Only a Soldier Knows

Ray Lane's career began when he was tasked with defusing IRA bombs on the border at the height of The Troubles. He transferred this expertise to Lebanon and later worked as a diplomat in Bosnia during the civil war, witnessing horrific acts committed by people against their own neighbors. The horrors of that war left a deep, permanent mark on him and he would later go on testify in war crimes trials about what he saw. Many years later, when the NATO forces in Afghanistan were facing a daily onslaught of Taliban bombs, it was Ray they sent for, as his experience from Ireland gave him an insight unlike anyone else's. In this gripping memoir, Ray speaks about his incredible career as a soldier and what it takes to be the person who, instead of running away, walks towards a 1,000kg bomb.