Forged in Fire 

An Australian commando’s story of life and death on the frontline

By Scott Ryder
Published by Allen and Unwin
RRP $36.99 in paperback | ISBN 9781761471414

Noted investigative journalist and author Chris Masters heaps praise on this book and its author Sergeant Scott Ryder, who from the age of 12, knew he wanted to join the army.

After serving as a paratrooper and in East Timor with 3 RAR, he wanted more. He trained all summer and took the gruelling selection course for the commandos, earning the prized green beret on his second attempt. 

Ryder shares battlefield stories from his tours to Afghanistan, where his regiment saw some of the heaviest fighting Australian forces have experienced since the Vietnam War.

After being seriously injured in a shocking Black Hawk helicopter crash in Kandahar, he was the only survivor to return to active service.

He writes frankly of his reaction and the reaction of those around him to the report of the Brereton enquiry which investigated possible war crimes committed by Australian special forces in Afghanistan—officers abrogating responsibility while the junior ranks at the coalface were held culpable.

In writing of his twenty-two year career, he offers readers a valuable insight into what army life is really like but he makes the point that ‘… no single commando regretted being deployed to Afghanistan or any other part of the globe.’

Honest and self-deprecating, this book reveals the qualities of strength and mental resilience that characterise special forces operators.

Author bio:
Scott Ryder served for 22 years with the Australian Army, including 16 years as an operator with the 2nd Commando Regiment. He served in East Timor and multiple tours of Afghanistan and Iraq. He holds numerous commendations and a Masters of Business, and he works in veteran charities to improve the life of veterans and their families.