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Airlifted deep into the heart of the African jungle in the midst of a bloody civil war, 26 men from the secret British unit X Platoon were sent into combat against 2000 heavily armed rebels.
Intended to last just 48 hours, the mission mutated into a 16 day siege. |
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Steve Heaney MCBiography
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As X Platoon's Owner and Training Director, Steve Heaney MC is perhaps the most authentic Survival + Adventure Leader in the UK. His knowledge and situational experience in the world's most diverse climates is indisputable. With two Sunday Times best selling books to his name and a major feature film of his and his colleagues exploits in Sierra Leone currently under option there are few better people to learn from.
Steve Heaney joined the British Army in 1986 initially as a boy soldier serving as a junior parachutist before completing adult training at Depot Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces. In 1987 he was posted to 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment. During his time in 3 PARA he saw active service in Northern Ireland where he was awarded a GOC’s Commendation, and trained overseas in the United States, Cyprus and Kenya.
In January 1990 he undertook selection for X Platoon more formally known as the Pathfinders and aged only twenty became the youngest soldier ever to pass the rigorous selection process.
Trained in the skill sets required of an operator in this highly specialised unit including Weapons and Tactics, Covert Surveillance and Reconnaissance, High Frequency and Satellite Communications, Combat Medical Techniques and Trauma Management, Advanced Demolitions and Sabotage, Combat Survival and Resistance to Interrogation.
Steve Heaney joined the British Army in 1986 initially as a boy soldier serving as a junior parachutist before completing adult training at Depot Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces. In 1987 he was posted to 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment. During his time in 3 PARA he saw active service in Northern Ireland where he was awarded a GOC’s Commendation, and trained overseas in the United States, Cyprus and Kenya.
In January 1990 he undertook selection for X Platoon more formally known as the Pathfinders and aged only twenty became the youngest soldier ever to pass the rigorous selection process.
Trained in the skill sets required of an operator in this highly specialised unit including Weapons and Tactics, Covert Surveillance and Reconnaissance, High Frequency and Satellite Communications, Combat Medical Techniques and Trauma Management, Advanced Demolitions and Sabotage, Combat Survival and Resistance to Interrogation.
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Steve was regarded as one of the most accomplished parachutists in the military and was at the leading edge of High Altitude Parachuting, helping to advance most of the techniques that are employed by Special Forces today such as High Altitude Low Opening (HALO), High Altitude High Opening (HAHO) and the space age High Altitude Parachutist Life Support System (HAPLSS), an insertion method designed to allow operators to jump from altitudes well above 30000 feet. Heaney was also responsible for the initial trials and development of the Military Tandem Master system and became one of a very select few to qualify in this technique.
During his decade long service in the Pathfinders, Heaney led training teams around the world to instruct foreign forces in the tactics, techniques and procedures required to operate as an advance force. He worked alongside and in conjunction with the Special Forces of every one of the UK's partner nations and was instrumental in the forging of relationships and the development of standard operating procedures. |
Steve saw active service in Kosovo in 1999 and was the commander of the UK Battle Group's most demanding patrol during the initial liberation of the country. Spearheading NATO’s forces, his patrol was the first team to cross the border from Macedonia into Kosovo tasked with locating and reporting on Russian and Serbian troop movements.
Steve Heaney MC (right)
High on blood lust, Voodoo and drugs, the RUF rebels were notorious for their savagery
In 2000 Steve was the Pathfinder Platoon Sergeant as 26 men of X Platoon were deployed to Sierra Leone as part of a task force, responsible for the evacuation of entitled personnel from that country, in the face of certain massacre at the hands of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), a murderous rebel organisation famed for their brutality and signature atrocity of amputating the limbs of men, women and children.
During this deployment the Pathfinders where tasked to stop the RUF advance towards the country’s airport and then to its capital Freetown. X Platoon positioned in the village of Lungi Lol were deliberately exposed by their commanders with the aim of enticing the RUF, believed to number 2000 fighters to attack their position, the aim being to inflict such a blow that they would think twice about continuing their assault on to the capital. Originally planned to last just 48 hours the mission mutated into a 16 day siege, the Pathfinders who were surrounded worked with the local villagers to construct some hasty defences, consisting of battle trenches and rows of sharpened bamboo stakes to create a ‘pungi field’.
In the early hours of 17 May 2000 the village was attacked by a significant rebel force, the Pathfinders engaged the rebels during a vicious close quarter battle; the first jungle fighting the British Army had conducted for over 40 years. With no reinforcements available to support them, the Pathfinders were forced to fight on alone.
Steve Heaney was awarded the Military Cross (MC) for his courage and leadership under fire, becoming the first Non-Commissioned Officer in the unit’s illustrious history to receive this decoration.
The heroic actions of X Platoon at Lungi Lol stopped the RUF advance in it's tracks, saved the villagers and helped to restore peace to Sierra Leone.
During this deployment the Pathfinders where tasked to stop the RUF advance towards the country’s airport and then to its capital Freetown. X Platoon positioned in the village of Lungi Lol were deliberately exposed by their commanders with the aim of enticing the RUF, believed to number 2000 fighters to attack their position, the aim being to inflict such a blow that they would think twice about continuing their assault on to the capital. Originally planned to last just 48 hours the mission mutated into a 16 day siege, the Pathfinders who were surrounded worked with the local villagers to construct some hasty defences, consisting of battle trenches and rows of sharpened bamboo stakes to create a ‘pungi field’.
In the early hours of 17 May 2000 the village was attacked by a significant rebel force, the Pathfinders engaged the rebels during a vicious close quarter battle; the first jungle fighting the British Army had conducted for over 40 years. With no reinforcements available to support them, the Pathfinders were forced to fight on alone.
Steve Heaney was awarded the Military Cross (MC) for his courage and leadership under fire, becoming the first Non-Commissioned Officer in the unit’s illustrious history to receive this decoration.
The heroic actions of X Platoon at Lungi Lol stopped the RUF advance in it's tracks, saved the villagers and helped to restore peace to Sierra Leone.
Steve Heaney MC (Front Centre)
Steve took the decision to leave the Pathfinders in 2001 and having trained as a Close Protection Officer he went to work for an extremely high profile UHNW businessman in London. Steve's role was to provide security and executive protection to the principal and his immediate family whilst in the UK and holidaying abroad.
In 2002 Steve became a Senior Military and Security Advisor to the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence, his role was to provide advice and training solutions across the full spectrum of Dismounted Close Combat and Internal Security Operations; a position he held for over 13 years.
Steve Heaney has written about the operation in Sierra Leone in his bestselling book Operation Mayhem, his second book X Platoon also a Sunday Times bestseller, describes his early life, entry into the Parachute Regiment and then selection and service with the British Army’s Elite Pathfinders.
In 2002 Steve became a Senior Military and Security Advisor to the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence, his role was to provide advice and training solutions across the full spectrum of Dismounted Close Combat and Internal Security Operations; a position he held for over 13 years.
Steve Heaney has written about the operation in Sierra Leone in his bestselling book Operation Mayhem, his second book X Platoon also a Sunday Times bestseller, describes his early life, entry into the Parachute Regiment and then selection and service with the British Army’s Elite Pathfinders.
