Stuart Tootal

Stuart Tootal spent 20 years as a soldier, where he was awarded an OBE and a DSO for leading 3 Para as the first UK battle group into Afghanistan in 2006. Stuart resigned as a full colonel in 2008 over the poor treatment of his wounded. He also deployed on multiple operational tours in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, took part in the Gulf War in 1991 and the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Stuart then spent ten years as a global head at Barclays bank before leaving to run a change management consultancy. ‘The Last Para’ is his fifth book. His other titles include ‘Danger Close’ and ‘SAS Sea King Down’, which were both Sunday Times bestsellers, and ‘Tank Action’, which was heralded as The Spectator’s best book of the year in 2021.