Code Black: Cut Off and Facing Overwhelming Odds: The Siege of Nad Ali - Softcover

Lyndhurst, Mark

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1444784447 ISBN 13: 9781444784442

Publisher: Coronet, 2015

Synopsis

Ex-Coldstream Guard, Mark Evans tells, for the first time, the incredible story of the Battle of Nad Ali in the Afghanistan conflict.

On a patrol, Mark and his men are pinned down in a fire fight. Mark calls in air support but the Apache pilot makes a fatal error and opens fire on the British and ANA forces. Mark is one of the few to escape unscathed.

Nad Ali is declared a 'black' zone with the RAF refusing to fly in and leaving Mark and his men without critical resources.

Drawing on parallels with the famous battle of Rorke's Drift, that inspired the film Zulu, Code Black is a forthright account of modern warfare and the damaging effects of PTSD.

Code Black reveals what it is like to fight on the front line and the challenges it presents to those it affects, not just as as soldiers, but as people.

About this title

About the Author

Mark Evans (Author)
Like many boys who don't want to be train drivers or astronauts, Mark grew up wanting to be a soldier. After a standard schooling involving rugby, football, girls and all manner of detentions he left Oxfordshire for University College London to study archaeology. Discovering a lack of real-life Indiana Jones moments, Mark eventually fulfilled his boyhood ambition and was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards in 2004.

From Nigeria to Canada, Belize to Buckingham Palace, Mark had a diverse and fulfilling career, seeing active service in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

On his return from Afghanistan Mark was diagnosed with PTSD and subsequently left the army in 2010 after reaching the rank of Captain. His experiences have led him to work with Help for Heroes and Combat Stress to raise awareness for those affected by recent conflicts.

After a turbulent couple of years dealing with the aftermath of war Mark is now happily settled in South West London with his girlfriend.

Review

An absorbing, authentic and movingly accurate account of the fight in Helmand and at home.―Patrick Hennessey, author of Kandak and The Junior Officer's Reading Club

Code Black is a tale of our war in Afghanistan told by one of the men who fought there. It is visceral, truthful and, above all, thought-provoking. Code Black is an impressive achievement and a compelling read.―Bernard Cornwell

Authentic. Revelatory. Shocking. Edge-of-the seat heart-thumping dust and blood and sheer guts. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a hidden time-bomb amongst British veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan. This hugely timely book reveals in gripping detail the personal stories of its hidden victims - lest we forget.―Damien Lewis

An excellent read, the pressures of command and combat intercut with the pressure of subsequently trying to make sense of what happened, how he reacted and whether it was worth it.―Robert Crampton, Sunday Times Magazine

A fast-paced, thrilling account of British heroism, brave men surrounded and fighting against overwhelming odds. This is the real, sometimes shocking, and deeply personal story of modern warfare and PTSD.―Andy McNab

About this edition

• Publisher: Coronet
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1444784447
• ISBN 13: 9781444784442
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 307