John Thomas “Mac” McAleese MM (1949–2011) was a Scottish SAS soldier best known for leading the frontal assault that ended the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege in London, an operation watched live by millions and which turned the SAS into a household name.
Here is all you need to know about John McAleese.
Early life and Army career
Born on 25 April 1949 in Logie, Stirlingshire, and brought up in Laurieston near Falkirk, McAleese was one of twin boys and grew up in a working‑class Scottish family.
He joined the British Army as a teenager, initially serving in the Royal Engineers before passing selection for 22 SAS in the mid‑1970s.
He would go on to serve 17 years in the Regiment, rising through the ranks from lance corporal to sergeant and eventually master sergeant, and becoming a key figure in both counter‑terrorism and covert operations.
Iranian Embassy siege
On 5 May 1980, McAleese, then a lance corporal in Pagoda Troop, B Squadron, led “Blue Team” in Operation Nimrod, the SAS assault on the Iranian Embassy at Princes Gate, South Kensington.
After six days of siege, during which six armed separatists held 26 hostages and killed one, McAleese’s team blasted through a window on the embassy’s rear facade, becoming the iconic “man in black” seen on live television.
In a 17‑minute operation, the SAS killed five of the six terrorists, rescued 24 hostages, and ended the crisis, transforming the SAS from a shadowy unit into a globally recognised elite force.
Falklands and Northern Ireland
McAleese served in the 1982 Falklands War as part of the SAS, operating in the harsh South Atlantic environment against Argentine forces.
On 8 May 1987, he took part in the Loughgall ambush in County Armagh, where the SAS intercepted and destroyed an IRA active service unit attacking a police station, an action for which he was later decorated.
He was also present at the Drumnakilly ambush in County Tyrone in August 1988, another high‑risk SAS operation against an IRA team.
Decorations and recognition
In 1988, McAleese was awarded the Military Medal (MM) for gallantry in action during operations in Northern Ireland, specifically linked to the Loughgall ambush.
The citation was never published, and he received the medal in a private investiture at Buckingham Palace, keeping the honour largely secret for many years.
Later career and media work
After leaving the SAS in the early 1990s, McAleese worked as a security consultant in Iraq and Afghanistan, drawing on his special forces experience in high‑risk environments.
He also served as a close‑protection officer for three British prime ministers, reflecting the trust placed in him for sensitive security tasks.
In the early 2000s he became known to a wider public as the presenter of the BBC series SAS: Are You Tough Enough?, where civilians underwent a version of SAS selection.
Death and legacy
McAleese died on 26 August 2011 in Thessaloniki, Greece, aged 62, believed to be from a heart attack, while on holiday.
His death came just two years after his son, Sergeant Paul McAleese, was killed in action in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2009, a loss that deeply affected him.
Share