Overview

An astonishing first book, ‘Apache’ is a story of courage, comradeship, technology and tragedy, during the ongoing war in Afghanistan. ‘Apache’ is the first book to come from the cockpit of the most sophisticated fighting helicopter the world has ever known. Designed in the mid 1980s to take on the Soviets, these machines have proven themselves as the perfect tool for combat in Afghanistan – the Apache is the helicopter Prince Harry pilots as a captain of the Army Air Corps. Ed Macy's account of the incredibly hard Apache selection process, tougher than that of the SAS, combined with his description of the sheer difficulty of flying one of these helicopters, provides a fascinating insight into the relationship between man and machine fighting in the toughest conditions imaginable. The climactic build-up to the rescue mission at Jugroom Fort is both dramatic and deeply moving. The rescue of Lance Corporal Mathew Ford has been hailed as one of the most remarkable and daring rescues of modern wartime and Ed's bravery on the ground at Jugroom Fort led to him being awarded the Military Cross – one of the first in the Army Air Corps' history. Taking the reader right to the heart of the war in Afghanistan, ‘Apache’ offers an unprecedented degree of proximity to the action and horror that troops in the region are faced with on a daily basis. Gripping from the first page to the last, it is utterly compelling and impossible to put down.

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9780007288175

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Reviews

`Puts you right in the cockpit with your finger on the trigger. A truly awesome read; and a climax that Hollywood couldn't invent.' Andy McNab `Books like this remind you that soldiers truly are a breed apart.' Guardian 'An honest account of exceptional bravery.' Ross Kemp 'Macy is the real deal. Nobody could write that powerfully about combat, or emotionally about the men fighting with him, unless he has been at the gunship's controls. A fantastic, totally exhilarating rollercoaster read.' Sergeant Major Dan Mills, author of bestseller `Sniper One' ` Apache is at its heart a ground-busting infantry tale told from an entirely new perspective. By the time these gutsy Uglies land in an occupied Taliban fort to join the ground fight, there is no doubt that attack helicopter pilots are flying grunts. What happens next is extraordinary.' Owen West, author of `Sharkman Six'

An above-average macho war memoir, full of high-tech gadgetry and deadly fireworks.During a 2006 invasion of the chaotic Afghan province of Helmand by 3,300 British troops, the objective of which was to subdue the resurgent Taliban, Macy piloted a Westland Apache AH Mk1 attack helicopter, a vastly improved British version of the original American design. Complicated and wildly expensive - it costs nearly $30,000 an hour to operate - its advanced electronics enable the pilot to hover out of rifle range and deliver devastating cannon fire and rockets with pinpoint accuracy. Military buffs will appreciate the nuts-and-bolts technical details provided by the author as he relates his unit's triumphs, frustrations and off-duty hijinks during an exhausting four-month tour that included a dramatic rescue under fire, an event that made headlines in Britain and earned Macy a medal. The author describes many close calls but no casualties among the Apache warriors as they inflicted spectacular damage on Taliban forces. The book ends as it began with the British under siege at a handful of bases, the enemy in control everywhere else and long-suffering Afghan civilians caught in the middle. Like Dan Mills accomplished in his recent battle memoir (Sniper One, 2008), Macy thankfully avoids the urge to heavy-handedly proclaim the righteousness of the cause, his love of freedom, his sympathy with oppressed civilians and his hatred for terrorists.An entertaining account of fierce combat and adolescent military horseplay. (Kirkus Reviews)

'Puts you right in the cockpit with your finger on the trigger. A truly awesome read; and a climax that Hollywood couldn't invent.' Andy McNab 'Books like this remind you that soldiers truly are a breed apart.' Guardian 'An honest account of exceptional bravery.' Ross Kemp 'Macy is the real deal. Nobody could write that powerfully about combat, or emotionally about the men fighting with him, unless he has been at the gunship's controls. A fantastic, totally exhilarating rollercoaster read.' Sergeant Major Dan Mills, author of bestseller 'Sniper One' ' Apache is at its heart a ground-busting infantry tale told from an entirely new perspective. By the time these gutsy Uglies land in an occupied Taliban fort to join the ground fight, there is no doubt that attack helicopter pilots are flying grunts. What happens next is extraordinary.' Owen West, author of 'Sharkman Six'

'Puts you right in the cockpit with your finger on the trigger. A truly awesome read; and a climax that Hollywood couldn't invent!' Andy McNab 'Books like this remind you that soldiers truly are a breed apart.' Guardian 'Macy is the real deal. Nobody could write that powerfully about combat, or emotionally about the men fighting with him, unless he has been at the gunship's controls. A fantastic, totally exhilarating rollercoaster read. Forget his Hellfire missiles, the book itself is enough to blow you away.' Sergeant Major Dan Mills, author of number one bestseller 'Sniper One' 'An honest account of exceptional bravery.' Ross Kemp

'Puts you right in the cockpit with your finger on the trigger. A truly awesome read; and a climax that Hollywood couldn't invent.' Andy McNab 'Books like this remind you that soldiers truly are a breed apart.' Guardian 'An honest account of exceptional bravery.' Ross Kemp 'Macy is the real deal. Nobody could write that powerfully about combat, or emotionally about the men fighting with him, unless he has been at the gunship's controls. A fantastic, totally exhilarating rollercoaster read.' Sergeant Major Dan Mills, author of bestseller 'Sniper One' 'Macy!does for the Apache helicopter's gunships what Dan Mills did for the infantry in Sniper One . He puts readers in the cockpit of an aircraft that requires great skill and attention to keep in the air.' Publishers Weekly ' Apache is at its heart a ground-busting infantry tale told from an entirely new perspective. By the time these gutsy Uglies land in an occupied Taliban fort to join the ground fight, there is no doubt that attack helicopter pilots are flying grunts. What happens next is extraordinary.' Owen West, author of 'Sharkman Six' 'A truly amazing portrayal of the technical, the emotional, and the courageous. Macy puts the reader in the cockpit of our most lethal attack platform.' Dick Couch, author of 'The Sheriff of Ramadi' and 'Chosen Soldier'

Author Information

Ed Macy left the British Army in January 2008, after twenty-three years’ service. He had amassed a total of 3,930 helicopter flying hours, 645 of them inside an Apache. Ed was awarded the Military Cross for his courage during the Jugroom Fort rescue in Helmand Province, Afghanistan – one of the first ever in Army Air Corps’ history. ‘Apache’ is his first book. He hopes it won’t be his last.

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