About The Writer
John is a comparatively late starter to the writing world. But believes this enhances the books he writes as they come from experience. From actually doing the job.
John served in three Commando units of the Royal Marines,
42 Commando, Singapore, where it all started.
41 Commando, when based in Malta and formed part of the force sent to Cyprus during the Turkish Invasion &
45 Commando, the Northern flank Ski unit, serving with 45 in Northern Ireland.
With a specialisation in PW (Platoon Weapons and Tactics) in the RM's, he became a ballistics expert and loaded his ammunition for certain tasks. He finished at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) as an instructor, with one of the highest security clearances in the UK.
This was followed by a rapid transfer to the Metropolitan Police, where he served on M Division and Crime Squads before being moved to the target reason for the transfer, D11, the then Force Firearms Unit.
Among other achievements, he designed and introduced Tactical Advisors to the police, a system that has been a national policy since the late 1980s and has probably saved many police and civilian lives.
He is a trained self-defence, Physical Training and police weapons instructor and one of the most successful operational team leaders.
John was also tasked with changing the training methodology for operational teams. The reason he was there. Given a new team, John called it the Black team. They were nicknamed 'the Black Team Ninjas' due to their intensive military-style training and operational successes.
John was sent with a team to Grand Turk island to secure a senior member of the medallion drugs cartel and as a bodyguard instructor in Zimbabwe to train Mugabe’s bodyguards.
Later, John was sent to North Wales to trace a supply source to the IRA and had to deal with a small-force mentality before being switched to Sussex police to initiate a project that was foiled by police corruption.
Black team was one of the first police teams to train with the SAS at Hereford and to accept SAS troopers to live train in London.
Photo left: Police training with the SAS at Hereford
My Community
Going in at the deep end, John has started with a trilogy.
It tells the story of a young man from the back streets of South London, with little education, who became involved in the UK's best-kept secret.
The books are what publishers call Faction books, which are stories based on facts and real events. Names and some locations have been changed to protect the innocent.
The beauty of these books is that you, the reader, can determine what is true and what is added; there is a mixture.
Book One, Crossing the Rubicon, which begins the story. Our avatar, Johnny Robert, takes us through his time as a Royal Marine Commando and his introduction to a non-existent group.
Book Two, Servant of the Crown, continues with his quick transfer to the police and three Home Office police forces, including developing the Metropolitan Police firearms unit, now SCO19. Princess Diana, the IRA and drug cartels.
Book Three, I Served, travels to Europe with a project foiled by police mismanagement and takes us into the future, with a development initiated initially with what was known as the Gemini Project within the 'Great Society.'
All marines, police officers and Geminos of whatever nationality are part of his community.
Photo: Daily Mail; Sunday, November 10th 1991
First successful extradition from the Turks & Caicos Islands
The brother-in-law to Pablo Escobar.
Join My Journey
Follow John's journey as he leads you to places he never knew and shows you a life that never was through the eyes of a young man recruited into an organisation that does not exist in your world.
John was a fully qualified Bodyguard instructor for the Metropolitan Police, training Special Branch and Royalty Protection officers and many others.
Follow the story of a boy who goes from a naive sixteen-year-old to one of the most effective operators for a non-existent organisation designed to protect the State and the Public.
And what follows.
As the books develop, you may want to ask questions. He is available and will answer any reasonable questions or provide advice where he can.
He is a member of
The Royal Marines Association
The International Police Association
The United States Marine Corps Association
Photo: His first team
1 Troop, K Company, 42 Commando RM
1969