Hostage Survivor Reflects On Operation Barras

When the militia group known as the “West Side Boys” held former Royal Irish Regiment soldier Ian Getty captive in the African jungles of Sierra Leone, he didn’t know if he’d make it through the night. Twenty-five years later, Ian visited the site where he was held hostage.

Ian details the terrifying seventeen days in captivity and the moment the Special Air Service (SAS) came to his rescue. He reflects on the torture he and his team endured, how he found strength in the aftermath, and why returning to the site of his capture was important for him.