The Joker: 20 Years Inside the SAS

To survive more than 20 years of active service in the Special Air Service takes a particular kind of man. Pete Scholey, alias "The Joker," ex-Royal Artillery and Parachute Regiment, possessed the necessary mix of courage and coolness under extreme pressure. He joined the SAS in 1963 and hung up his boots 23 years later, during that time serving—often covertly—in many of the world’s trouble spots. He vividly describes life as a soldier at the sharp end, giving firsthand accounts of the many actions he was involved in—from jungle warfare in Borneo and desert fighting in Aden and Oman to his part in setting up the counter-terrorist team that was successfully used in the siege of the Iranian Embassy in 1980. He outlines the operational skills that took his teams deep into enemy territory without ever being captured, reveals how they achieved their objectives, and describes the humor that he managed to find in the most hair-raising moments. The Joker offers genuine insight into the toughness, professionalism, and camaraderie that has made the SAS the world’s premier fighting force.