joy that is basic training; the delights of engaging in personal ablutions in subfreezing temperatures; providing sustenance for a million-and-one exotic critters in hot tropical climbs; being introduced to rain as it was meant to be in the rolling environs of Northern Ireland; and the surreal monochromatic experience of a heavy fire fight at night in the barren, windswept hills of the Falkland Islands.
Certain truisms are reinforced throughout. Two, in particular, made me smile:
“I don’t think I could construct a worse single nightmare than having to repeat basic training.” (Or being back-trooped … a dread that has consumed so many aspirants over the years.)
“Adrenalin is every bit as addictive as heroin or alcohol.” (I’m sure so many of you reading this know EXACTLY what I mean.)
Yes, “Commando” reminds us all that serving in the Royal Marines introduces you to a lifestyle that becomes so ingrained, so addictive, that even decades after retiring you know it’s the only true way of life. An addiction I’ll never get over, that’s for sure.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Geoff’s experiences of his time in the Corps.
It was a thoughtful, provocative and often poignant message of one man’s journey through the rich tapestry that is life…
And perhaps just as importantly, it’s a message to other young men of character who might still be searching for their true vocation: Your REAL LIFE is waiting for you – IF you have the courage to reach out and take it.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was very informative and seems like an accurate account of serving in the Royal Marines. I was surprised that the book never explicitly said that the author fired his weapon towards an enemy. Not sure if this is representative for the amount of experience that the author has.

I thought the book would become boring after being made redundant from the marines, but the graphic descriptions of Iraq contrasted well with the almost romanticised account of being a Royal Marines Commando.

There were some typos and words missing from some sentences, but it didn't remove the enjoyment of reading the book.

Would recommend if wanting to learn about the Royal Marines, modern conflicts and the horrors of Iraq.

[Chloe Thurlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a world of PR, hyperbole, braggarts and phonies, Geoff Nordass is the real thing: a Royal Marine Commando who was dodging bullets on the streets of Belfast during the Troubles, faced the Argentines across the windswept moors of the Falklands and ran the daily desert gauntlet of snipers and roadside bombs in Iraq.

After the military took him into scores of hotspots across the world, he entered the glamorous world of celebrity security and worked as a bodyguard to Dodi al-Fayed, who died in a car wreck in Paris with Princess Diana in 1997. His long, dangerous, edge-of-the-seat career, stitched together with co-writer Ralph Riegel, is told with wit, pathos and an authenticity that rises from every page. There are a lot of soldier memoirs out there. This is one of the best.

[Nicholas Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a squaddie's memoir of life in the Royal Marines, taking in everything from fishing an Argentine pilot out of the sea during the Falklands War to sitting on Saddam Hussein's throne at his palace at Baghdad airport. It's refreshingly free from the military jargon and stilted prose that all too often mar this kind of story.

Not quite in the Andy MacNab league, but essential reading for anybody interested in the subject.

[Anthony Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping and fluent account of life in the Royal Marines. Covers Nordass' service from basic training to operations in Belfast, the Falklands and Iraq. His account of his experiences in the Falklands War is particularly good and conveys the reality of active service very effectively. Among the best contemporary military memoirs I have read.

[Adrian D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a first-rate gripping account of a young lad from Yorkshire joining the Royal Marines and emerging from a its punishing training regime a real man. As an RM commando Nordass sees active service in Northern Ireland and the Falklands. A must for anyone with an interest in the Marines.

[Beth Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gritty, fascinating insight into the training and life of a royal marine, full of interesting and surprising details.