Quick Facts
Biography
Nicolas Jon Downie (27 May 1946) was a British journalist and soldier.
Education and early career
Nick Downie was educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College and at the Middlesex Hospital and Stirling Lines. One year before his qualification as a doctor, Downie instead joined the Special Air Service as a Trooper.
Career
Military
Downie was the only civilian of 120 applicants to the Regular SAS, butone of six accepted into the training.He was an instrumental figure in the Dhofar Rebellion, where he destroyed a South Yemen fort (with 1,050 lb of gelignite), who with Russian and Chinese support were helping the infiltration of Oman by South YemenDownie’s final military engagement was with the Peshmerga in Iraqi Kurdistan fighting against Saddam Hussein in 1974-75.
Journalist
He later worked as a war correspondent, winning multiple awards. The Royal Television Society recognised his work with three awards.
Downie became disillusioned by the viewers' desire for images over analysis.