Heroes Of The SAS: True Stories Of The British Army's Elite Special Forces Regiment

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We had a mutual friend in Terry, a builder and local lothario, and over whisky at Terry's after closing time I tried to winkle stories out of Rob. He was a teenage paratrooper at the Battle of Goose Green in the Falklands and applied for the SAS soon after. While recovering in a hospital from his disastrous first parachute jump, Stirling came up with a vision that he then refined and zealously promoted: a unique fighting force with unprecedented independence and special skills, one made up of “fighters who were exceptionally brave but just short of irresponsible; disciplined but independent-minded; uncomplaining, unconventional and, when necessary, merciless.” Such men are not easily controlled, but then Stirling, whose contradictory traits rivalled those of his ideal soldiers, proved an inspired leader. The book is a fascinating and compelling insight into the men of the LRDG and much is revealed in the tale's telling of both their tactics and their character. It's evident that the author has really done his homework. This is an excellent book all about survival. That is the survival of the human spirit against adversity. When the chips were down Andy and the other men with him had to escape and evade detection across hundreds of miles of open desert in the extreme cold before they could get to safety. And they weren’t really equipped for that kind of harsh weather.

As Allied forces drove the Germans into their homeland, “the tide of war turned in a welter of recriminations and blood-letting,” and the SAS, who had in the past laid ambushes for the enemy, now found themselves being ambushed, sometimes by civilians. One of the final scenes in the SAS’s European war took place when an SAS team on a reconnaissance foray became the first Allied soldiers to enter the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. In one of the most sobering chapters of the book, Macintyre describes the horrifying conditions the SAS men witnessed. One soldier wrote starkly, “This day at Belsen was the most horrible of my life.” This is one of the best written books to explore the origins of the SAS and the first ever to do so with not only it’s blessing but full access to it’s library of notes, recordings, maps and an incredible amount of first hand accounts. It makes for compelling and unforgettable reading.Just as diverse as the soldiers were the many campaigns they engaged in. Essentially, each chapter of the book is a concise narrative of a major operation undertaken by the SAS. As these were generally carried out by small groups, there are brief synopses of the key figures involved, followed by a dramatic recounting of the action. Although this renders the structure of the book episodic, it is engrossing nontheless, particularly as the accounts are laced with flashes of humor and genuine drama. In fact, I found myself wondering how many of these exploits had already been mined (or will be mined) by Hollywood scripwriters. Another close acquaintance, who lives in an ivy-clad former rectory, runs diplomatic protection for foreign governments. A compact but fact-filled book which charts SAS history from World War 2 all the way until the current war on terror. There's plenty of colour photos throughout, along with little snippets of info on weapons, tactics etc, which makes this a great resource for dipping into every now and then. Despite intense opposition, Winston Churchill personally gave Stirling permission to recruit the toughest, brightest and most ruthless soldiers he could find. So began the most celebrated and mysterious military organisation in the world: the SAS.

Highlight: 'It's a must-buy for enthusiasts of special forces or secret operations.' Britain at War He also notes that while the history of the SAS is a “rattling adventure story,” he sought to reveal the “psychology of secret, unconventional warfare,” and the “reactions of ordinary people in extraordinary wartime circumstances.” Above all, he notes, “This is a book about the meaning of courage.”Gavin Mortimer is the author of Stirling’s Men, The SAS in Occupied France, The SAS in World War Two and The Men Who Made the SAS.