Flighth Lieutenant Adrian John Nichol is a retired navigator of the Royal Air Force, who gained recognition during the first Gulf War. Born in December 1963, Nichol served in the Royal Air Force for 15 years, during which he worked as a technician and later as a Tornado Navigator in the Air Defence and Ground Attack roles.
Nichol's active duty in the Gulf was marked by a significant event when he was shot down during the first low-level, daylight raid of the first Gulf War. The incident led to his capture and subsequent torture, which provoked worldwide condemnation and left a lasting impression of the conflict. Despite this traumatic experience, Nichol returned to active duty and was involved in policing the exclusion zone as part of the UN force in Bosnia. His service took him to various parts of the world, including the Nevada Desert, the Middle East, Norway, the Falkland Islands, and beyond.
After retiring from the Royal Air Force, Nichol became a best-selling author, writing Tornado Down, five novels, and several highly acclaimed WWII history books, including The Last Escape, Tail-End Charlies, and Home Run. He is also a motivational speaker and after-dinner speaker, working with various businesses, including BT, Shell, Lloyds Bank, and The Stockholm School of Economics. Nichol has written for several publications, including The Times, The Mail on Sunday, and The Observer, and is a widely quoted commentator on military affairs. He has also been a consultant and presenter for several news networks, including BBC, Sky & ITV News, World in Action, CNN, and Cutting Edge.
Nichol has written two major series for the Sunday Express, Heroes and Survivors, and his latest book, Medic!, chronicles the story of military medics from the WW2 beaches of Dunkirk to the desert towns of Afghanistan today. He is an active member of The Royal British Legion's Gulf War Group, helping veterans with Gulf War Syndrome, and a patron of the British Ex-service Wheelchair Sports Association. Despite his accomplishments, Nichol is known to be a very poor golfer.