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No Mean Soldier
Told with great humour and remarkable humanity,Peter McAleese's brutally honest account of 25 years of combat is a uniquely revealing portrayal of the realitiesof modern warfare
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 11, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 3, 2025
This book is the first part of Peter McAleese’s biography. I enjoyed reading this book again but I haven’t got the second one yet. McAleese grew up in in poverty in one of the roughest parts of Glasgow; he was always fighting and was a tough character. His dad was sometimes in prison and his mum struggled to bring up the children. As with so many under-privileged young men, Peter joined the British Army, which provided a home, comradeship, money and training, giving him a genuine self-worth that saw him through all his difficulties and challenges. He was tough, as I said, and got into trouble for fighting in pubs, among other things, but he always worked hard at being a good soldier, and learned a lot.
He went from the Parachute Regiment to the Special Air Service (SAS) but fell foul of the rules and was sent back to his former regiment, where his reputation preceded him. Eventually he left the army and was roped into going to Angola as a mercenary. He tried to organise the fighters there but was under the command, albeit at a distance, of the insane ‘Colonel’ Callan, a former private in the Paras who was a self-styled out of control leader who committed several atrocities. When the Communist army won that war, McAleese went to Rhodesia and joined the army there, fighting the terrorists/freedom fighters who were infiltrating the country and causing mayhem. Later he went to South Africa and performed a similar role, also working in a private security firm. After returning to the UK he joined a group planning to kill the notorious drug dealer, Pablo Escobar, in Colombia. Reading his account, I reckon they would have succeeded if not for an accident that I won’t go into here.
The author was assisted in the writing by Mark Bles as ‘ghost writer’, though he is credited. I enjoyed this book and found it fascinating. Peter McAleese was clearly a dedicated and skilful soldier who put hard work and pride into his soldiering. Maybe if he could have settled down and stopped scrapping earlier in his life, he would have had a longer and more distinguished career in the British Army.
The book gives a fascinating insight into the Rhodesian Bush War and the South African Insurgency, and demonstrates how small, under-resourced countries or groups can achieve great success, at least in the short term, with limited means, dedication, lots of guts and good training. If it were possible, I’m sure he’d be in Ukraine right now, killing loads of Russians.
He went from the Parachute Regiment to the Special Air Service (SAS) but fell foul of the rules and was sent back to his former regiment, where his reputation preceded him. Eventually he left the army and was roped into going to Angola as a mercenary. He tried to organise the fighters there but was under the command, albeit at a distance, of the insane ‘Colonel’ Callan, a former private in the Paras who was a self-styled out of control leader who committed several atrocities. When the Communist army won that war, McAleese went to Rhodesia and joined the army there, fighting the terrorists/freedom fighters who were infiltrating the country and causing mayhem. Later he went to South Africa and performed a similar role, also working in a private security firm. After returning to the UK he joined a group planning to kill the notorious drug dealer, Pablo Escobar, in Colombia. Reading his account, I reckon they would have succeeded if not for an accident that I won’t go into here.
The author was assisted in the writing by Mark Bles as ‘ghost writer’, though he is credited. I enjoyed this book and found it fascinating. Peter McAleese was clearly a dedicated and skilful soldier who put hard work and pride into his soldiering. Maybe if he could have settled down and stopped scrapping earlier in his life, he would have had a longer and more distinguished career in the British Army.
The book gives a fascinating insight into the Rhodesian Bush War and the South African Insurgency, and demonstrates how small, under-resourced countries or groups can achieve great success, at least in the short term, with limited means, dedication, lots of guts and good training. If it were possible, I’m sure he’d be in Ukraine right now, killing loads of Russians.
July 26, 2012
McAleese is someone who I first heard about while reading about some of his exploits in Al Venter's "War Dogs", and given that his autobiography was so inexpensive, I decided to check it out. Mr. McAleese begins by talking about his early life and some of the military exploits of his father and grandfather (as well as his father's similarly rowdy behavior). He then goes on to discuss his time in the British SAS and goes into (unfortunately brief) detail regarding his deployments to Aden and Borneo. He also talks about his being kicked out of the SAS (twice no less) and reminds me a bit of "Soldier J's" autobiography "He Who Dares" for his discussion of his wild behavior even as a member of a highly-disciplined elite unit. He then goes on to talk about his time in the Rhodesia's C Squadron SAS and his brief tenure as a part of the ill-fated mercenary effort in Angolga with the infamous "Colonel" Callan. He moves on then to his time on as a trainer and then CSM with the short-lived but intriguing South African Defense Force 44th Parachute Brigade's Pathfinder Company and finishes up with his hiring as a part of the aborted attempt to extract Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar and his amazing bid to survive the ensuing helicopter crash.
Though his exploits are both varied and intriguing, his spare, simple style may not be enough for some readers. I often found myself wishing to know more about his part in a particular operation or another. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but the book may be a bit too short and fleeting in feeling for some such as myself. This is not to say that McAleese is a bad writer by any means as his writings are largely lucid for someone who is not a writer by trade. Some may also question his exploits given his somewhat rocky reputation among the British SAS. In this, one must form your own opinion of him as reading his autobiography is similar to the experience that one has when reading Dennis Croukamp's account of his time in the Rhodesian Selous Scouts - a man with a similar reputation (incidentally Croukamp was McAleese's fellow CSM in the Pathfinders). McAleese is quite open about his short comings and freely acknowledges that there are those who have negative opinions. There are also a number of good pictures as well as appendices with a fairly comprehensive list of those mercenaries involved in the fateful Angola operation as well as the operations plan for the Escobar snatch.
All in all, a good untaxing read from a man who has certain experienced his great share of military adventures.
Though his exploits are both varied and intriguing, his spare, simple style may not be enough for some readers. I often found myself wishing to know more about his part in a particular operation or another. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but the book may be a bit too short and fleeting in feeling for some such as myself. This is not to say that McAleese is a bad writer by any means as his writings are largely lucid for someone who is not a writer by trade. Some may also question his exploits given his somewhat rocky reputation among the British SAS. In this, one must form your own opinion of him as reading his autobiography is similar to the experience that one has when reading Dennis Croukamp's account of his time in the Rhodesian Selous Scouts - a man with a similar reputation (incidentally Croukamp was McAleese's fellow CSM in the Pathfinders). McAleese is quite open about his short comings and freely acknowledges that there are those who have negative opinions. There are also a number of good pictures as well as appendices with a fairly comprehensive list of those mercenaries involved in the fateful Angola operation as well as the operations plan for the Escobar snatch.
All in all, a good untaxing read from a man who has certain experienced his great share of military adventures.
May 10, 2018
IN the 1970s and 80s, there was no better places to be if you were looking for a scrap than Rhodesia, South Africa and Angola. Peter McAleese served in the armies of the former and as a mercenary in the latter. Although I'm sure he embellished matters at times, his role is believable and its matches historical accounts of operations in Rhodesia and South Africa he took part in, Daisy and Dingo to name two, as well as the disastrous mercenary adventure in northern Angola in 1976 that saw four captured mercenaries executed by Angola and 12 by a berserk mercenary by the name of Callan. Here is the one time McAleese seemed to play up his role, until it came to the FNLA ordered execution of mercenary Sammy Copeland. Of course, it was understandable to avoid a murder charge and extradition to Angola. A terrific read, exciting and humorous at times.
December 21, 2015
This was passed to me - a committed fiction reader - and changed my reading habits. McAleese is an interesting individual with an incredible tale. The history covers an oblique view of Malaya, Rhodesia, South Africa and even Pablo Escobar. Read it if you like your tales of daring do to be the real deal.
July 8, 2011
A great, no-holds barred, real-life adventure from a man I would class as a soldier's soldier.
May 27, 2025
A most unusual life, a most unusual soldier; memoir of a legendary but controversial professional soldier
Great story-telling of a little studied period of modern warfare, No Mean Soldier is about the early life and professional career of a former SAS soldier who became bored in peacetime service and went on to live through the evolution of the modern mercenary movement -- from its somewhat romantic 1960's African anti-communist counterinsurgency phase, through the Bush War period of the 70s, and into the Drug War phase of the 80s.
Peter McAleese was one of a handful of legendary mercenaries during the golden era of professional soldiering, 1960-1990, when mercenaries made headlines, had Hollywood films made about them, and were featured on the cover of that then-popular men's magazine staple, "Soldier of Fortune." What made Mr. McAleese stand out was his professionalism and basically decent motivations for getting into the paid soldier game: it was the only trade he knew, he disliked the communists and drug lords who were his battlefield enemies, he was highly trained and good at his job, he mostly served as a regular soldier in three armies (UK, Rhodesia, and South Africa) that recruited from throughout the British Commonwealth and in his most controversial battlefield job, as part of "Colonel" Callan's CIA sponsored Angolan mercenaries, he saved numerous British citizens and innocent black Africans from the excesses and brutalities of possibly the most notorious gang of mercenaries of Holden Roberto's FNLA faction. While "Callan" (real name: Costas Georgiou) and his cronies would be tried as war criminals and executed in Angola, McAleese acquitted himself well as possibly the only voice of competence and reason on the FNLA side. In his last assignment, hired by unknown Colombian elements to track down Pablo Escobar, he was likely under direct contract and/or was supported by either or both of the CIA and MI6.
That little bit of introductory commentary is enough to give you an idea of what Peter McAleese's phenomenal autobiography is about without too many spoilers.
This is a pleasurable read and difficult to put down. I assume co-author Mark Bles did much heavy lifting here. Nevertheless, Peter McAleese comes across as a likable, decent old school soldier with a severe adrenaline addiction and little patience for living a routine existence. He writes of his childhood and developmental years but focuses the story on his professional career. He skips over some of his later, more personal adult experiences but he does talk about how he met and married his long-suffering American wife, Jane, in Rhodesia. He also credits his Roman Catholic faith with giving him a strong moral compass during arguably some of the most morally conflicted experiences of human history.
This book is hard to find but if you can get a copy, you will not regret it.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for students of military history, fans of true-action thrillers and military autobiographies, and anyone interested in Cold War insurgencies in Southern Africa during the latter 20th Century.
Enjoy!
Great story-telling of a little studied period of modern warfare, No Mean Soldier is about the early life and professional career of a former SAS soldier who became bored in peacetime service and went on to live through the evolution of the modern mercenary movement -- from its somewhat romantic 1960's African anti-communist counterinsurgency phase, through the Bush War period of the 70s, and into the Drug War phase of the 80s.
Peter McAleese was one of a handful of legendary mercenaries during the golden era of professional soldiering, 1960-1990, when mercenaries made headlines, had Hollywood films made about them, and were featured on the cover of that then-popular men's magazine staple, "Soldier of Fortune." What made Mr. McAleese stand out was his professionalism and basically decent motivations for getting into the paid soldier game: it was the only trade he knew, he disliked the communists and drug lords who were his battlefield enemies, he was highly trained and good at his job, he mostly served as a regular soldier in three armies (UK, Rhodesia, and South Africa) that recruited from throughout the British Commonwealth and in his most controversial battlefield job, as part of "Colonel" Callan's CIA sponsored Angolan mercenaries, he saved numerous British citizens and innocent black Africans from the excesses and brutalities of possibly the most notorious gang of mercenaries of Holden Roberto's FNLA faction. While "Callan" (real name: Costas Georgiou) and his cronies would be tried as war criminals and executed in Angola, McAleese acquitted himself well as possibly the only voice of competence and reason on the FNLA side. In his last assignment, hired by unknown Colombian elements to track down Pablo Escobar, he was likely under direct contract and/or was supported by either or both of the CIA and MI6.
That little bit of introductory commentary is enough to give you an idea of what Peter McAleese's phenomenal autobiography is about without too many spoilers.
This is a pleasurable read and difficult to put down. I assume co-author Mark Bles did much heavy lifting here. Nevertheless, Peter McAleese comes across as a likable, decent old school soldier with a severe adrenaline addiction and little patience for living a routine existence. He writes of his childhood and developmental years but focuses the story on his professional career. He skips over some of his later, more personal adult experiences but he does talk about how he met and married his long-suffering American wife, Jane, in Rhodesia. He also credits his Roman Catholic faith with giving him a strong moral compass during arguably some of the most morally conflicted experiences of human history.
This book is hard to find but if you can get a copy, you will not regret it.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for students of military history, fans of true-action thrillers and military autobiographies, and anyone interested in Cold War insurgencies in Southern Africa during the latter 20th Century.
Enjoy!
December 20, 2022
It certainly grew on me!
January 11, 2013
Sagged a little in the middle but the rest of it was gripping. The build up and climax of his plan to kill Pablo Escobar was quite incredible. This is definitely a guy that you would want on your side. I wonder what he's up to these days.
January 5, 2012
The author was in the British, Rhodesian and South African armies, and also a freelance soldier in Angola with Callan, and an anti-cartel operator in Colombia. A hard case. But some wry commentary also.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews