In a genre dominated by those who served with the Special Air Service Regiment, Commando Scott Ryder’s memoir offers an alternative Special Forces perspective on the war in Afghanistan.
Forged in Fire: An Australian commando's story of life and death on the frontline by Scott Ryder
Forged in Fire: An Australian commando's story of life and death on the frontline
by Scott Ryder
Details: Biography / True story, published 2024.
Format: Soft cover, illustrations (photographs), 409 pages.
Forged in Fire takes the reader through Ryder’s 22-year army career: his selection into 3RAR at the age of 17 and first deployment to East Timor; his time as a commando and later work in counter-terrorism, ending with his final years as an instructor. Ryder’s memoir is remarkable for its unreserved account of his service. He vividly recollects punishing selection processes, arduous training, and dangerous operations in country, alongside the camaraderie fostered through the army.
Ryder consistently places his story within the broader historical context and the political rationale of his service, foregrounding Australia’s commitment to Afghanistan, where he would eventually complete three Special Operations Task Group deployments.
His story moves between broader perspectives and personal reflections on his emotional state and his behaviour, his successes, failures and challenges such as the June 2010 Black Hawk crash in Kandahar. Four soldiers were killed and Ryder was one of six who were gravely injured. His account of his rescue, recovery and rehabilitation highlights the physical and emotional toll of the crash. Ryder’s rendering of the event and its aftermath, which draws on numerous sources, also exemplifies his acute awareness of the stories and actions of others on the front line.
Throughout the book he includes and often relies on reflections from friends and colleagues, using their knowledge and perspectives to fill in gaps in his own experience, such as the battle of Shah Wali Kot in 2010, one of the biggest battles that Special Forces faced during the war. Ryder missed the first few days and draws on the memories of those who fought to help tell the story.
By offering a narrative beyond his own, Ryder takes Forged in Fire from a personal account to something nearer a historical record, providing a voice for those he served alongside.
Don't miss our exclusive interview with Scott Ryder - only in the print edition of WM magazine.
Discover the stories behind the memoir and his connection to the Memorial's new galleries opening in 2026.
