Death of a Hero: Captain Robert Nairac, GC and the Undercover War in Northern Ireland Book

Of all the deaths in Northern Ireland's troubled history, few have aroused more controversy than that of British Army Captain Robert Nairac. In 1977, he was abducted outside a South Armagh pub, driven over the border to the Irish Republic, then interrogated and executed by the IRA. But what was he doing alone in a notorious Republican stronghold? Was he linked with an SAS shoot-to-kill policy? Was he betrayed? Crucially, where's his body? Parker, a veteran Fleet Street journalist, has a string of investigative works to his bow including the bestselling Inside Story of the Special Boat Service, and seems well qualified to examine the mystery of Nairac's undercover operations. Drawing on new first-hand evidence from senior Army and SAS sources, he pieces together Nairac's final days in a fresh, compelling narrative, dispelling many of the conspiracy theories that have fermented over the past 20 years. Parker's account, however, cannot be considered conclusive for much of the evidence he puts forward is contradictory. But what does come over very well and surprisingly is the man himself--a Catholic golden boy, Oxford educated, recruited by military intelligence--"A romantic and a bit of a Loner" who loved the country he spied on, who passionately believed he could help heal the sectarian divide and bring peace. Included are eight pages of photos, many of them grainy, but this only adds resonance to the story--family and school snapshots of a remarkable man who lived and died in a remarkable way. --Jim RickardsRead More