RICHARD ADAMSON

Our late, great friend and fellow long-rider was truly an exceptional inspirational man, an all-round ‘good guy’… just world class.

With sadness Richard, whilst working for leading British security company, Armor-Group and heading up their operations in Afghanistan, was murdered in the city of Kabul on August 16, 2007.

We salute you and so does everyone else that knew you, worked with you, rode with you and had any interaction with you.

Richard’s cv would make the character of James Bond envious. A former Special Forces Marine Commando – Warrant Officer with over 20 years service, and a wealth of knowledge in humanitarian and logistics environs in Africa, was tasked by Margaret Thatcher in the early 1980’s to lead secret teams to train Afghans the use of stinger missiles which were credited in turning the course of the 10 year war against the Russians.

After he left the armed forces, Richard travelled extensively round the world, and latterly working for a logistics company in Kenya, in 1999, before being held hostage at gunpoint in Hargeysa, Somalia along with a Ukrainian aircrew for over 3 months. He was ransomed and eventually came back to England

In 1999, he teamed up and led the Outlaw Trail trans-America horseback expedition, a 2,036 mile unbroken, unsupported long-ride from Mexico-Canada and co-authored a book with me, which was published by Eye Books and is still in print.

Richard returned to Kabul in 2001, after the overthrow of the Taliban and opened up a bar called Elbow Room and later had a partnership in a club called Samarkand. His working knowledge of the culture and many languages in Afghanistan was vital and that he was recognized as a true friend of the country.