SAS Hero Who Took On Terrorists In Kenyan Hotel Explains How It Feels To Be Shot

An off-duty SAS hero who fought terrorists in a Kenyan hotel has revealed his identity and opened up about being shot while on a secret mission. 

Retired soldier Christian Craighead hit headlines in 2019 after he ran into the line of fire to save hostages from a group of terrorists at the hotel. 

Craighead appeared on Evan Hafer's Black Rifle Coffee podcast where he has spoken about his military career and described what it was like to be shot in the arm with a Dragunov sniper rifle during service. 

He told the podcast: “This is the strange thing. Now it hurt, badly. When it goes through that bone. And I get it when people say they get shot they don't feel it, I completely buy into that, if it doesn't go through a bone.

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“But once it goes through a bone and shatters it, it hurts. It was like banging your funny bone and times-ing it by 10,000. That's what it felt like. But here's the messed-up bit.

"Going back into junior para, being indoctrinated and things, there was a sense of satisfaction. It was like, ‘oh I've just been shot, that's pretty cool’.

“In the back of my mind I'm like, ‘I've been shot, that's cool’, then there's like, ‘I hope I don't lose my arm’. And my arm was hanging by the triceps but, having some medical knowledge, I could wriggle my fingers.

“And in my mind, again just thinking, that's not that bad because I can wriggle my fingers. In my mind I was thinking, ‘I'm going to keep my arm’.”

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Back in 2019, Craighead was hailed as a hero for his quick-thinking bravery. 

Special forces vet Harry McCallion, who served in the parachute regiment, told the Mail Online: "Yesterday Britain was awestruck by the bravery of the off-duty SAS soldier in jeans, flak jacket and balaclava who'd grabbed his Colt Canada assault rifle, pistol and combat knife from his car while on an errand in Nairobi, and 'run into danger' to help victims of the Al Shabaab terrorist attack in the Kenyan capital.

"He saved lives, storming buildings, dragging people to safety amid the carnage of the devastating attack. And he fired off rounds at the fanatics, undoubtedly killing a number of them.

"Truly, a hero emerged from this tragedy. But as a former member of the Parachute Regiment, South African special forces and 22nd Special Air Service Regiment, I was not surprised by his behaviour. For he has been trained both mentally and physically to kill with ruthless efficiency."