Quick Facts
Biography
Peter McAleese born 7 September 1942 is a former British paratrooper, SAS Regiment soldier, South African Sergeant-Major, Rhodesian SAS soldier, mercenary/contract-soldier and author.
Background and Early Years
Peter McAleese was born in Shettleston, Glasgow, Scotland, within sight of Barlinnie Prison.
British Army Service
McAleese served first with the Parachute Regiment (attaining rank of sergeant) and then qualified for the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS), fighting insurgents in the then-designated and British-controlled State of Aden during the 1960s rebellion against British rule known as the Aden Emergency.
Biography
After leaving the British Army, McAleese became a mercenary in Angola for the FNLA, taking command of the unit after the capture of Costas Georgiou. He then emigrated to Rhodesia and joined the Rhodesian SAS. At Zimbabwean independence in 1980, McAleese departed for South Africa and was assigned to a paratrooper unit called 44 Parachute Brigade within which he was required to form a pathfinder unit. After ending his task he worked for COIN Security Group (Pty) Ltd, a civilian security company. After a serious parachuting accident he went back to the United Kingdom and did mercenary work in Colombia. In the mid 1990s Peter worked training Russian bodyguards in Moscow with Mike Steele. McAleese worked in the security industry in Algeria, Russia and Iraq for 12 years.
Works
- McAleese, Peter & Avery, John (1999). McAleese's Fighting Manual. Orion. ISBN 0-7528-0063-9.
- McAleese, Peter (2000). No Mean Soldier. Cassell Military. ISBN 0-304-35684-0.
- McAleese, Peter (2015). Beyond No Mean Soldier (an updated and more detailed revision of No Mean Soldier). Helion & Co., Ltd. ISBN 978-1-910294-01-7.