Something Lost Behind the Ranges

John Blashford-Snell spent his World War II childhood experimenting with chemicals, discovering mines and leading a life of mischief.

It was a natural progression to enter Sandhurst, where he learned the nuts and bolts of leadership - he already had the flair and personality.Three great expeditions - interspersed with stints in Northern Ireland and the MOD - were to dominate the next 15 years.

In the first he led a team of scientists and servicemen down the Blue Nile through unmapped and unknown territory, encountering rapids, fierce natives and 15-foot crocodiles.

The second was a race against time, in the face of vicious wildlife, to discover a route across the Darien Gap between Panama and Colombia.

The third adventure required giant inflatable boats - to course the Zaire River from the middle of Africa to the Atlantic, through war zones and tropical storms, seeking a cure for river blindness.In the wake of these expeditions Blashford-Snell launched Operation Drake, then Operation Raleigh, which is still exploring today.

These memoirs enter a world of adventure and discovery.