Chris Hunter (author)
Encyclopedia
Major Chris Hunter QGM
joined the British Army
in 1989 as a sixteen year-old army apprentice. He trained initially as a Russian linguist working in defence intelligence and after four years of enlisted service was selected to undergo officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
. He graduated at twenty-one, was awarded the Carmen Sword of Honour and was commissioned into the Royal Logistic Corps
(RLC)–the route that would eventually lead to his becoming an Ammunition Technical Officer
(the British Army’s counter-terrorist bomb disposal operators).
He served as a troop commander on operations in the Balkans
, East Africa
and Northern Ireland
and undertook arctic warfare
training in Norway
, before becoming an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) operator. As an operator he deployed on two high-threat tours in Northern Ireland and one in Iraq
, undertook EOD protection duties for the Royal Family
and assisted in the planning and conduct of numerous police arrest operations involving the threat of explosive devices. He was also the designated technical Operations Officer for the national contingency response to the terrorist use of a weapon of mass destruction in the UK. He was later involved with a number of specialist counter terrorism units and saw active service in Afghanistan
, Colombia
and Iraq as well as on counter-terrorism operations in the UK.
For his actions in Iraq he was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal
. He retired from the MoD in January 2007 as the MoD’s senior IED intelligence analyst and has since become a writer, broadcaster and the director of a counter-IED consultancy company. Chris is also a Fellow of the Institute of Explosives Engineers, a Member of the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators and a regular contributor to television and radio news and current affairs programmes. He is also a supporter of the charity BLESMA
for which he trained to run a marathon while wearing a complete bomb disposal suit, completing it in 6hrs 56mins - setting a new world record.
Queen's Gallantry Medal
The Queen's Gallantry Medal is the third level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.It was instituted on 20 June 1974 to replace the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry, the British Empire Medal for Gallantry, and the Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry...
joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in 1989 as a sixteen year-old army apprentice. He trained initially as a Russian linguist working in defence intelligence and after four years of enlisted service was selected to undergo officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
. He graduated at twenty-one, was awarded the Carmen Sword of Honour and was commissioned into the Royal Logistic Corps
Royal Logistic Corps
The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength...
(RLC)–the route that would eventually lead to his becoming an Ammunition Technical Officer
Ammunition Technical Officer
An Ammunition Technical Officer is an officer involved in all aspects of the army's use of ammunition. This includes; bomb disposal, explosives accident investigation, procurement, in service management, storage, and inspection and repair....
(the British Army’s counter-terrorist bomb disposal operators).
He served as a troop commander on operations in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and undertook arctic warfare
Arctic warfare
Arctic warfare or winter warfare is a term used to describe armed conflict that takes place in an exceptionally cold weather, usually in snowy and icy terrain, sometimes on ice-covered bodies of water...
training in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, before becoming an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) operator. As an operator he deployed on two high-threat tours in Northern Ireland and one in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, undertook EOD protection duties for the Royal Family
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
and assisted in the planning and conduct of numerous police arrest operations involving the threat of explosive devices. He was also the designated technical Operations Officer for the national contingency response to the terrorist use of a weapon of mass destruction in the UK. He was later involved with a number of specialist counter terrorism units and saw active service in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and Iraq as well as on counter-terrorism operations in the UK.
For his actions in Iraq he was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal
Queen's Gallantry Medal
The Queen's Gallantry Medal is the third level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.It was instituted on 20 June 1974 to replace the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry, the British Empire Medal for Gallantry, and the Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry...
. He retired from the MoD in January 2007 as the MoD’s senior IED intelligence analyst and has since become a writer, broadcaster and the director of a counter-IED consultancy company. Chris is also a Fellow of the Institute of Explosives Engineers, a Member of the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators and a regular contributor to television and radio news and current affairs programmes. He is also a supporter of the charity BLESMA
BLESMA
BLESMA, full title British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association, is a charity for disabled Ex-Service Men and Women, their dependents and widows...
for which he trained to run a marathon while wearing a complete bomb disposal suit, completing it in 6hrs 56mins - setting a new world record.