Six Days in Knightsbridge – the SAS and the Iranian Embassy Siege

Just over four decades ago, the British Army's elite Special Air Service carried out one of the most daring and dramatic raids in history. In broad daylight and in front of the world's media, some thirty SAS men stormed into the Iranian Embassy in Knightsbridge in London, and rescued nineteen hostages who had been held by terrorists for six days.

Anybody who was alive in May 1980 will never forget the moment when the world, and the broadcast of the World Snooker Championship, stopped to watch the black hooded figures of the SAS storm into the genteel white stucco building – and lay it waste.

At the end of the eleven-minute raid, five terrorists were dead and one was held captive. The raid had been an unqualified success, and sensationally revealed the brutal efficiency and prowess of the unit that is rightly regarded as the most elite of all special forces.

Among those on the raid was a young lance corporal called Rusty Firmin. Rusty would play a key role, as he would kill the terrorists' second-in-command, a man known as Faisal.

Now, 41 years later, Rusty will be telling the full story of Operation Nimrod and his own involvement.

In an event originally planned to be held live to mark the raid's 40th anniversary, Rusty – along with some very special guests – will be talking to Guy Walters over two evenings, explaining the background to the operation, and giving a full bullet-by-bullet reconstruction of those fateful minutes.

This promises to be a very special event indeed, as those attending will not only be able to watch one of the most iconic figures in British military history telling his story, but will also be able to interact and to ask questions. There will also be plenty of slides and maps, and Rusty for the first time will even be showing some of the types of weapons that were used on the raid, including an MP5 A3 submachine gun and a Browning Hi-Power semi-automatic pistol.

There can be no better man to tell this story than the man who was there – even if he did forget his gloves.

Times: Tuesday 4 May and Wednesday 5 May 2021, 1815 to 1930 (UK time)

Got a question? guy@guywalters.com

Worried about missing one or both talks? Don't! Everything is recorded!

A proportion of the proceeds of the event shall be donated toThe Victoria Cross Trust.