Frederick Forsyth, the legendary author behind The Day of the Jackal, has passed away at 86 after a brief illness. Forsyth was more than a celebrated thriller writer. He was a journalist, a war reporter, and an “asset” for MI6 who brought unwavering realism into his books.
Born in Ashford, Kent, in 1938, Forsyth trained as a fighter pilot in the RAF during his national service.
When the RAF couldn’t guarantee him a combat role, he resigned to pursue journalism. He joined Reuters, learned French overnight, and found himself reporting on the Algerian crisis in Paris.
In Paris, 1961, right-wing extremists plotted to assassinate Charles de Gaulle. Forsyth gained insider access to French security. He said, “It could be done, but only by an outsider… no name, no dossier, and professional.” That insight inspired his breakout novel, The Day of the Jackal.
Covering Biafra and Meeting Ojukwu
Forsyth’s rise as a serious journalist took him to Nigeria in 1967. He arrived just days after the federal troops moved into the Eastern Region. His role was to report on the swift collapse of Biafra. He said, “It did not happen.” His dispatches upset the British high commissioner and led to his recall by the BBC.
Refusing to step away, Forsyth returned to war-torn Biafra in 1968. He documented the devastating famine and met Gen. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Biafra’s leader. Though their ideologies diverged, Forsyth respected Ojukwu’s resolve. He later joined MI6 as an intelligence “asset”, all while reporting on the horrors of war.
In 1969, he published “The Biafra Story”, Frederick Forsyth’s first non-fiction book. It is a powerful eyewitness account of the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), also known as the Biafran War.
In the book, Forsyth shares his personal experiences while living in Biafra as a war correspondent. He criticizes the international media and the British government for siding with the Nigerian federal forces, while highlighting the suffering and starvation endured by the Biafran people. Forsyth strongly defends Biafra’s right to secede and presents Gen Ojukwu as a heroic figure.
The book blends journalism and advocacy, offering vivid battlefield reports, political analysis, and emotional appeals to the global conscience.
It remains one of the few detailed Western perspectives on the Biafran War, written with urgency and deep empathy.
From War to Wordsmith
When Biafra fell in 1970, Forsyth returned to Britain “with no job, no flat, no savings.” That financial void led him to write. He completed The Day of the Jackal in just 35 days. Sales sheared past 75 million copies globally, confirming Forsyth as the blueprint of modern thriller writing.
Following Jackal came The Odessa File in 1972. The novel helped expose fugitive Nazi war criminals and even contributed to the capture of Eduard Roschmann. Later, The Dogs of War saw Forsyth narrowly escape an arms dealer’s wrath in Hamburg. He fled with seconds to spare.
Over the years, he tapped emerging conflicts—from Kuwait to Islamic terrorism—in novels full of espionage, coups, and high-stakes danger.
From Journalism Asset to Veteran Critic
Forsyth served as a covert MI6 courier for over 20 years—something he viewed as patriotic rather than covert. He said, “There was nothing weird about it… it was the cold war.”
Despite occasional retirements, he kept writing. He held strong political opinions. He opposed Tony Blair, supported Brexit, and was skeptical of climate change. “I am slightly mercenary,” he admitted. “I write for money.”
His final novel, The Fox, released in 2018, came with the suggestion that it might be his last. Yet he joked, “I’ve got three unused typewriters in a cupboard at home—enough to see me out.”
Forsyth earned a CBE in 1997 and the prestigious Diamond Dagger. His agent described his life as extraordinary, and his editor praised Forsyth’s peerless legacy.
Explore Full Range of Forsyth’s Work
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