Baptism of fire

By Frank Collins

Book Overview

From a life of gang-led petty crime to a key role in the mission that brought the SAS to the attention of the world - the Iranian Embassy Siege - Frank Collins had always been at the centre of the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0552145823
• ISBN13: 9780552145824
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Corgi
• Length: 478 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Engaging Story

Despite sad beginnings in his life, Frank Collins was a man who gave challenges that came his way his all, because he had found out through life experience that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. With this attitude and determination he made it into the elite British SAS. What he had lacked in a human father he ended up finding in a Heavenly Father. Once a high-ranking soldier in the SAS, he soon found his niche as a Chaplain for the Regiment - and a respected one at that too - due to his background qualifications!! Although Frank seemed to have it all together in some way, he clearly was struggling with his life in another. Sadly, he took his own life. In this sense it is a tragic story, for a life cut short is never a happy one. However, this life-story is a wonderful one to read and reflect on nevertheless. It is honest and forthcoming. It shows a man who seeks to live wholeheartedly for what he believes in. It does demonstrate how fragile human life can be; and that despite being a Christian - a believer in the God of Hope - sometimes life is too hard to take. Yes, sometimes Christians like Frank Collins do choose to take their own lives. And God, who understands and knows all, continues to love them.

An inspirational story

At first glance, this is very similar to the run of SAS memoirs. The struggles with passing the rigorous selection course, early training and the missions. Frank Collins, like most of the other authors, left the SAS as a sergeant, on the way having been the youngest member of the team that stormed the Iranian Embassy at Princes Gate. Most of the SAS books though finish when their authors leave. In a way this is where Frank Collins' starts as he finds religion in the SAS and leaves to become a priest. Becoming born again seems to be relatively common in the US armed forces but is much less so in the UK. He eventually ends up as SAS regimental chaplain.