About Iain Ballantyne
Iain Ballantyne is an established defence journalist, author of naval history books and scriptwriter whose latest book, ‘Killing the Bismarck’ was published this summer (2010).
He is also currently Editor of the globally renowned naval affairs news magazine, ‘WARSHIPS International Fleet Review’ and contributes articles on modern naval affairs to both newspapers and magazines. Among his recently published works, Iain has written on NATO’s counter-terrorist Operation Active Endeavour for a special publication to mark the 60th anniversary of the alliance and also for the Royal Navy’s prestigious ‘A Global Force’ annual, on the British fleet’s changing roles and combat training. ( www.newsdeskmedia.com/A_Global_Force?category= )
Iain has recently signed to produce another book in partnership with his friend and colleague Jonathan Eastland (from more on Jonathan, visit www.ajaxnetphoto.com )
In 2007, Iain’s work in the maritime arena was saluted with a Special Recognition Award from the British Maritime Charitable Foundation (BMCF), for making ‘a consistent and unwavering contribution to raising maritime awareness over the years’.
Iain has been to sea in aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered submarines, assault ships, frigates, destroyers and mine-hunters. His career covering naval forces began in style as long ago as 1990, flying aboard the gigantic nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower for an exciting tail-hook landing while the ship loitered off the coast of Libya. A few hours later he was hurled off the ship’s flight deck aboard a Greyhound turbo-prop during an equally enthralling catapult launch.
Iain’s most recent time at sea with the Royal Navy was a visit to the frigate HMS Chatham, ‘up-threat’ in the northern Gulf, on the line of confrontation with Iran, and aboard the frigate HMS Somerset, on NATO counter-terrorist patrol in the Mediterranean. See elsewhere on this web site for PDFs of reports connected with those two embarkations.
Last summer (2009) the fruit of Iain’s labours in a new arena was produced, with his fledgling venture, 112 Productions, joining forces with Seafarer Books ( www.seafarerbooks.com ) to create a DVD telling the story behind the search for the lost warship HMAS Sydney II. Two other 112 Productions projects are currently underway, with a view to completion in 2011.
Iain has also worked as a scriptwriter on corporate communications projects for a number of clients, via London-based Grosvenor TV.
He was the co-deviser of the six-part ‘Wine Hunt’ programme, made by Chatsworth Television and broadcast on Channel 4. Prior to that he was the editor of the ‘diary for the Porsche driver 1998’ a lifestyle yearbook for drivers of Porsche cars in the UK.
With a successful career as a newspaper journalist prior to going freelance in the mid-1990s, Iain was also at one time a movie reviewer for the Somerset-based Orchard FM radio station, and co-hosted a weekly comedy slot in which he impersonated both the then Russian president Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin.
CAREER MILESTONES
Author of naval history books:
Talk on ‘Killing the Bismarck’ at National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) in Portsmouth, 22 May 2010. With Peter Hore.
Editor, WARSHIPS IFR magazine, for HPC Publishing, Drury Lane,
St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex.
Published monthly since 2003.
Key ancillary works as co-author and Editor (all for HPC):
Assignments to cover naval forces on front line for WARSHIPS IFR have included: Counter-terrorism patrols aboard the frigate HMS Chatham in the Northern Arabian Gulf and with a NATO force in the eastern Mediterranean (both 2008); with the Royal Marines in Oman, as the US-led campaign against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban was launched (2001); aboard the carrier HMS Invincible in the northern Gulf (1999) as Sea Harriers flew Combat Air Patrols in the face of Saddam’s SAMs.
Wrote, co-produced and co-directed ‘Sidney, Cipher and Search: The Inside Story’ (2009)– DVD for book of the same name published by Seafarer Books. 112 Productions debut production.
Scriptwriter for Grosvenor TV, 22 Golden Square, London.
2000 – 2008. Key role not only in writing scripts, but also in conceptualization for pitches, as part of competitive tendering process.
Some key projects:
Co-deviser of Wine Hunt (for Chatsworth Television, broadcast on Channel 4 1998 and 2000).
Defence & Diplomatic Correspondent, UK News London Bureau 1995/96.
Responsible for covering MoD and Foreign Office in Whitehall.
Defence Reporter/Chief Reporter/News Desk Editor, Evening Herald,
Plymouth 1990 - 1995.
Key Assignments/Tasks:
© 2010 Iain Ballantyne