On Her Majesty's Service - Tapa dura

Meet Ron Evans. He's a normal, laconic guy in his late-fifties, with an incredible and revealing story to tell. Ron spent fifteen years as a member of the 'A Squad', the Protection Officers of the Metropolitan Police Special Branch. In his thirty-year career Ron has been flying by the seat of his pants. Equipped with what he describes as a 'Boy Scout's training' by SO19, he was quickly sent onto the streets and into the firing line with a licence to kill. Charged with the personal protection of some of the world's highest-profile figures - politicians, businessmen, the cultural elite - expecting to 'take a bullet' day after day, armed with a shoot-to-kill policy and instinctive bravery, this exceptional man walked a deadly path throughout his career. He still does, as an international protection officer.Many spies and politicians have told their stories before, but Ron is the first Protection Officer ever to break ranks. In his own intimate and frank words, Ron reveals the thrills, spills and despairs of his most high-profile assignments - two years spent guarding the controversial author Salman Rushdie during the 'Satanic Verses' fatwa; alone with Clare Short deep in Bin Laden territory in Pakistan, armed with only a Glock pistol and eighteen rounds of ammunition, just weeks after 9/11; and, with the beautiful American Queen Noor of Jordan at the height of the Middle Eastern troubles.Yet, the story goes even deeper. He speaks in detail about very close political and operational secrets affecting the highest corridors of power - his years with Margaret Thatcher, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela and various Cabinet Ministers. Ron also exposes the massive problems within the police service and the 'old boy' network where nepotism rules over ability and experience. From Downing Street to the White House and the perils of Afghanistan - all the while poorly armed and trained - Ron takes us on a terrifying ride with an outfit always charged with the most dangerous assignments. It's an intense, intriguing and disturbing look into what has until now been...a very secret service.

RON EVANS was a police officer for 28 years, working on the beat in London before transferring into Special Branch providing armed protection for senior Government ministers and visiting world leaders. He is now employed by a private security company as a close protection officer and has worked in Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka. DOUGLAS THOMPSON is the best-selling author of more than twenty books. A biographer, broadcaster and international journalist he is a regular contributor to major newspapers and magazines worldwide. His latest success, The Hustlers, is being developed as a major motion picture. He divides his time between Los Angeles and London. www.dougiethompson.com