MovieChat Forums > Bravo Two Zero (1999) Discussion > Names Of Patrol Members

Names Of Patrol Members

posted 19 years ago by breeze9-1
25 replies | jump to latest

From various sources we know the real names of the following members of the Bravo Two Zero patrol-

Trooper Mike Coburn (Mark in B20 & TOTGA)
Mal (Stan in B20 & TOTGA)
Trooper Robert Consiglio (Tony in the film)
Trooper Steven Lane (Baz in the fim)
Sergeant Vincent David Phillips (Ray in the film)
Corporal Chris Ryan

However, so far we have no information at all on the Lance Corporal who is nicknamed Dinger.
We also do not know the rank or surname of Mal.
Does anyone know or could guess the details of these two?

Perhaps we could also share a few theories as to what Andy McNabs real name is.

[–] ianrthompson 19 years ago

Andy McNab - Steven Mitchell: Asher's book tells us his first name. A colleague I work with was ex RGJ has met him when McNab returned to the regiment to give a talk.

Dinger - Surname likely to be Bell. Semi confirmed by an ex TA colleague who was on the same Senior Brecon Sergeant's course as him. Might be fibbing though.

Chris Ryan - possibly first name Harry or George as per pg 227 Immediate Action. Harry and George recover the body of Joe Ferragher. In OTGA by Ryan, he states that he helped rescue him. However, mentions being helped by Ian. So, none the wiser there. However, nickname of Geordie for Ryan. Geordie George maybe, or is McNab using George cos it is similar to Geordie?

[–] bflah91989 19 years ago

I think I read somehwere that Stan was Mal McGown.

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[–] Soul_Stealer_2001 19 years ago

why bother?

They don't give their real names out so they can live the rest of their lives out in peace, at least give them that.

Germans are a cruel race, their operas last 5 hours and they have no words for fluffy - Blackadder

[–] bflah91989 19 years ago

He came out with his name. McNab named him Stan. I don't think Andy's name is really Stephen. It goes against what he says in his fiction books. I think it's Remote Control that says If you come up with a codename keep yopur first and change you last name. That way if someone yells hey Andy. That's the name you know as yours so you react. You might not react if someone yells "Hey Stephen" but your name was Andy.

Now, I don't care if I ever learn Andy's name but if a man decides that he doens't mind the public to know hisname then you have a right to know it. Mal (Stan) came out with his name, along with Mark so we know their names.

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Your leading source for Steve Alten news.

[–] Soul_Stealer_2001 19 years ago

actually in remote control he said that you keep the first letter of your surname.

So the character was called "Nick Stone", but he changed it to "Nick Snell" or another one which i can't remember.

Germans are a cruel race, their operas last 5 hours and they have no words for fluffy - Blackadder

[–] ianrthompson 19 years ago

Well, in Asher's book he states that the taxi driver claimed the leader's name was Steve. Now we know Legs was called Steve too. However, the argument as to why Stephen couldn't be his real name because Andy was his psuedonym is lacking a bit in credibility. I have heard from 3 seperate sources that his name was Stephen, two of those sources (who have never met each other but were both RGJ) have given his surname as Mitchell.

[–] garethgazz 19 years ago

I wouldn't go by what some taxi driver who is supposedly the one who's cab they nicked, supposedly said to Asher. That's as loose as anything else. Especially when you take into account the rest of what Asher says.

Not only could it be a totally different person, but that was probably one of the most traumatic nights of the guys life, so even if it was him, his memory, added to the language barrier, plus the commotion and the speed that things were going at the time and the fear, plus it was night, well i don't need to go on.

I have no idea what the guys name is, but speculating on Ashers book and some fiction story that McNab wrote aren't reliable ways of determining it at all.

"Arabs never lie"... what a joke.

[–] breeze9-1 19 years ago

I don't suppose Mal still has his dentists shop in Hereford does he?

Can't remember which book his shop is mentioned in.

[–] Resin_18 18 years ago

"actually in remote control he said that you keep the first letter of your surname.

So the character was called "Nick Stone", but he changed it to "Nick Snell" or another one which i can't remember."

If that is true, then why does he go by the cover name Nick Collins in one of the later books ? The main point was that you keep your first name so you can react when someone shouts your name, as previously stated...

[–] mixalot87 18 years ago

There is something called OPSEC (operational security) that is taken very seriously by the military here in the states. I doubt that it is taken any less lightly in the UK (especially in the cae of their Special Operations community). There is a reason that their names weren't used, just be happy with that.

[–] lloydrb-1 18 years ago

In Soldier Five there is a photo of the escape map signed by the members of the patrol.In the bottom Right-hand corner the first names of the patrol are written.Only seven are actually shown(probably due to cropping)it lists them as:

Steve (Most likely "McNab")
KIA- Vince
Colin (my guess is this is "Ryan")
KIA- Bob
Mal
Mike
KIA-Steve

It's probably safe to assume that it is Dinger's name that is missing.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] garethgazz 18 years ago

That was also signed by other people involved but not actually on the mission, so it really doesn't help. We know for sure only:

Vince (cant remember his 2nd name but its openly available)
Bob Consiglio
Steve 'Legs' Lane
Mike Coburn (Author of soldier 5)
and i dunno if Chris Ryan is his real name or not..

I've read a lot of different names for McNabb, we'll just never know unless he tells us, speculation is pointless.

"Kevlar is for pussies"

[–] lloydrb-1 18 years ago

Actually,this is writing in what i presume is Mike Coburns and it is laid out like this...

"No Greater Love Hath Man Than
This,That He Should Lay Down His
Life For A Friend..."
B20 Steve
KIA- Vince
Colin

KIA- Bob
Mal
Mike
KIA- Steve

It sits at the bottom right-hand corner of the map with signatures surrounding the rest of it.

[–] garethgazz 18 years ago

What copy of Soldier 5 do you have? Mine doesn't have any photo's. :-( Grrr

"Kevlar is for pussies"

[–] lloydrb-1 18 years ago

NZ publication, Mission Vista, 2004

[–] GraniteQuarry 18 years ago

My tuppence worth -

Andy McNab - an alias, Steve XXXXX (according to Michael Asher) - i've never seen a pic or footage of him that was not censored, although i believe he does book signings when the novels come out. Plus i think he was seen in the hostage videos at the time of the war.

Mike Coburn is an alias isn't it? - seen in a NZ news report and in the UK Sunday Times.

Stan - i've seen him since on some show about anti-hijack vehicle driving, gave his name but can't remember, pretty sure it was Mal XXXXX.

Dinger - the only one to remain anonomous, but he can be seen with Stan/Mal in a TV documentary about the Gulf War.

Chris Ryan - another alias! You can see him in his books and in the first series of 'Ultimate Force'.

The 3 members who were lost in the mission were Bob Consiglio, Steve 'Legs' Lane and Vince Phillips.

Fascinating stuff, seriously brave men.

[–] crimson-storm 18 years ago

I'm guessing out of the 5 the survived the operation, Dinger is the only one still in service?Or maybe not due to unrecoverable injuries?
What about the others?Anybody got info on what they do now?

[–] dpd71 17 years ago

I hate to ruin some people's wonderful conspiracies, but the earlier poster was perfectly correct, McNabs name is Steven/Stephen (I cannot remember how it is spelt and cannot be bothered to look it up which can be fairly easily done) Mitchell.

You SAS fans have to realise that these people are not bred in test tubes in some lab somewhere. They join and serve in the forces, have friends, neighbours, go on courses, have visitors etc etc and are no where near as secret as you think.

McNab was happy to name others in his patrol, and so rather lost any sympathy his 'IRA are out to get me line might get'. I ma sure the families of the dead might have wanted the same anonymity.

[–] ApocalypticMight 16 years ago

Just out of Interest, Who really need's/wants to know, If McNab want's to keep his Real Name a Secret, then that's ok with me. same with Chris Ryan, it's really none of my business what name they put on their drivers License. and Who ever said that by naming the rest of his patrol he "Lost Sympathy" for the his "The IRA might get me" line, 1) who Says that he gave the REAL names. i mean come on, if you're gonna call into question everything else (like there are about 10 topics doing) then that ones probably one of the first to drop. and 2)Does anyone here actually expect me to believe that you think that because he gave the names of some other people and might have put them in danger, he should be thrown out there with them, especially considering that we KNOW that he'd be in danger of retribution from the IRA at least.

[–] aaroncolodin 15 years ago

McNabb only gave the real names of the 3 who were killed, likely believing he was honoring them by doing it. A similair thing was done in Black Hawk Down(the movie not the book, which used the real names) with Delta Operators Dan Busch, Gary Gordon, and Randy Shugart(Gordon and Shugart were the first US soldiers to be awarded the Medal of Honor since Vietnam)having there real names used and the other named Delta being under fake names to protect them as they were still serving at the time the film was made(Sanderson and Hoot were based on at least two soldiers each).

[–] Wanstar 14 years ago

The names of those who died on the mission would have been published anyway.

I did find out McNabs name a little while ago, it's quiet easy to do as he always boasts about his MM and DCM. When you recieve those honours, the information is again published. Especially the MM, as it was awarded to him before he joined the SAS, so there was no need to keep it a secret.

I'll re-research it and see what I can find......watch this space...ohhhhh

"NEWSFLASH!! You Guys can't drink then come to work, You'r not Airline pilots!!" - Dr Cox

[–] Wanstar 14 years ago

Hmmmm, not sure what to believe now. I found this information:

"Andy McNab's real name is Steven Billy Mitchell. Despite some claims that it is a criminal offence to reveal an ex-SAS member's name, the source of this information is a British Government publication, 'The London Gazette'. This source is not only provided by the British Government themselves, but is freely available to anyone.

McNab has always used the initials 'DCM' as part of his title when authoring books. 'DCM' refers to the 'Distinguished Conduct Medal' McNab won during Operation Granby, Gulf War, 1991. Only 6 DCMs were awarded in this operation; the names of each recipient publically appearing in the London Gazette. Only one of the recipicients, Steven Billy Mitchell was a former Green Jacket as McNab was.

McNab also claimed to be the British Army's most highly decorated soldier when he retired in 1993, holding both the DCM (mentioned above) and the Military Medal. A cross check of the London Gazette shows that only one soldier held both these medals in 1993. This soldier was Steven Billy Mitchell. Details of Mitchell's MM also reveal that it was won in Northern Ireland in 1979, as McNab's was."

BUT, when i looked in to who had been awarded the DCM in 1991, it read as follows:

"Sergeant Steven Billy Mitchell, Royal Green Jackets. Awarded 20 November 1991, gazetted in 1998."

I would have thought he was in the SAS by this time, not the Royal Green Jackets...

It also states that:

"3 unidentified soldiers, Special Air Service. Awarded 29 June 1991." were awarded the DCM. These could have been for those who didn't make it back...

Oh well.... I'm confused again, that's what you got for using WIKIPEDIA for research purposes.

I guess I'm going to have to hunt him down and punch the information I want out of him. The big softie... lol.

"NEWSFLASH!! You Guys can't drink then come to work, You'r not Airline pilots!!" - Dr Cox

[–] aaroncolodin 14 years ago

When the UK military publishes who wins what medals and they are members of the SAS or SBS they use their parent(previous non Special) regiment.

[–] justxme 14 years ago

Englih Wikipedia says Chris Ryan's real name is Colin Armstrong.