The Unconventional Soldier

20

"Letting the Guest Tell the Story"


A military podcast from former British soldiers of the Army's Surveillance and Target Acquisition Patrols unit.


Series One traced the unit’s origins, the intense selection process, and its secretive “stay-behind” mission during the Cold War. You'll hear firsthand accounts from 40 years of global operations, culminating in an interview with the current Officer Commanding.


Future series go beyond the unit bringing you gripping personal stories from WWII through to the War on Terror. Every episode ends with book and film reviews to keep your military mind sharp.


One mission. One story at a time.

New episodes monthly—sometimes more.


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Recent Episodes
  • S5 #087 3 Para Battle For Mount Longdon
    Jun 10, 2025 – 1:34:13
  • S5 #086 Beyond the Battlefield: Exploring British Army Simulation Training
    May 28, 2025 – 1:34:14
  • S5 #085 The Provisional IRA Campaign In Europe
    May 14, 2025 – 36:24
  • S5 #084 Sleeping In The Ditch With Slobodan Milosevic
    Apr 27, 2025 – 1:08:09
  • S5 #083 Reassessing The German Army In WW2
    Apr 15, 2025 – 1:47:09
  • S5 #082 Reflections on Military Service, Training & Operations
    Mar 27, 2025 – 1:06:28
  • S5 #081 SAS: Sea King Down
    Mar 13, 2025 – 1:25:55
  • S5 #080 The Jungle Is Neutral
    Feb 26, 2025 – 1:12:58
  • S5 #079 Cold War Life & The East German Army
    Feb 13, 2025 – 34:34
  • S5 #078 The Recovery Of Stirling Bomber BK716
    Jan 30, 2025 – 1:27:13
  • S5 #077 On The Ground With BRIXMIS
    Jan 15, 2025 – 1:22:41
  • S5 #076 Return To Operation BANNER (Northern Ireland)
    Dec 28, 2024 – 1:34:48
  • S5 #075 The Moral Application Of Violence In War
    Dec 12, 2024 – 58:54
  • S5 #074 Survival Course - The Rhodesian Bush War Continues
    Nov 28, 2024 – 58:34
  • S5 #073 Navigating the Transition - Army to Civvy Street
    Nov 14, 2024 – 1:17:53
  • S5 #072 The Rhodesian Light Infantry
    Oct 30, 2024 – 1:13:28
  • S5 #071 Veterans
    Oct 16, 2024 – 1:02:21
  • S5 #070 BRIXMIS & The Secret Cold War
    Sep 29, 2024 – 1:12:19
  • S4 #069 Andy McNab CBE DCM MM
    Aug 28, 2024 – 1:10:57
  • S4 #068 MI9 - The Secret Service For Escape And Evasion In WW2
    Aug 14, 2024 – 1:09:39
  • S4 #067 Citizen Soldiers - History Of The Army Reserves
    Jul 28, 2024 – 55:27
  • S4 #066 The Derryard Attack - Northern Ireland 1989
    Jun 26, 2024 – 36:21
  • S4 #065 The Past, Present & Future Of Drones In The British Army
    Jun 12, 2024 – 1:30:18
  • S4 #064 7 Minutes To Midnight - Korea The Forgotten War
    May 29, 2024 – 48:08
  • S4 #063 Use Of AI In Targeting & Autonomous Platforms
    May 15, 2024 – 56:12
  • S4 #062 Infantry Officer In Iraq & Afghanistan
    Apr 28, 2024 – 1:36:03
  • S4 #061 7 Minutes To Midnight - NATO Cold War "Stay Behind" Operations
    Apr 14, 2024 – 1:12:32
  • S4 #060 Infiltrating The Provisional IRA
    Mar 28, 2024 – 1:11:44
  • S4 #059 Who Dares Wins
    Mar 18, 2024 – 1:17:05
  • S4 #058 7 Minutes To Midnight - Berlin Airlift, Berlin Wall & Cuban Missile Crisis
    Feb 28, 2024 – 58:47
  • S4 #057 Artillery Gun Raids On Op GRANBY (Gulf War 1991)
    Feb 16, 2024 – 43:48
  • S4 #056 7 Minutes To Midnight - Series Intro
    Jan 29, 2024 – 47:17
  • S4 #055 Catherine Leroy - Close Up On War
    Jan 15, 2024 – 1:00:22
  • S4 #054 Learning From War
    Dec 28, 2023 – 55:57
  • S4 #053 Mountain & Arctic Warfare Cadre Return To Top Malo House
    Dec 14, 2023 – 1:07:45
  • S4 #052 Zero Risk
    Nov 28, 2023 – 1:06:31
  • S4 #051 Guns, Rockets & Training For War
    Oct 30, 2023 – 1:30:19
  • S4 #050 From Sandhurst To Brigade Command
    Oct 15, 2023 – 48:34
  • S4 #049 The International Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol School In The 1980s
    Sep 27, 2023 – 1:02:52
  • S3 #048 We Were Blackwater
    Aug 28, 2023 – 1:09:30
  • S3 #047 Veterans’ Army & Aid To Ukraine
    Aug 16, 2023 – 1:12:19
  • S3 #046 The Royal Marines Mountain & Arctic Warfare Cadre
    Jul 27, 2023 – 1:46:26
  • S3 #045 Stay Behind OPs & Ukraine
    Jul 12, 2023 – 50:20
  • S3 #044 The Royal Ulster Constabulary GC
    Jun 27, 2023 – 1:16:46
  • S3 #043 Chennai Prisoner
    May 28, 2023 – 1:05:33
  • S3 #042 The Band That Went To War
    May 20, 2023 – 1:07:33
  • S3 #041The Indian Army Staff College Course
    Apr 26, 2023 – 1:14:15
  • S3 #040 Tom Satterly Delta Force Operator
    Mar 27, 2023 – 1:39:12
  • S3 #039 The Cognitive Marine
    Feb 25, 2023 – 1:25:58
  • S3 #038 Licking The Taliban’s Flip Flop
    Jan 28, 2023 – 1:12:24
Recent Reviews
  • Peter Otter
    Great show
    Fascinating insights. Keep up the good work! More NI please.
  • CADETFETUS
    One of the best podcasts out there.
    The format is great .and the knowledge I'm able to take away is even greater.
  • Georgia Boy US sailorman
    Outstanding
    Love the military stories. Especially enjoy the fact that you don’t interrupt or talk over the guests. Keep up the good work.
  • OldSkoolJungle
    Highly Reccomended
    I don’t have a military background, haven’t lived in the UK for over 30 years, and lean way to the left politically, so I’m probably not the target demographic 😂😂 This is one of my current favorite podcasts, it really gets into the weeds about a military unit that I’ve never heard about, but using that as a jumping off point it goes into all the major conflicts of the last 30-40 years from Northern Island, the Falklands, the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan. I’m still getting through the older episodes so there’s a lot of other good material. As a climber myself I really enjoyed the Andy Kirkpatrick interview. Colin and Kevin know their stuff are widely read and are great hosts. The interviews are congenial, interesting and frequently moving. If you don’t have a military background there is a lot to learn here about how someone can contribute as an individual in a large organization, when the organization may not want to deal with people on their own terms.
  • KitK13
    Trip Down Memory Lane
    I was in P Bty in the 80’s and saw these guys running around the barracks doing their stuff! A few of my Muckers joined up but I knew I was mad enough to give it a go 😃. It certainly takes a special breed. But loving listening to your stories, hearing the old names, taking me back to those crazy times. I just saw your podcast review in Soldier mag, so I’ve got about 30 episodes to catch up on! Might go for a run this afternoon to listen to one - but I’ll leave the bergen behind, thank you very much! Thanks for your service, guys 👍
  • mcleighuk
    Brit living in New York
    Love the show guys very sharp insight enjoyed the Falklands episode. I grew up in Devon not far from lympstone royal marine commando center so as a youngster had some of the training team royals for neighbors (who went to the falklands). Always remember the Canberra coming into Lyme Bay off Sidmouth on its return! Looking forward to what you do next. Cheers leigh
  • Wfd144
    Great podcast
    Awesome podcast. First few episodes discussed personal experience but later episodes have a great variety of guests. Have not missed an episode. Keep up the great work.
  • Iainm79
    Excellent show with top hosts
    Excellent show from two very knowledgable and talented host. Great interviews with some really interesting characters. A real trip down memory lane for anyone who served in the British Army in the last couple of decades but something for anyone who has an interest in military history. Well worth a listen.
  • Logical Eagle
    Excellent show
    Great well researched show with fantastic interviews and high quality content.
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