In the original dustsheet. Black cloth binding with gilt title on the spine.

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The author of Stirling’s Men recounts the WWII exploits of Britain’s legendary special forces unit in the first volume of this authoritative history. The British Army’s Special Air Service was formed during World War II as a commando unit for operations behind enemy lines. Their exploits in France inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans and left a trail of destruction and disorder in their wake. In 1944, they trained the French Maquis into an effective fighting force, delayed German reinforcements at Normandy, and sowed confusion for the German withdrawal.

In this volume, historian Gavin Mortimer focuses on 1 SAS, describing operations Titanic, Houndsworth, Bulbasket, Gain, Haggard and Kipling in graphic detail. Using previously unpublished interviews with SAS veterans and members of the Maquis as well as rare photographs, Mortimer allows readers to walk in the footsteps of SAS heroes and see where they lived, fought and died.

Review: Living in France near one of the SAS operations, I ordered this book. It’s packed with information to find the exact locations. The courage of these men and the French resistance makes this book fascinating.

Gavin Mortimer, is an award-winning author, whose narrative non-fiction books have received rapturous reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. His first book, Ernest Shackleton, was published in 1999 and six more have followed, including The Great Swim, which was adjudged the 2009 Book of the Year by the Women’s Sport Foundation of America. In addition, the Sunday Times named the Great Swim one of its best reads of 2008. His latest book, Chasing Icarus, was published in the US by Walker Bloomsbury in May, and has already received excellent reviews with the Dallas Morning News describing it as ‘a wonderful, absorbing story’. Away from his non-fiction titles, Gavin has written a dozen books for children and contributed articles to publications such as BBC History Magazine, Esquire and the Observer.