The Real Dogs of War. Frederick Forsythe Exposed
The Sunday Times 16.04.1978

Category
Africa, Crime and Scandal, Reportage

This was a strange scoop. The best selling author Freddie Forsyth, had used a real life mercenary invasion, organised partly by himself, for the plot of his breakthrough book, The Dogs of War.  We got the story because one of his mercenaries had felt badly let down, or was unpaid or had some other grievance that needed airing. Forsyth never denied the story- although he did write to the Sunday Times correcting an error or two. The Times caught up with it and interviewed Forsythe, who admitted it in 2006:  https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/forsyth-my-real-life-dogs-of-war-coup-zwztl0p82n2