Robin Horsfall - UK after-dinner speaker

Robin Horsfall - After-dinner and motivational speaker

Robin Horsfall - entertaining after-dinner speaker

Rob Horsfall shot and killed the terrorist commander inside the Iranian Embassy when the SAS stormed the building. He served with the SAS during the Falklands war and on subsequent counter-terrorist operations.

He tells his personal odyssey from boy-soldier to paratrooper with insight and wisdom. His enemies were not just terrorists: he fought the institutionalized brutality of the Parachute Regiment - and his own inner demons.

He learned the difference between physical and moral courage; between those who expect you to be ready to die for them, and those who actually want you to get killed so they can win a medal.

Robin reveals some painful truths, not least the ordinary SAS men's view of General de la Billiere and his orders for a kamikaze mission to Argentina.

Bibliography
Robin Horsfall joined the British Army as a boy soldier at the age of fifteen with no qualifications. Coming from a broken home, he attached himself to the army as a son would to a loving father. Alone and without friends, he had to learn to stand up for himself.

By the age of 17 he had learned to teach and lead soldiers in combat and joined the Parachute Regiment. Because of his low self-esteem he pushed himself harder than the average soldier, always feeling the need to prove himself to be as good as the next man.

He served three tours of duty in Northern Ireland in the early 1970’s during which he was shot in the leg, took part in the suppression of street riots and on one memorable occasion inadvertently discovered himself laying on a bomb,

Whilst serving with the Para's he learned the benefits of teamwork and loyalty to eventual success on operations, A successful unit was only as strong as the weakest link but the link changes according to circumstances. Today's strongest can be tomorrows weakest!

In spite of a great deal of negative advice he volunteered to join the SAS at the exceptionally young age of 21.
He failed to get in at the first attempt but recognising the weakness in himself he returned four months later to become one of only six men out of 65 to make the grade in January 1979. The regiment selected individuals who could work alone under great duress. He learned to take responsibility for others and to work alone as an instructor and as a paramedic.

He served six years with "The Regiment" and saw action at the Iranian Embassy Siege in London in 1980 where he shot one of the terrorists during the now famous rescue operation. In 1982 he was part of a team selected for a suicide mission into mainland Argentina to destroy the Argentine Air Force' Super Entendard Jets. The operation was cancelled after five delayed attempts.

Married and with a growing family he left the army in 1984 age 27 and became a bodyguard to the Al Fayed family in London for his first year and then moved on the become a 'Contract Soldier' in Sri Lanka. In only a few months he witnessed mass murder, torture and media control, returning home with a desire to fight for the other side.

In 1988 Robin became the bodyguard of Rafic Harriri, the current Prime Minister of Lebanon. This was the period of Harriri's rise to power. With the continuing war in Lebanon his client was at great risk.

In 1989 fought in Mozambique carrying the rank of Major. He led men on several successful operations before finally returning home to his family.

In 1990 worked as the medical officer for a Gold mine in Guyana. He built the medical facility from leftover material and trained the staff. In only four months he completed his task saving several lives along the way.

From the age of 23 Robin had been studying Martial Arts. In Karate he found and ever increasing demand to develop his integrity and character. In 1991 he began to teach a small class of children in Chiswick, London.
Here as a teacher he found an opportunity to use his experiences to prepare young people for life. Where a youngster was over-aggressive or shy and insecure he saw himself and knew that the self-discipline provided by his training system would help many to become calmer, kinder, more secure adults. Robin now has over 600 students at his Kyo-Rei Shukokai Karate club.

Robin is an entertaining speaker and an accomplished motivator. He has made many TV appearances in 2002 and 2003 (including Richard & Judy 2002; guest of David Dimbleby in Feb 2003, appearing with Michael Portillo in a Gulf War Special; 2003 Horizon documentary on the Moscow Theatre Siege and more) and has had around 50 radio guest spots as a 'Special Forces expert' on LBC, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 5 Live etc). Robin's civilian exploits have often made it into the popular press - see News of the World, The Sun and Nuts articles.

Robin’s Autobiography 'Fighting Scared' was released on October 10th, 2002 by Cassell. Since publication it has remained the top selling Special Forces hardback on Amazon.

In May 2007, Robin launched his new dvd 'Unleash the Lioness' - a non-nonsense women's guide to self defence. More information here.

To enquire about Robin's availability for an engagement, either as a motivational speaker or as an after dinner speaker, please use our online enquiry form, stating when and where your event is being held, together with a contact name, email and telephone number. You should usually have a reply within 48 hours.

Fighting Scared, by Robin Horsfall, after-dinner speaker