The legendary Ian Yule soldier, mercenary, international movie star

Ian Yule as Cpl Fields in the film “Zulu Dawn” The former Soldier had 71 credits as an actor.

Ian was born an orphan before World War 2. When his adoptive parents were killed in the Blitz, he was taken in by Americans stationed in the UK. He joined the British Army as a boy soldier and served in the Artillery, Parachute Regiment and the SAS.

During his time in, he was deployed to the Korean war and took part in the Inchon attack on the West coast of Korea. He also fought fought at the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir with the American Marines. This is where Yule was captured and taken prisoner, he was a POW of the North Koreans for two and half years.

At the end of the war, he was released from captivity and stayed in the Army. He served in Egypt, then Yemen and then back to Egypt for the Suez Crisis.

As if that wasn't enough he joined “Mad” Mike Hoare’s 5th Commando in the Congo as a mercenary. Yule introduced Col. "Mad" Mike Hoare to “Wild Geese” producer Euan Lloyd. Hoare was a soldier of fortune and had made a sound impression on Lloyd. He became the military advisor for the film with Ian playing the part of Sgt. Tosh Donaldson.

He also served in the Rhodesian Armed Forces during the Bush War and after that the SADF.

Ian became incapacitated in later life due to his numerous
wounds including a very bad gun shot wound to the abdomen. He was also suffering from very bad rheumatoid arthritis. He needed sticks to walk and was very hard of hearing, he also had degenerative eyesight and was suffering from on-set dementia.

He died in the UK on the 3rd of December 2020, he was assisted by the South African Legion and the SSAFA.

RIP Warrior.

Pathfinder Capt Blakeley in low pro kit

 Capt Blakeley in low pro kit on a mission in Iraq.

His small team of nine men was sent forward to recce Qalat Sikar airfield, 120km north of Nasiriyah, during the invasion of Iraq. Their task was to check its suitability as a LZ for Paratroopers. Relying on US intelligence, they were stunned to suddenly find themselves in the middle of an Iraqi camp, Capt Blakeley explained: “They didn’t do anything because it was so outrageous. They didn’t expect us to suddenly move through their position.”

The Iraqi’s soon recovered their wits and hit back. They watched as the headlights of 15 pick up trucks, each carrying a dozen of Iraq's feared Fedayeen, drove past and realised they were trapped behind enemy lines.

The team was alone and surrounded. They had to fight their way back through five ambushes, past Iraqi bunkers and machine gun positions, with RPG’s flying over them: “It was like Star Wars. The intensity of fire was like nothing I have ever seen. We were stupidly lucky.” Saved by incredible luck and valour two members of the team would earn Military Crosses.

When they tried to call for air support “I was told instantly by a senior officer there was no air. It was like swallowing acid. They didn’t say wait out, we were not told they would try. The team ‘asked again for combat recovery’ but I was told again there was nothing available. It was crushing, devastating. We were totally on our own, abandoned.”

Fortunately they were able to fight their way back to American positions, their vehicles riddled with shrapnel and bullet holes. Capt Blakeley had one through his trouser leg while another soldier had a round embedded in the pistol on his chest. They passed on grid references on all the Iraqi units they had encountered to the US Marines.

“The mission had failed but we had done our damnedest. I was “interviewed without coffee” and asked why I had continued, given the situation in Nasiriyah. When I thought of these amazing guys and what we had contributed to the intelligence picture, I was shaking with anger.”

Captain Blakely recounts his experiences in his book “Pathfinder – A Special Forces Mission Behind Enemy Lines.”

Warrior “Fearless” Fred Marafono.

“Fearless” Fred Marafono, 13/12/40- 27/3/13. Born on the island of Rotuma in Fiji, he joined the British Army at 21 and served in the King's Shropshire Light Infantry, before joining the SAS, where he saw service in Borneo, Aden, Oman, Northern Ireland and the Falklands.



After having left the SAS Fred arrived in Sierra Leone in 1994, he later joined two former members of Executive Outcomes and together they crewed a single helicopter that provided a vital air bridge between Sierra Leone and neighboring Liberia.

During “Op Barras”, the SAS and the Parachute Regiment operation to free five soldiers of the Royal Irish regiment held by the “West Side Boys” militia, Marafono, three months short of his 60th birthday, hovered overhead ready to give cover fire in a helicopter gunship.
Though both sides were accused of atrocities in the war, Marafono was convinced he was fighting on the right side. “I’m not going to boast and brag about killing people. But I never lose a night’s sleep about it. We were not doing it because of money; we were doing it because it was a mission. If we don’t do it, people will die – and die terribly.”

He was widely respected in the SAS for his fearlessness. He was also noted for introducing to the regiment the ritual of drinking flaming Drambuies, which involved igniting, then knocking back, large glasses of the liqueur. As on the battlefield, there were frequent casualties.

He was appointed MBE in the New Year’s Honours of 1983. The citation: “It is doubtful whether any officer or NCO can equal the number of operations which WO1 Marafono has volunteered for and taken part in. On all, his standards of leadership and gallantry have been a positive inspiration to subordinates and superiors who have come into contact with him. Many anti-terrorist techniques currently in use in Northern Ireland and in the UK are the result of his unstinting work and clear vision. Perhaps his greatest contribution to the Regiment has been in the jungle where he has evolved many methods of operating which will form the basis of Special Operations for many years to come. His abilities as a visual tracker are legendary, and he is conceivably the leading expert in this field in the Service. Over many years he has consistently put the Service’s need before his own, and has been a key figure in influencing many matters of Regimental and National importance.”

In his last years he co-authored a book about the time he spent in Sierra Leone, entitled

From SAS to Blood Diamond Wars

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