'Contact! Contact!' It was any commander's worst nightmare: a man down and stuck in the middle of a firefight.

Colonel Stuart Tootal was in charge of 3 PARA in Afghanistan. 3 PARA was the first unit into Helmand in 2006. Sent on a peace mission, he became engaged in a level of combat that has not been experienced by the British Army since the end of the Korean War.

The risks were high. He had to make tough calls everyday. Isolated and undermanned, 3 PARA were up against it. Numerous gallantry decorations were awarded, but they were not without cost. On returning from Afghanistan, Tootal fought to get proper treatment for his wounded and feeling frustrated with the Government`s treatment of its soldiers, he resigned from the Army.

This is their story, from the man who led them. This is a dramatic and often moving insight into the leadership of soldiers at the sharp end of war. From strategic planning to heavy combat on the ground, Danger Close is a gritty portrayal of an unforgiving conflict. It captures the essence of combat, the risks involved, and the aftermath.

Praise for Danger Close:

'The first senior commander to provide an account of the fighting, Tootal's book is refreshingly free of the gung-ho machismo and sentimentality that afflicts other lesser entries of the genre' — The Sunday Tribune

'Tootal offers the perspective of a man in charge … he tells the story well … passionate admiration for his men is matched by disdain for others' — Sunday Times

Lume Books

Published books

Published audiobooks