MSR--Military and Storyline Reference

If it's related to Andy McNab, his books, or military/spec ops in general, it'll eventually be here...There's also a few Brit-to-Yank translations for the American fans.

You can start by clicking on any of the letters below to take you to a particular section. Once you're dug in, you can simply scroll, or, better still, follow the links to jump to a section that interests you. Happy hunting.

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Note--the letters in parentheses next to each entry specify which book(s) the entry appears in...B20=Bravo Two Zero, IA=Immediate Action, RC=Remote Control, CF=Crisis Four, FW=Firewall, LL=Last Light, LD=Liberation Day, DW=Dark Winter, DB=Deep Black, and U=Universal, as in, appears in most/all McNab books, or is general military/SAS-related.

A   (and 0-9)	Back to Top
14th Intelligence and Security Company (U):   Also known as "the Det," 14int was founded by an SAS officer in 1978, specifically to conduct operations against terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland. Highly trained in surveillance and counter-surveillance, 14int draws operators from all three branches of the military, with SAS and SBS traditionally being very well-represented among its ranks. Andy McNab served with the Det in 1987-1988.
22SAS (U):   The only Special Air Service unit within the regular British Army. 21SAS and 23SAS are both TA units.
2IC (U):   Second in command
66 (B20):   See M-72 LAW
AAA (U):   Anti-Aircraft Artillery, such as the S-60.
AB (U):   Airborne
Abu Ghraib (B20):   Iraqi prison where Andy McNab spent his final days of captivity. Abu Ghraib was later made famous for another reason.
AFV (U):   Armoured Fighting Vehicle
AK-47 (U):   7.62mm assault weapon reknowned for its durability, the AK-47 (and variants thereof) is ubiquitous in third-world countries and terrorist training camps. Some prefer the AK-47 to the M-16, due mainly to the larger-calibre round and a somewhat-dubious comparison in reliability.
AK-74 (U):   5.45x39 calibre Russian assault rifle. Successor to the older, but infamous AK 47.
Alphabet, NATO (U):   Okay, kids: ALPHA - BRAVO - CHARLIE - DELTA - ECHO - FOXTROT - GOLF - HOTEL - INDIA - JULIET - KILO - LIMA - MIKE - NOVEMBER - OSCAR - PAPA - QUEBEC - ROMEO - SIERRA - TANGO - UNIFORM - VICTOR - WHISKEY - X RAY - YANKEE - ZULU...Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?
APC (U):   Armored Personnel Carrier
Arab Richard Pryor, the (B20):   Iraqi officer who interrogated AM into "confessing" to being a member of a COP platoon in exchange for the lives of the patrol members.
Arty (U):   Artillery
Aunty Nell (IA):   McNab's aunt, with whom he used to live in Catford for a couple of years as a child.
AWACS (U):   Airborne Warning And Control System. An AWACS aircraft provides all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications needed by commanders of U.S., NATO and other allied air defense forces, utilizing high altitude to eliminate ground-clutter returns.
B	Back to Top
Baby G (U):   Watch worn by Nick Stone and mentioned in most of McNab's fictional books.
Badged (U):   Accepted into special forces
Bamber, Elizabeth (CF):   A greying SIS employee of unknown rank, Bamber does not appear to be Nick Stone's most enthusiastic supporter.
Baruki Sangar (IA):   Strategically-positioned observation and firing platform outside the Army barracks in Crossmaglen, Northern Ireland. The structure was named for 19-year-old James Baruki of the Parachute Regiment, who was blown up by an IRA bomb in 1976.
Basha (U):   An outdoor shelter, usually hand-made and covered with a tarp. Called a "basher" by some.
Beasting (U):   A hard workout, a beating, or both simultaneously
Bergen (U):   Brit military term for a rucksack/backpack
Berm (U):   Earthen barrier often found to conceal a tank
Bert (B20):   Intelligence officer who briefed Bravo Two Zero on their mission
Bin Laden, Osama (CF):   Saudi millionaire turned terrorist who will hopefully soon be introduced to Delta Force shortly before meeting Allah.
Bitch Machine, the (FW):   A beat-up Lada belonging to teenaged Russian mobster Vorsim. If you've never had to use a hammer to get a starter to work, well, you're both lucky and rich, so buy some more of Andy's books.
Blades (U):   Slang term some SAS blokes have taken to calling themselves.
Blue Peter (FW):   Long-running British children's show which awards badges to viewers for various accomplishments, though apparently not for converting an electric toothbrush into a lockpicking device. Get down, Shep!
Boiled Egg (B20):   First Iraqi officer to question McNab at local military "Commando" camp, he looked like a "walking egg" at 5'2" and 13-14 stone. "Boiled Egg" was one of the ruperts who divvied up gold sovereigns from McNab's web belt.
Bone Shirt (IA):   Something you might see Andy McNab wearing, but don't quote me on that.
Branston (DB):   Just in case this makes it into the Yank edition of Deep Black, I'll explain that Branston is a relish found in every British household and often eaten on cheese sandwiches.
Brown, Jimmy and Carmen (U):   Kelly's grandparents on her father's side, the Browns lack a sense of humour but love Kelly just as much as they despise Nick Stone
Brown, Kelly (U):   Daughter of Kevin and Marsha Brown, sister of Aida. In March 1997, when Kelly was only seven years old, her parents and sister were brutally murdered in their home as part of a cover-up scheme, at which time Nick Stone assumed her joint guardianship along with Josh DeSousa.
Brown, Kevin (RC):   Ex-SAS mate of Nick Stone's Kevin Brown later became a U.S. DEA agent. As Kelly's father, "Kev" asked Nick Stone to help care for his daughter should anything ever happen to him.
Browning Hi-Power (IA):   Long-time sidearm of choice of the SAS, this single-action, 9mm Parabellum pistol carries 13 rounds in its magazine, making for a slightly larger than usual grip. The 9mm Browning is considered by most to be one of the finest pistols ever made.
Bush, David (B20):   An American who was shot in the stomach and captured when he and another transport driver strayed over the Iraqi border. Held in a Baghdad military prison.
C	Back to Top
C-130 (U):   The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is the most succesful military transport aircraft ever produced, and despite its age (the "Herk" first flew in 1954), it is still the prime aircraft used for paratrooper drops, equipment drops, and many other vital missions.
C-4 (U):   Standard U.S. military plastic explosive, consisting of RDX, other explosives and plasticizers. Many consider C-4 to be superior to that favorite of terrorists, Semtex. C-4 is versatile, stable, and powerful. Goes boom.
Can (IA):   Slang term for Saracen APC.
Carpenter (FW):   Heroin-addicted psychopath who teamed with Nightmare on the botched lift at the Hotel Intercontinental
CASEVAC (U):   Casualty Evacuation
Catford (IA):   McNab's temporary home as a young child, Catford is also the site of the McDonald's where Andy worked at age fifteen. Oh, and Ben Elton was born there.
Chinook (B20):   A massive cargo helicopter which has been the workhorse of Allied armies for over thirty years. A Boeing CH-47 Chinook delivered the Bravo Two Zero patrol along with another SAS patrol and vehicle to their DOPs behind enemy lines in Iraq.
Christine (IA):   McNab's first wife, divorced circa 1980. I know ladies--what was she, crazy?
C.I.A. (U):   American intelligence-gathering agency, generally considered a bit less "spooky" than the British SIS, whom Nick Stone worked for before becoming a C.I.A. operative.
CinC (U):   Commander-in-Chief
Claymore (U):   A directional fragmentation mine containing 700 steel balls and over a pound of C-4, a claymore is a great way to delay a pursuer or keep hippies away from your campsite.
Click (U):   A kilometre, or a double-tap "click-click" on a radio's key to indicate "affirmative"
Coburn, Mike (B20):   Referred to as "Mark the Kiwi" in B20, Mike Coburn met Andy McNab for the first time in Brisbane in 1989. Coburn had only recently passed U.K. SAS selection (after serving in NZ SAS) prior to participating in the Bravo Two Zero mission as a member of McNab's "gang of four." Coburn's account of the B20 mission, "Soldier Five," is considered by many to be the most accurate to date.
Colonel, the (B20):   McNab's interrogator at Iraqi handover location, "The Colonel" recognized the Western military term, "need to know," leading Andy McNab to surmise that the raghead rupert may have studied at Sandhurst or Staff College.
Colin (CF):   Member of in-country team, along with Nick Stone, sent by U.K. to train mujahadin in Afghanistan in 1987
Compo (U):   Composite Ration (comp rat), what Yanks call MREs.
Consiglio, Bob (B20):   5'2" former Royal Marine of Swiss-Italian extraction, this SAS operator, nicknamed "the mumbling midget" was a member of Vince Phillip's "gang of four." Bob Consiglio lost his life in a firefight with his Iraqi pursuers during the Bravo Two Zero mission.
Contact (U):   An unpleasant encounter with unfriendly people.
Contact Drills (U):   The thoroughly-rehearsed actions taken when there's a, well, contact.
Corden-Lloyd, Lt/Col Ian (IA):   A good leader who established an instant rapport with young McNab, Corden-Lloyd died near Bessbrook on 2/17/78, aged 39, in a helicopter crash.
Coy (U):   Company
CP (U):   Close Protection
Crossmaglen (IA):   McNab's first posting with 2RGJ was at the Army barracks in this IRA-hotbed in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Pictured is the square of Crossmaglen with sangar in background.
CTR (U):   Close Target Reconnaissance--an up-close surveillance of a target
Cuds (U):   The countryside, the sticks
CW (U):   Chemical Warfare
D	Back to Top
Davidson, Nicholas (CF):   Gay bartender and British ex-pat whose identity Nick Stone stole for eventual use as a "security blanket" should the need to disappear arise.
Def 110 (U):   Landrover Defender 110, a long-wheelbase off-road vehicle utilized by SAS and other forces. The Def 110 was discussed as an insertion option for the Bravo Two Zero patrol, and was in fact utilized successfully by other SAS patrols in the same theatre.
Def 90 (U):   Short-wheelbase Landrover Defender, also referred to as a "dinkie."
Delta Force (U):   U.S. Spec Ops/CT unit, Delta Force was founded by "Chargin' Charlie" Beckwith, who based the unit's training and tactics on SAS methodology
Dentist, the (B20):   Iraqi interrogator who allegedly worked at Guys Hospital in London for nine years
DeSousa, Josh (U):   U.S. Secret Service agent, with a distinguishing scar on his left cheek (earned in the line of duty). A single parent of his own children since his wife left hugging the Yoga instructor, Josh is Nick Stone's "other half" in sharing and caring for orphan Kelly
Det (U):   Detachment
Det, The (U):   See 14th Intelligence and Security Company
Dinger (B20):   "Solid, unflappable" ex-Para who was also a Falklands veteran. A member of McNab's "gang of four" during the Bravo Two Zero patrol, Dinger was one of the many SAS troopers who proudly smoke like chimneys.
DOP (U):   Drop-Off Point (where a patrol is inserted).
DPM (U):   Disruptive Pattern Material--camo, in other words
DS (U):   Directing Staff
DTG (U):   Date Time Group--how the military tells you what day it is. If it's 11:30 P.M. on 31 October, 2005, for instance, the DTG is expressed as 312330Z OCT 05. Note the "Z" designating zulu.
Dunlap, Sgt. Troy (B20):   U.S. medic, shot down with crew of Black Hawk sent to rescue USMC Major Joseph Small. Held in Iraqi military prison in Baghdad.
E	Back to Top
E&E (U):   Escape and Evasion
ECHELON (FW):   Semi-secret computer network run by the NSA and assorted U.S. allies, used for electronic intelligence gathering, a.k.a. eavesdropping, especially transatlantic comms. Echelon is the network; various programs such as Silkworth and Sire do the work of sorting the intelligence gathered.
ELINT (U):   Electronic Intelligence.
EOD (U):   Explosive Ordinance Disposal--you know, the guys with eight fingers.
Eno (B20):   B Squadron SAS, close mate of McNab's who served as executor of Andy McNab's will circa 1991.
ERV (U):   Emergency Rendezvous
F	Back to Top
Farragher, Staff Sergeant K.J. (IA):   SAS operator who lost his life climbing in the Tsodillo Hills of Botswana, 1986.
Finbar (CF):   Irish member of in-country team, along with Nick Stone, sent by U.K. to train mujahadin in Afghanistan in 1987
FOB (U):   Forward Operations Base
FN FAL (U):   The infamous 7.62x51 SLR (self-loading rifle) used by SAS Selection recruits.
Fort Bragg (CF):   Fayetteville, North Carolina home of the 82nd Airborne, U.S. Special Forces, and Delta Force.
Frampton, Mr. (a.k.a. "The Yes Man") (LL):   Replaced retired colonel Lynn at Vauxhall. "The Yes Man" is easy enough to identify due to his permanently blushing complexion, and a neck that "always seemed to have a big boil on the go."
G	Back to Top
Gaz (IA):   See Hunter, Gaz
Glen (CF):   Operator who had done Selection with Nick Stone, Glen served as the ground commander on Syrian op. KIA
Golden Hind, the (U):   Old-school sailing ship and popular London tourist attraction where Nick Stone took Kelly for her birthday party.
GPMG (U):   The General Purpose Machine Gun, lovingly referred to as the "gympy," is a 7.62mm belt-fed weapon with selectable rates of fire. It can be effectively fired from a bipod or your mate's back, as the situation dictates.
GPS (U):   Global Positioning System, an electronic device which communicates with satellites to determine its precise location on the globe.
Green Berets (U):   See Special Forces
Green Jackets (U):   See Royal Green Jackets
Green Slime (U):   Army Intelligence Corps
GSG-9 (U):   Kraut spec-ops/CT unit
Gympy (U):   See GPMG
H	Back to Top
HAHO (U):   High Altitude, High Opening jump (and an impolite way to greet a woman)
HALO (U):   High Altitude, Low Opening--a dangerous method of airborne insertion
HE (U):   High Explosive
Head-shed (U):   HQ, or those in command
Helsinki (FW):   Capitol of Finland, and site of the Hotel Intercontinental and many more of the places visited by Nick Stone in Firewall. Pictured is the Helsinki train station where Stone rented a locker and spied on Liv.
Hotel Intercontinental (FW):   Swank hotel where Nick Stone kidnapped Val and participated in a shoot-out with Russian gangsters.
Howard, Johnny "Two-Combs" (IA):   Smartly-dressed soldier who served with Andy McNab in 2RGJ and, later, SAS.
Hughes, Dr. (U):   Pricey, Chelsea-based psychiatrist who helped treat Kelly for her trauma.
Hunter, Gaz (IA):   SAS vet referred to simply as "Gaz" by McNab, Hunter participated in drug-interdiction ops with McNab in Columbia. Gaz Hunter would have led the Bravo Two Zero patrol had he not been in South America at the time.
I	Back to Top
Ice-Cream Boys, the (IA):   Nickname of Air Troop, B Squadron 22 SAS. The name was derived from their penchant for finding beautiful sunny locales in which to top off their tans and relax during down-time from jump training.
Ignaty (FW):   Mysterious associate of Val's, a note signed by Ignaty is useful to keep with you in Estonia.
Increment, the (U):   See RWW.
J	Back to Top
Jam, the (IA):   A band McNab liked/likes. The Jam produced an album called "All Mod Cons," which may or may not have figured into McNab's frequent use of the phrase.
James Boys, the (FW):   These two self-admiring ex-Spetnatz types formed half of Sergei's team during the Valentin Lebed lift in Helsinki. The pair are known as the "Kray Twins" in the British edition of Firewall, named of course after the infamous mobsters of the 60's.
Jarvis-Cockley, Sarah Greenwood Darnley (CF):   Member of IG (Intelligence Group), teamed with Nick Stone in Afghanistan in 1987 and in Syria in 1995. A U.K. liaison with the U.S. Counter-Terrorism Center, Sarah is an attractive woman, though her nose, like her name, is "slightly too long."
Jeral (B20):   Young guard at Iraqi military prison, notable mainly for saying to the captive McNab, "Andy, I love you. Do you love me?"
Jonathan (CF):   Sarah's former boyfriend from the Foreign Office; cheated on Sarah and lost a finger when she slammed a car door on his hands.
K	Back to Top
Kray Twins, the (FW):   See The James Boys
L	Back to Top
Lane, Steve (B20):   Ex-Para who had been in the SAS only six months when he participated in the Bravo Two Zero mission. Nicknamed "Legs" for his ability to cover ground quickly when tabbing, this member of Vince Phillip's "gang of four" died of hypothermia while attempting to evade Iraqi forces. Steve Lane left behind a wife and two children.
LAW (U):   See M-72 LAW
Lebed, Valentin (FW):   Major player in the Russian mafiya, "Val" forgives Stone's kidnapping him and hires Nick to obtain top-secret electronic intelligence.
Liv (FW):   Finnish hottie who served as the point-of-contact between Nick Stone and Russian mobster Valentin Lebed
Loadie (U):   RAF crewman
Lynn, Lieutenant-Colonel (U):   Nick Stone's former SIS boss; the balding, sarcastic Mr. Lynn took immense pleasure in making Stone's life miserable.
LUP (U):   Lying-Up Position. Where one waits.
Lysenkov, Sergei (FW):   Ex-Spetnatz member turned freelance facilitator and gun for hire, Sergei helped organize the kidnapping of Valentin Lebed
M	Back to Top
M16 (U):   A lightweight, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed rifle designed for either automatic or semi-automatic fire through use of a selector lever. There are four variants - the M-16A1/A2/A3/A4. The M-16A2 incorporates improvements in iron sight, pistol grip, stock and overall combat effectiveness. The M-16 and its variants are favored by U.S. forces and some SAS operators.
M16-203 (U):   The 5.56mm M-16 rifle fitted with a 40 mm grenade launcher (the '203'). Used widely by U.S. and allied forces (including SAS) over the years, a 203 was carried by Andy McNab during the Bravo Two Zero patrol.
M-72 LAW (B20):   Light Anti-tank Weapon. Also referred to as the '66' because of it's 66mm 'calibre'. Developed in the 1960's by the US, it's disposable--you fire it once, then throw it away.
Madness (IA, B20):   80's ska band admired by Andy McNab--to his credit, he never mentioned the song, "Our House," apparently preferring their less-commercial offerings.
Magellan (U):   Leading manufacturer of GPS equipment
Major, the (B20):   Interrogator at handover location, along with "The Colonel." U.K.-trained and speaking very good English, "The Major," like most of McNab's Iraqi captors, sported the ubiquitous Saddam mustache.
Mancini, Tom (FW):   Hapless hacker and former Menwith Hill employee who Nick Stone recruits to defeat a sophisticated computer firewall.
Mark the Kiwi (B20):   See Coburn, Mike
McGown, Mal (B20):   Called "Stan" by Andy McNab, this South-African born, former Aussie TA soldier was the only member of McNab's B20 "gang of four" to hold a medical degree. Apparently, his educational achievements had little to do with the fact that he was known to the women of Hereford as "Dr. Sex."
McNab, Andy (U):   Sorry, never heard of him.
Menwith Hill (FW):   Suffolk RAF base containing some of the most sophisticated ELINT equipment in the world, including its famous spherical radomes which intercept transantlatic comms for the NSA and feed the information to Echelon. Pictured is the heavily-guarded main gate at Menwith Hill.
MI6 (U):   See SIS.
Milky Bar Kid, the (IA):   What Andy McNab once felt the "hard boys" from Glasgow could make him look like. Something tells me that is no longer the case.
Minimi (B20):   Not to be confused with Dr. Evil's midget clone, this 5.56mm belt-or-box-fed machine gun doesn't pack the punch of, but is a whole hell of a lot easier to carry than, the GPMG. The Minimi also has the advantage of sharing the same ammo with the M16 and variants thereof.
MK-19 (U):   40mm, fully-automatic grenade launcher with an effective range of 2200 metres, used to deliver decisive firepower against enemy personnel and lightly armored vehicles. The MK-19 is often mounted on vehicles and was used to great effect in this way by SAS operating in Iraq in Gulf War One.
MoD (U):   Ministry of Defence
MOE (U):   Method Of Entry, for instance a cleverly-altered electric toothbrush
MP5 (U):   Perhaps the world's most popular submachine gun, this 9mm Heckler & Koch assault weapon is a favorite of Special Forces and law enforcement worldwide, including the SAS. The MP5 employs a delayed blowback system and is thus extremely controllable even when firing full-auto at 800 r.p.m.
MP5 SD (DW):   Suppressed version of the MP5 submachine gun, used by Nick Stone and Suzy in "Dark Winter."
MSG-90 (U):   The 7.62x51mm (.308) H&K MSG-90 (Militärisches Scharfschützen Gewehr) is a military sniper rifle that was designed and introduced relatively recently. It's a close relative of the H&K PSG-1 police sniper rifle and descendant of the G3. The "90" is for the year of initial production.
MSR (U):   Main Supply route
N	Back to Top
NAAFI (U):   Navy, Army, and Air Force Institute--HM's official suppliers of, well, just about everything.
Narva (FW):   A quaint city in the north-eastern corner of Estonia, this is where Nick Stone met up with Vorsim and the rest of Valentin's crew of gangsters. Pictured is the lovely River Narva.
NATO Alphabet (U):   See Alphabet, NATO
Nichol, Flt. Lt. John (B20):   RAF Flight Lieutenant, Fifteen Squadron, shot down on January 17 during daylight bombing run. Introduced himself to McNab on March 5 before they were transported to the Nova Hotel/Red Cross.
Nightmare (FW):   Partner of Carpenter and fellow freelance employee of Sergei Lysenkov, Nightmare earned his nickname by not being, in Nick Stone's words, "the sharpest tool in the shed."
Night Sun (FW):   Powerful searchlight often mounted on police helicopters, such as the one that sought Nick Stone and his cohorts after the shootout at the Hotel Intercontinental.
NSA (U):   The National Security Agency, one of the spookiest of the U.S. "alphabet agencies."
O	Back to Top
OC (U):   Officer Commanding
One Up (U):   Surveillance term meaning "alone"
OP (U):   Observation Point ("Op" is sometimes used as a short form of "operation(s)")
OPSEC (U):   Operational Security (the little things one does to keep a secret op, secret)
Operation Flavius (U):   Controversial 6 March, 1988 operation in Gibraltar during which four SAS operators shot and killed three unarmed IRA suspects, believing they were about to set off a bomb. While the SAS troopers were cleared of any wrongdoing in the matter, many believe the killings were unnecessary.
Operation Nimrod (U):   Successful SAS assault on the terrorist-held Iranian embassy in Knightsbridge, central London, on May 5, 1980. The assault saved the lives of 19 hostages and ended the lives of five of the six Iraqi-trained terrorists. As the assault drew worldwide media coverage, the reclusive SAS found themselves thereafter the recipients of widespread, unwanted attention.
P	Back to Top
Phillips, Vince (B20):   An expert mountaineer who came to SAS by way of Ordinance Corp, Vince Phillips served as 2 i/c on the Bravo Two Zero mission. Sadly, Phillips lost his life to hypothermia during the patrol's flight through the unusually-frigid Iraqi desert, leaving behind a wife, Dee, and two daughters.
Pinkie (B20):   Slang-term for Landrover Defender 110, derived from the pink camo paint job made famous in Oman.
PIRA (U):   Provisional IRA
Platform Four (U):   Where you used to catch the train from Hereford to London. Used as slang by SAS for failing Selection, as in, "It's platform four for you!"
PLCE (U):   Personal Load Carrying Equipment. Standard issue UK Army webbing. Consists of a yoke and detachable pouches.
PNGs (U):   Passive Night Goggles
PPK (IA):   The famous Walther "disco gun," generally chambered for either .25 ACP or .380 ACP. Used by undercover operators when ease of concealment is a must.
PSG-1 (U):   7.62x51mm (.308) H&K PSG-1 (Präzisionsscharfschützengewehr 1) Precision Sniper Rifle. This appears to be the standard by which other semi-automatic sniper rifles are measured. Designed as a sniper rifle to be used by law enforcement units, It's "cousin," the MSG-90 is more suitable for military operations.
PT (U):   Physical Training
Q	Back to Top
QM (U):   Quartermaster--he who is responsible for the food, clothing, and equipment of troops.
R	Back to Top
Racing Spoon (B20):   A device used for eating food, preferably someone else's. Apparently, Yank MRE spoons are among the best for this purpose.
Racing Snake (U):   A good, fast runner
RAF (U):   Royal Air Force.
Regiment, the (U):   What the SAS calls the SAS.
Reg One (CF):   Syrian op team member with curly black hair graying on sides. Not to be confused with Reg Two.
Reg Two (CF):   Syrian op team member, dark blonde wire wool hair, shorter than Reg One.
REME (U):   Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers
Renault Megané (LD):   Car rented by Nick Stone in "Liberation Day" due to its nondescript appearance (at least among the French).
RHQ (U):   Regimental Headquarters
Royal Green Jackets (U):   Infantry regiment of the British Army, where McNab spent the first eight years of his Army career with Second Battalion before being badged SAS in 1984.
RSM (U):   Regimental Sergeant Major
RTU (U):   Return To Unit. SAS operators are held to very high standards, and can be RTU'd (returned to their original units) for any number of infractions.
RUC (U):   Royal Ulster Constabulary
Rupert (U):   Brit slang fo an officer
RWW (U):   Revolutionary Warfare Wing, also known as "the Increment." RWW is the very secretive military wing of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, made up of experienced SAS, SBS, and 14 Int operators. Andy McNab served with the RWW between Gulf War One and leaving the Army.
Ryan, Chris (B20):   Ex-Territorial SAS Chris Ryan was the "one who got away" during the Bravo Two Zero mission, escaping into Syria after a grueling tab through the Iraqi desert. Ryan was B20's patrol medic and a member of Vince Phillip's "gang of four." He later went on to be a successful author in his own right.
S	Back to Top
S-60 (B20):   Soviet-made Anti Aircraft Artillery. The same AAA's that were firing on the Bravo Two Zero patrol after they were compromised by the goatherder boy in their first LUP.
Sanborn, Capt. Russell (B20):   U.S. Marine aviator shot down by a SAM over Kuwait, Capt. Sanborn was held in an Iraqi military prison at same time as McNab
Sangar (U):   Protected enclosure, see for instance Baruki sangar
Saracen (IA):   Also called a "can," the Alvis Saracen 6x6 Armored Personnel Carrier seats 2 + 10 behind 16mm-thick armor. McNab often rode in a "can" in Northern Ireland when he was stationed there with 2RGJ. Pictured is the interior of the Saracen.
Sarajevo Rose(DB):   Term for an impact site where shells hit war-torn Sarajevo, filled with blood-red paint or plastic by residents to honor the dead.
SAS (U):   Considered by many to be the most elite Special Ops force in the world, the Special Air Service was founded during World War Two to conduct raids behind enemy lines. Known for its grueling Selection process and high standards of competency, the SAS plays an important role in U.K. defense, including counter-terror and hostage rescue. While the SAS attempts to maintain a veil of secrecy, its role was made very public as a result of successful operations during the 1980 Iranian embassy seige. To this day, the SAS continues to be among the sharpest swords in the British arsenal.
SBS (U):   Special Boat Service, formerly known as the Special Boat Squadron, of the UK's Royal Marines. Based at Poole, Dorset, the SBS is an ultra-elite maritime special forces unit that is similar, and some would say superior, to the US Navy's SEALs. Trained in many of the land and air-based techniques of the SAS, the SBS are also trained in specialized naval operations such as deploying from submarines, clandestine boarding of boats underway, and securing oil platforms from terrorist threats.
Scaleys (U):   Slang term for signallers, derived from the scale-like leaves on the Royal Corps of Signals badge.
SEALs (U):   The U.S. Navy's maritime special warfare units, frogmen who fight on the SEa, Air, and Land (get it?). With a history dating back to WW2, the SEALs are among the ultra-elite of the world's special operations units. The SEAL's initial training school/selection process is among the most difficult in the world, making the "Budweiser" among the truly special badges in the world's military.
Semtex (U):   Plastic explosive favored by terrorists and dictatorships, consisting mainly of RDX and PETN. Cheaper than C-4, and generally more widely available on black market.
Shamag (U):   Head covering invented by Arabs but made fashionable by the SAS
Shotgun (U):   What I call the "forgotten weapon" due to most folks' fascination with glamorous smg's and the like. Special forces use shotguns for opening doors, and also for killing people.
Shreddies (U):   Military-issue underwear
Simon (CF):   Member of in-country team, along with Nick Stone, sent by U.K. to train mujahadin in Afghanistan in 1987
SIS (U):   The British Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI-6. This is the agency that employed Nick Stone as a "K" prior to his going to work for Christians In Action. Stone and others often refer to SIS by it's location, Vauxhall.
Sitrep (U):   Situation Report
Slater, Lance Corporal Al (IA):   SAS mate of McNab's, killed in action in Northern Ireland in 1984.
Slime (U):   See Green Slime
Small, Major Joseph (B20):   U.S. Marine aviator, call sign Alleycat, Maj. Small was held in Iraqi military prison in Baghdad after ejecting when his plane was shot down.
Smith, Nicholas (IA):   2 R.G.J. friend of McNab's, killed by a booby trapped bomb while attempting to remove an Irish Flag off a telegraph pole in Armagh on 04.03.1978.
SOP (U):   Standard Operating Procedure
Source, the (CF):   Right-hand man to Osama Bin Laden, the "Source" was the target of lift on Syrian op.
Special Forces (U):   While the term "special forces" can properly be applied to virtually any unconventional-warfare unit, the U.S. Army's Green Berets have laid a special claim to the title, having established an unequaled and unblemished record of heroism and service in battles large and small. U.S. Special Forces are distinctive for working hand-in-hand with local forces in the areas where they operate, such as the Montagnards in Vietnam, with whom the "Green Beanies" forged a particularly successful bond.
Sperm Bank (CF):   Fictional (I hope) band who Nick Stone prefers to call "The Sperm." Apparently a favorite of Sarah's.
SSM (U):   Squadron Sergeant Major
Stan (B20):   See Macgown, Mal
Stirling, David (U):   Legendary founder of the SAS, Stirling served in the Scots Guards and 8 Commando before creating his elite unit to wreak havoc behind enemy lines. Stirling's SAS was instrumental in defeating Rommel's troops in North Africa as well as making the D-Day invasion a success. To this day, the SAS draws inspiration from its founder, a soldier who exemplified the qualities that make the SAS what it is.
Stockmann (FW):   Helsinki department store where Nick Stone and Tom Mancini shopped. Among other things, they sell silk leggings of the type you might wear on your first ski trip.
Stone, Nick (U):   Semi-autobiographical hero of McNab's fictional books, Nick Stone is an SAS veteran who eventually works for both British and U.S. intelligence. It can be reasonably argued that Stone is one of the great characters of all time within the military adventure genre. If you haven't read Andy's Nick Stone novels, leave this site immediately and hit the bookstore!
Sunburn (LL):   Russian P270 Moskit missile, known to NATO as the SS-N-22 "Sunburn." A deadly-effective anti-ship missile, the Sunburn can be launched from ships, subs, aircraft, and land-based platforms.
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TAB (U):   Tactical Advance to Battle, also used to mean any long hike
TACBE (B20):   A Tactical Beacon, i.e., a radio device used to alert rescuers as to one's location. As the Bravo Two Zero patrol proved, the TACBE is most appreciated when friendly forces actually show up to rescue you.
Tasty, Mr. (B20):   Iraqi who officially handed Dinger and McNab over--either commandos to military intelligence, or military intelligence to civilian police. Wearing a green flying suit, leather jacket, and Chelsea boots with big heels, Mr. Tasty looked like "the oldest swinger in town."
Territorial Army (U):   British equivalent of the U.S. National Guard, allowing people to serve part-time until called upon.
Tallinn (FW):   Capitol of Estonia, this port city is renowned for its beauty by those who appreciate just plain ugly. Nick Stone got mugged here on his way to Narva. Pictured is the Tallinn train station in which Stone spent the night among the homeless.
TM-46 (FW):   A Soviet-produced land mine from which Nick Stone reclaimed explosives in an Estonian hotel room. Of the TM-46 and TM-64, Stone couldn't remember which was metal and which plastic. We can. The TM-46 is metal.
Tout (U):   IRA informant
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UAZ 469 (U):   Soviet-made army jeep, used by the Iraqis in Gulf War 1. Two of these compromised the SAS Alpha One Zero team at one point during their mission behind enemy lines.
UKSF (U):   UK Special Forces
USP (U):   The H&K Universal Selbstlade Pistole, a double-action semi-automatic handgun in wide use among special forces and law enforcement worldwide. Available in various calibres (and thus with varying magazine capacities), the USP was the handgun carried by Kevin Brown and, later, Nick Stone.
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Vauxhall (U):   Home of the SIS and the place where Nick Stone recieved his assignments as a "K," Stone believes this building would be more at home in Las Vegas than Vauxhall Cross.
VCP (U):   Vehicle Control Point
Voice, the (B20):   Iraqi interrogator at Bagdhad interrogation center who sounded like a kindly grandfather. At the direction of The Voice, Andy McNab was ruthlessly beaten and tortured, as well as threatened with the deaths of his fellow patrol members.
Vorsim (FW):   Likeable, young Russian gangster who befriends Nick Stone in Estonia. His name is Russian for "eight," a nickname he earned by losing two fingers to explosives.
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Wanking Chariot (U):   Where one sleeps/relieves tension, i.e., a maggot.
Warner, Michael "Metal Mickey" (CF):   Sarah's PA in Washington, DC, "Metal Mickey" has steel plates in his head due to injuries sustained in a car accident, and helped Nick Stone identify him by saying, "I'll be the beach ball with the blue shirt and red tie."
Willy Peter (U):   A White Phosphorous grenade (also called "White Phos" or just "WP" depending on where you're from)
Winchester (IA):   Home of one of five Army Training Regiments in the Initial Training Group, ATR(W) is where Andy McNab completed Light Division drill in May-June 1977.
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X (U):   Crossing, as in roads, tracks, rivers, etc.
X-Ray (U):   Term sometimes used as a designator for a terrorist or other target.
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Yank (U):   Slang term meaning "American."
Yankee (U):   Term sometimes used as a designator for a hostage.
Yanklewitz, Carrie (LL):   First encountered by Nick Stone in Panama, Carrie is the attractive wife of Aaron Yanklewitz and the adoptive mother of little girl, Luz.
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Zodiac FC3 (U):   The Zodiac Futura Commando is well known throughout the world as the definitive Special Forces boat, used by more elite soldiers and sailors than any other craft worldwide. It has a unique patented hull shape and various floor systems that allows it to carry combatants in a variety of missions.
Zodiac Sea RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) (U):   Zodiac- patented design that combines the advantages of a totally collapsible inflatable with the rigidity, seaworthiness, speed and comfort of a Rib. The Sea RIB is ruggedly built to withstand constant use in the military and professional environments.
Zulu (U):   Mil-speak for Greenwich Mean Time.

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