Keith Fennell
Author of Warrior Brothers - My Life In the Australian SAS
Works by Keith Fennell
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NOTE: There is a Kindle edition that contains both this and the one he wrote of his actual experiences in the SASR.
I came across this book while conducting research for my current WIP "Truth Lies" which will feature an ex-SAS guy and a guy who claims to be.
There is apparently an unwritten rule in the Australian SAS not to write books about their exploits. In fact, some say they don't even tell anyone except their immediate family that they are a part of the elite unit, preferring to be vague about their roles. "If you say you're SAS, you probably aren't."
While serving, their faces are usually covered in photographs and Christian names or nicknames are all they're referred to by.
As far as I can tell, only two ex SAS members have written first-hand accounts of their time with the special forces, Terry O'Farrell's [b:Behind Enemy Lines: An Australian SAS Solider in Vietnam|542662|Behind Enemy Lines An Australian SAS Solider in Vietnam|Terry O'Farrell|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328699917s/542662.jpg|529987] covering the Vietnam conflict and Keith's books.
The first book he wrote [b:Warrior Brothers - My Life In the Australian SAS|4314936|Warrior Brothers - My Life In the Australian SAS|Keith Fennell|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1287962712s/4314936.jpg|4362722] tells of what happened on active duty mainly in Afghanistan. This later book backtracks, covering his training and also his transition back to civilian life after the other book "finishes".
Both aspects are well worth reading. I gather this book was submitted to the Regiment prior to publishing and got their stamp of approval.
Probably because it almost acts as a recruiting filter and will either inspire or deter others who may be interested in following his footsteps. They're pretty big footsteps, too. At 21, he was one of the youngest ever to be selected and performed above average in all the tests. From what he writes, this was because being fit and strong had been a large part of his life from early childhood. He also possesses a few other ingredients he sees as crucial: self-belief and determination to reach his goals.
Since leaving the service he's finally managed to find a place in civilian society by turning these strengths into new goals. He's done Arts and Creative Writing courses at Wollongong Uni which must have not only helped him write the books, but also formulate the motivational talks he gives to groups as diverse as the Auckland Warriors NRL team and corporate business.
He also encourages his children to do the best they can, is involved in his local surf club, preparing those who want to go to State Carnivals and just generally gets out there and tries to extend himself and everyone he comes across to make the most of their physical potential.
The book has been written in an easy to read style and is imparted in a sufficiently humble tone that you don't get the impression that it was Keith Fennell's army, but he was just one of many like him.
This humility alone would have made the book get the stamp of approval from the powers-that-be. They would have also been happy that he didn't attempt to expose faults in the system even though they are sure to exist.
Warrior Training is a positive look at a Regiment the author loved, still loves and feels deserves respect.
There were a few quotes that resonated:
One story resonated of some men quitting because they were given a seemingly impossible command to run back to base when they were all dead on their feet. The remaining ones who grudgingly obeyed to the best of their ability were picked up by transport less than half a kilometre down the road. In other words, 500 metres was the difference between those who made it through and those that didn't.
"No such word as can't." and "Giving up is not an option." All cliches, that helped the author survive and prevail, but they really apply to everyone.… (more)
I came across this book while conducting research for my current WIP "Truth Lies" which will feature an ex-SAS guy and a guy who claims to be.
There is apparently an unwritten rule in the Australian SAS not to write books about their exploits. In fact, some say they don't even tell anyone except their immediate family that they are a part of the elite unit, preferring to be vague about their roles. "If you say you're SAS, you probably aren't."
While serving, their faces are usually covered in photographs and Christian names or nicknames are all they're referred to by.
As far as I can tell, only two ex SAS members have written first-hand accounts of their time with the special forces, Terry O'Farrell's [b:Behind Enemy Lines: An Australian SAS Solider in Vietnam|542662|Behind Enemy Lines An Australian SAS Solider in Vietnam|Terry O'Farrell|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328699917s/542662.jpg|529987] covering the Vietnam conflict and Keith's books.
The first book he wrote [b:Warrior Brothers - My Life In the Australian SAS|4314936|Warrior Brothers - My Life In the Australian SAS|Keith Fennell|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1287962712s/4314936.jpg|4362722] tells of what happened on active duty mainly in Afghanistan. This later book backtracks, covering his training and also his transition back to civilian life after the other book "finishes".
Both aspects are well worth reading. I gather this book was submitted to the Regiment prior to publishing and got their stamp of approval.
Probably because it almost acts as a recruiting filter and will either inspire or deter others who may be interested in following his footsteps. They're pretty big footsteps, too. At 21, he was one of the youngest ever to be selected and performed above average in all the tests. From what he writes, this was because being fit and strong had been a large part of his life from early childhood. He also possesses a few other ingredients he sees as crucial: self-belief and determination to reach his goals.
Since leaving the service he's finally managed to find a place in civilian society by turning these strengths into new goals. He's done Arts and Creative Writing courses at Wollongong Uni which must have not only helped him write the books, but also formulate the motivational talks he gives to groups as diverse as the Auckland Warriors NRL team and corporate business.
He also encourages his children to do the best they can, is involved in his local surf club, preparing those who want to go to State Carnivals and just generally gets out there and tries to extend himself and everyone he comes across to make the most of their physical potential.
The book has been written in an easy to read style and is imparted in a sufficiently humble tone that you don't get the impression that it was Keith Fennell's army, but he was just one of many like him.
This humility alone would have made the book get the stamp of approval from the powers-that-be. They would have also been happy that he didn't attempt to expose faults in the system even though they are sure to exist.
Warrior Training is a positive look at a Regiment the author loved, still loves and feels deserves respect.
There were a few quotes that resonated:
I don't gauge my success by comparing myself to others. Those who do are often left bitter and fail to reach their potential. I compete with myself, because then the potential for growth is infinite; I am not bordered by those above and below.And another
My experiences, training and relationships have shaped my life, but the way I reflect on these things allows me to grow and progress with confidence. Not everything I attempt works out, but I give everything I attempt the same level of commitment."
Life is full of pessimists, people who say something can't be done. And even if they're right and you fail - so what? Those who embrace their dreams and come up short have not truly failed. Failure belongs to those who didn't have the courage to step over the starting line."This advice is doled out between harrowing tales of gruelling physical trials and almost inhumane treatment over 72 hours of simulated enemy interrogation.
One story resonated of some men quitting because they were given a seemingly impossible command to run back to base when they were all dead on their feet. The remaining ones who grudgingly obeyed to the best of their ability were picked up by transport less than half a kilometre down the road. In other words, 500 metres was the difference between those who made it through and those that didn't.
"No such word as can't." and "Giving up is not an option." All cliches, that helped the author survive and prevail, but they really apply to everyone.… (more)
This is former Australian SAS soldier Keith Fennell’s first book, but I read it second (after Warrior Training - the making of an Australian SAS Soldier – which told the story of how he made it into the Special Forces in the first place). I’m actually glad I read the other book first, as it went into what it takes for a man to get into the Regiment. Warrior Brothers delves far deeper into Fennell’s international operations.
As with any military Special Forces unit in the world, these guys aren’t just regular soldiers, and the insight we’re given into this secretive world is fascinating.
Fennell’s attitude to his work – and his mindset that separates him from civilians - is pretty well demonstrated in the way he talks about his marriage. With a wife who allowed him the freedom to go out there time and time again to do what he felt he needed to do (even after leaving the SAS), this is the way they had decided to deal with the situation if the worst happened to him:
'If I’m missing, then your nightmare is over and it’s time to move on. I assure you that there’s no possibility that you’ll be exposed to a video of me chained up in an Iraqi dungeon and begging for my life. I’ll make sure of it. My soul will be long departed from my body before you are even notified that something is wrong.’
What comes through most in this book is that while Fennell is something of a crazy person when it comes to training and to throwing himself voluntarily into the most dangerous situations in the world, he’s very much an average man in other ways. Some of the pranks the guys pull (and get away with, because nobody suspects such elite soldiers of mucking around the way they do) made them appear to be human even when the frightening descriptions of their lifestyle made them more than a little intimidating.
The author does an excellent job of giving readers a sense of how it would have been out there in Afghanistan and East Timor, managing to make the military jargon easy to read for less knowledgeable readers.
He’s such a ‘highly-motivated’, upbeat, positive guy that it’s sometimes difficult to believe he’s real. He’s so inspired by, and admiring of the men he fought alongside. It’s occasionally a bit over the top telling us how motivated he is and so full of praise for the other men, but I can forgive that.
This was a very interesting read.… (more)
As with any military Special Forces unit in the world, these guys aren’t just regular soldiers, and the insight we’re given into this secretive world is fascinating.
Fennell’s attitude to his work – and his mindset that separates him from civilians - is pretty well demonstrated in the way he talks about his marriage. With a wife who allowed him the freedom to go out there time and time again to do what he felt he needed to do (even after leaving the SAS), this is the way they had decided to deal with the situation if the worst happened to him:
'If I’m missing, then your nightmare is over and it’s time to move on. I assure you that there’s no possibility that you’ll be exposed to a video of me chained up in an Iraqi dungeon and begging for my life. I’ll make sure of it. My soul will be long departed from my body before you are even notified that something is wrong.’
What comes through most in this book is that while Fennell is something of a crazy person when it comes to training and to throwing himself voluntarily into the most dangerous situations in the world, he’s very much an average man in other ways. Some of the pranks the guys pull (and get away with, because nobody suspects such elite soldiers of mucking around the way they do) made them appear to be human even when the frightening descriptions of their lifestyle made them more than a little intimidating.
The author does an excellent job of giving readers a sense of how it would have been out there in Afghanistan and East Timor, managing to make the military jargon easy to read for less knowledgeable readers.
He’s such a ‘highly-motivated’, upbeat, positive guy that it’s sometimes difficult to believe he’s real. He’s so inspired by, and admiring of the men he fought alongside. It’s occasionally a bit over the top telling us how motivated he is and so full of praise for the other men, but I can forgive that.
This was a very interesting read.… (more)
Firstly: not my kind of read which is why only 2 stars from me. I also find, whilst the places are different, it's same kinda stuff happening & being shared again (repetitive).Some positive notes: a very upbeat paced book. When I read it, I can just imagine a typical Aussie bloke sharing his story at a barbie or at the pub with his mates. Very down to earth & humble writings which I suppose is a reflection of the kind of guy the author is. Amazing will & courage took him from a mechanic apprentice to be part of the most elite regiment in Australia.… (more)
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- ISBNs
- 5
“Warrior Brothers” is marketed as memoirs of a member of the Australian SAS Regiment, but it is so much more than that. It also covers the time after the author left the SAS and worked as a security consultant in Iraq and later in Indonesia after the tsunami. It’s not a boys-own tale of battle and gung-ho heroics. Before that quote, it related only two depictions of contact with opposing forces. East Timor and then Afghanistan.
These are the only instances where he describes his involvement in a fire-fight. So, any reader expecting blood-thirsty tales of close combat and heroics will be disappointed. Instead we learn that life for a soldier is really about being: “thirsty, hungry, fatigued and sexless.”
After the death of Joe, a colleague from his years in Afghanistan and Iraq, the author received an email from his closest mate, Kane.The book succeeds in giving a glimpse into this brotherhood. Not the ‘bro’ of the ghetto, but the ones who laugh at a joke, take the piss out of you, challenge you in the gym or a cross-country run and, more importantly, are there when you need them in battle or simply if shifting house.
Other books have been written about the SAS. But rarely from the viewpoint of an insider. There is almost an unwritten rule that you don’t advertise the fact that you are or were a member of the Regiment. Faces of serving members are obscured by masks or digital smudging. They are referred to by first names only.
He recounts a few SAS operations he wasn’t involved in, but this book only gives first-hand accounts of the above two (he doesn’t let on how many more cases of contact there were – if any).
His first deployment occurred when the Australian Government finally responded to a request from the recently declared independent East Timor for protection against the Indonesian backed militia who were trying to stir up trouble. Here, Keith describes how he came to kill another human being and captures the slow build up and confusion before the encounter that is the culmination of his years of training and, just as demanding, simulations. Afterwards he talks about what it felt like to take a life, contrasting it to the feelings he had after shooting rabbits and kangaroos as a youngster. Interestingly, he found that the latter unsettled him more. The man he killed was armed and trying to kill him. An important distinction. It still kept him awake at night for a long time afterwards.
The other encounter he describes in detail was in Afghanistan. Here, what he doesn’t say is just as interesting as what he relates. You have to read about the same incident in Ian McPhedran’s book [b:The Amazing SAS: The Inside Story of Australia's Special Forces|10552516|The Amazing SAS The Inside Story of Australia's Special Forces|Ian McPhedran|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349078447s/10552516.jpg|15459172] to get the full picture. Much to their frustration, the author’s six-man patrol was not actively involved in the actual fire-fight but one of his best mates belonged to a similarly sized patrol that was. Keith’s patrol’s main concern was dealing with prickly leaves constantly blowing into their observation post while, only a few kilometers away, the other patrol was surrounded by eighty men out to capture and/or kill them. The group had to hold them off, killing a few in the process and survive under fire for hours until a rapid response force came to their aid. It was possibly the aftermath of this which may have played a part in the author’s decision to leave the SAS. He doesn’t exactly state that (and I may be wrong) only sayingIan’s book gives more details of how one of the men snatched up a hat and rifle from an enemy corpse and was subsequently severely reprimanded. Instead of being hailed as heroes, all the men in the patrol bore the brunt of the top brass. Some left the SAS, some were kicked out and one later committed suicide (a fact that Ian’s book fails to mention). He, too, described it as an unfortunate byproduct of “the fog of war.”
No doubt, the way the incident was dealt with had a profound effect not only on those involved but other men in the Regiment. I’m sure other factors were involved in Keith's decision to leave something he so obviously loved, but the sheer omission of more detail suggests problems. It’s like a chapter was removed from the book.
What does get included is a statementIn the next chapter is the followingEverything in life occurs for a reason. Part of his SAS training involved six months intensive study to learn Bahasa, the national language spoken in Indonesia. As usual, the author went over and above the call of duty and became as fluent as he could be. This would prove invaluable when working in Aceh Banda. His ability to speak to the locals in their language allowed him to gain greater insights into their tragedy.
Other skills he learned will no doubt come into play as his life evolves post SAS. Apparently, he is finding transition difficult. But, he would not be alone in finding that. At one stage, he says that in covert operations, there are long segments of time when you have to be quiet and still and it is only the quality of your imagination that can make these interesting. He includes poems he has written as tributes to fallen comrades. Since leaving he has immersed himself in a creative writing degree at the University of Wollongong. This has given him the skills to tell the tale, just as surely as all the runs up the hill behind the Enoggera barracks with a fully laden pack on his back helped him get into the Regiment in the first place.
Hopefully, other soldiers who have been-there-done-that will benefit from this book and understand they are not alone in this alienation when they return to civilian life. Likewise the families and friends of these men may get a better insight into their moods and disconnectedness.
As for the wider community, no one would argue with the need for a defence force. At one stage the author makes the statement “Ineptitude kills.” If boarding illegal fishing boats with overwhelming force gives men in training real life simulations, then isn’t that better than sending untried, untested youngsters into the battlefields as they did in World War 1, 11 and Vietnam? Ignorance is not bliss, it’s bloody dangerous.
All through the book, you get the picture of the might of the US army. The trucks carrying not one but multiple tanks rolling along the highways of Iraq. The gunships appearing over the horizon and scattering an oncoming thousand-strong force just by their reputation alone.
If training covert elite forces who can ultimately save lives by ensuring subsequent battles are as efficient as possible, isn’t that a good thing? Sending small units into hostile territory seems foolhardy, but a small undetected force, relying on stealth and discipline can prove invaluable in getting to know an enemy’s strength and weaknesses.
At least by getting up close and personal they are reminded that their enemy are people first and foremost and not just statistics or targets in a drone’s scope.
In his reminisces about providing security for a private organization providing new fresh water in Aceh Banda after the catastrophic tsunami, you can see that witnessing death and destruction on that scale makes it difficult to cope with the petty complaints most people have.
The trouble is that once you’re SAS, you’re never “most people.” The tales the author recounts are probably just a small sample of his encounters and were closely vetted by the powers-that-be, but they still give a wonderfully moving picture of the life of an elite soldier. Its ups and downs. But more than anything there remains that image of a band-of-brothers. People who will put their life on hold for one another in peacetime and while on active duty.
I’d strongly recommend this book to anyone and, if you enjoy it, read the accompanying book on his training and more of his transition back into a “normal” life with a side-salad of a trip on anti-pirate patrol in the seas off Yemen. It is not a me-as-the-hero tale but a tribute to the lives of those he’s served with, especially those who died before their time.… (more)