Download or read book S A S Men in the Making written by Peter Davis and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2015-08-31 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawn from wartime diaries, this memoir by a SAS commando veteran gives a firsthand account of the British Special Forces during WWII. Peter Davis was the youngest officer in the SAS during World War II. In this autobiographical account, he reveals the naive enthusiasm he felt when he joined the Unit, his fears and trepidation during training, and the horror at what he later experienced during his first operations in the liberation of Sicily and Italy. His story explores the difficulty of a young, inexperienced officer leading older and seasoned soldiers. It tells of mistakes a “rookie” can make and of how listening, learning and ultimately earning respect made him the skilful leader he ultimately became. During later operations he was awarded the Military Cross. Through it all the enigmatic figure of SAS founder Paddy Mayne looms large. At times irrational, aggressive, and often drunk, Mayne was a born leader able to instil obedience and respect. Where he led, men followed. Written shortly after the end of the War, Davis’s account using diaries recorded during the war. It is possibly the last, untold, first-hand account of a time of chaos, of horror and of the camaraderie of the men of the SAS.
Download or read book Rogue Heroes written by Ben Macintyre and published by Crown. This book was released on 2016-10-04 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The incredible untold story of World War II’s greatest secret fighting force, as told by the modern master of wartime intrigue—now a limited series on Epix! “Reads like a mashup of The Dirty Dozen and The Great Escape, with a sprinkling of Ocean’s 11 thrown in for good measure.”—Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times ONE OF NPR’S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR • “Rogue Heroes is a ripping good read.”—Washington Post (10 Best Books of the Year) Britain’s Special Air Service—or SAS—was the brainchild of David Stirling, a young aristocrat whose aimlessness belied a remarkable strategic mind. Where most of his colleagues looked at a World War II battlefield map and saw a protracted struggle, Stirling saw an opportunity: given a small number of elite men, he could parachute behind Nazi lines and sabotage their airplanes and supplies. Defying his superiors’ conventional wisdom, Stirling assembled a revolutionary fighting force that would upend not just the balance of the war, but the nature of combat itself. Bringing his keen eye for detail to a riveting wartime narrative, Ben Macintyre uses his unprecedented access to the SAS archives to shine a light on a legendary unit long shrouded in secrecy.
Download or read book The Men Who Made the SAS written by Gavin Mortimer and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2015-06-04 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Established in June 1940, the Long Range Desert Group was the inspiration of scientist and soldier Major Ralph Bagnold, a contemporary of T.E Lawrence who, in the inter-war years, explored the North African desert in a Model T Ford automobile. Mortimer takes us from the founding of the LRDG, through their treacherous journey across the Egyptian Sand Sea and beyond, offering a hitherto unseen glimpse into the heart of this most courageous organisation, whose unique and valiant contributions to the war effort can now finally be recognized and appreciated. Praise for Gavin Mortimer: "With unparalleled access to SBS's archive, Mortimer draws on private papers to produce the definitive account of the SBS's extraordinary exploits in WWII." Sunday Telegraph "The SBS is finally being recognised thanks to a remarkable new book. Author Gavin Mortimer spent more than a decade interviewing veterans, scrutinising SBS archives and poring over recently declassified documents to write The SBS in World War 2." Daily Mirror "This gripping first-hand account of the raid is one of many previously unpublished resources that Mortimer's book draws on." The Times "Mortimer deserves full credit for assembling a mountain of material and presenting it with lucidity and balance" Philip Ziegler, Daily Mail
Download or read book Forged in Hell written by Damien Lewis and published by Citadel Press. This book was released on 2024-10-22 with total page 439 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Combining riveting combat writing with masterful research, award-winning historian and #1 internationally bestselling author Damien Lewis delivers the remarkable true story of Britain’s infamous, elite Special Air Service (SAS) forces, their legendary commander, and the impossibly daring, historic mission to liberate Europe via the largest invasion fleet ever assembled. July 1943: The largest invasion fleet ever assembled sailed for fortress Europe, aiming to bulldoze its way onto Nazi shores. At its vanguard went a few hundred elite forces soldiers. The Royal Navy warship carrying them—a former passenger ferry transformed for battle—bore the iconic winged dagger emblem carved on its prow, plus the motto ‘Who Dares Wins,’ painstakingly fashioned with the most rudimentary tools by Sergeant William ‘Bill’ Deakins, the foremost explosives expert on board and a Royal Engineer by trade. Led by the SAS commander Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne, these war-bitten, piratical raiders were tasked with the impossible—to be the first among the fleet—the very tip of the spear—to bludgeon their way through the most heavily defended enemy shoreline, enabling the ensuing forces to follow on. If they succeeded, it would mark the turning point in the war. If they failed, the consequences were unthinkable. Against all odds, outnumbered some fifty-to-one, and facing a ferocious series of cliffside defenses, they would have to dare all as never before. So begins the true story of the SAS’s incredible mission, an endeavor replete with surprise, shock, action, heroism, and glory, not to mention treachery, dismay—and the longstanding personal aftershocks of brutal and bloody years spent at war.
Download or read book Warrior Training written by Keith Fennell and published by Random House Australia. This book was released on 2010 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: All men are not created equal... What makes a warrior? In this action-packed book, acclaimed SAS soldier Keith Fennell recounts his development as a soldier and as a man, revealing the challenges he overcame in order to perform at the highest level.
Download or read book Special Force written by Alastair MacKenzie and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2011-10-30 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The exploits of the British Army's elite 22nd Special Air Service Regiment - the regiment of the SAS that forms part of the Regular army - are shrouded in mystery and myths abound about its members. But what is the truth behind the public facade of clinical professionalism? How has such a small regiment attracted so many weighty legends? And what is the purpose of the SAS in the 21st century? "Special Force" provides an original and unusually critical overview of the activities of the SAS from the Malayan Emergency of 1950 to the present day. In the context of a detailed and often controversial analysis of the post-war activities of the Regiment, MacKenzie establishes that the Regiment's almost legendary professional competence is often not backed up by reality. Far from being part of a structured deployment of strategic military assets, MacKenzie argues that the use of the SAS in recent years has been primarily driven by the 'entrepreneurial' actions of a few SAS commanding officers. "Special Force" not only offers a revelatory history of the SAS in the modern period, it is also a disturbing expose of the truth behind the myth. It will be essential reading for anyone with an interest in the British military - past, present and future.
Download or read book Make Your Bed written by Admiral William H. McRaven and published by Grand Central Publishing. This book was released on 2017-04-04 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on a Navy SEAL's inspiring graduation speech, this #1 New York Times bestseller of powerful life lessons "should be read by every leader in America" (Wall Street Journal). If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. On May 17, 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven addressed the graduating class of the University of Texas at Austin on their Commencement day. Taking inspiration from the university's slogan, "What starts here changes the world," he shared the ten principles he learned during Navy Seal training that helped him overcome challenges not only in his training and long Naval career, but also throughout his life; and he explained how anyone can use these basic lessons to change themselves-and the world-for the better. Admiral McRaven's original speech went viral with over 10 million views. Building on the core tenets laid out in his speech, McRaven now recounts tales from his own life and from those of people he encountered during his military service who dealt with hardship and made tough decisions with determination, compassion, honor, and courage. Told with great humility and optimism, this timeless book provides simple wisdom, practical advice, and words of encouragement that will inspire readers to achieve more, even in life's darkest moments. "Powerful." --USA Today "Full of captivating personal anecdotes from inside the national security vault." --Washington Post "Superb, smart, and succinct." --Forbes
Download or read book Heroes on the Frontline True Stories of the Deadliest Missions Behind the Enemy Lines in Afghanistan and Iraq written by Nigel Cawthorne and published by Kings Road Publishing. This book was released on 2011-01-04 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the current conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, Britain's Special Forces are on the front line, these heroes are so respected that they are even called upon by the Americans when a particularly difficult and dangerous job has to be done. Time after time they have proved their worth on the battlefield, confirming that their commitment and professionalism are second to none.Military expert Nigel Cawthorne looks at the crucial role the British special forces have played since the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Of course, the circumstances have changed dramatically since the 'War on Terror' began, which has made the task facing these brave soldiers even more complicated than it originally appeared.This insightful book examines how the relationship between our special forces and their American counterparts has developed, as they try to stabilise a volatile region, fighting side-by-side against the ruthless enemies of the West.
Download or read book A One Day War written by Chris Craighead and published by . This book was released on 2022-01-06 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book A Handful of Hard Men written by Hannes Wessels and published by Casemate. This book was released on 2015-10-19 with total page 303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the WestÕs great transition into the post-Colonial age, the country of Rhodesia refused to succumb quietly, and throughout the 1970s fought back almost alone against Communist-supported elements that it did not believe would deliver proper governance. During this long war many heroes emerged, but none more skillful and courageous than Captain Darrell Watt of the Rhodesian SAS, who placed himself at the tip of the spear in the deadly battle to resist the forces of Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo. It is difficult to find another soldierÕs story to equal WattÕs in terms of time spent on the field of battle and challenges faced. Even by the lofty standards of the SAS and Special Forces, one has to look far to find anyone who can match his record of resilience and valor in the face of such daunting odds and with resources so paltry. In the fight he showed himself to be a military maestro. A bush-lore genius, blessed with uncanny instincts and an unbridled determination to close with the enemy, he had no peers as a combat-tracker (and there was plenty of competition). But the Rhodesian theater was a fluid and volatile one in which he performed in almost every imaginable fighting role; as an airborne shock-trooper leading camp attacks, long range reconnaissance operator, covert urban operator, sniper, saboteur, seek-and-strike expert, and in the final stages as a key figure in mobilizing an allied army in neighboring Mozambique. After 12 years in the cauldron of war his cause slipped from beneath him, however, and Rhodesia gave way to Zimbabwe. When the guns went quiet Watt had won all his battles but lost the war. In this fascinating biography we learn that in his twilight years he is now concerned with saving wildlife on a continent where they are in continued danger, devoting himself to both the fauna and African people he has cared so deeply about.
Download or read book SAS Tracking Handbook written by Barry Davies and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2014-08-05 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tracking originated with man’s need for food; he needed to understand what he was following and what the rewards would be if he was successful. Little has changed over time about the terms of tracking. We still track game for sport and food, but we have also found other uses for tracking. Border police patrol to stop illegal immigrants from entering their country; the military tracks down wanted terrorists or enemy forces. Tracking has become a military skill. In the SAS Tracking Handbook, former SAS soldier and British Empire Medal (BEM) award–winner Barry Davies teaches not only how to survive in the outdoors with the skills of tracking, but how to use these skills from a military standpoint. Included in this book are many helpful tips on topics including: The types of dogs used for tracking. Traps for catching wild animals. Modern military tracking. Using your surroundings to your advantage. And much more. The success or failure of the modern tracker is dependent on the personal skills of the individual tracker. Training is vital in learning tracking skills, and continuous exercise the best way to interpret signs. These skills are rarely found, but they remain hidden deep within all of us. So whether you’re already a skilled tracker or a novice in the field, the SAS Tracking Handbook will be your guide to mastering this old and respected art.
Download or read book The Making of the World s Elite Forces written by Terry White and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book SAS in Italy 1943 1945 written by Malcolm Tudor and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2018-11-10 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the story of Britain's elite special force in Italy during the Second World War. In the summer of 1943 the SAS came out of Africa to carry the fight to the Germans and Fascists in Sicily and the mainland. On the Italian Armistice and Surrender in September 1943 the originator of the SAS, Scots Guards lieutenant David Stirling, was a prisoner at the high-security prisoner of war camp five at Gavi in Piedmont, north-western Italy, after being captured in January in Tunisia. He eventually ended up as a prisoner at Colditz Castle in Germany, but his work continued. The idea of small groups of parachute-trained soldiers operating behind enemy lines to gain intelligence, destroy enemy aircraft, and attack their supply and reinforcement routes, was realised in the many daring missions carried out in Italy by the men of 2nd SAS Regiment and the Special Raiding Squadron. The famous SAS motto of 'Who dares wins, ' was swiftly translated into the Italian 'Chi osa vince.' This book reveals how words were turned into deeds.
Download or read book Across an Angry Sea written by Cedric Delves and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2019-01-01 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In early summer 1982--winter in the South Atlantic--Argentina's military junta invades the Falklands. Within days, a British Royal Navy Task Force is assembled and dispatched. This is the story of D Squadron, 22 SAS, commanded by Cedric Delves. The relentless tempo of events defies belief. Raging seas, inhospitable glaciers, hurricane-force winds, helicopter crashes, raids behind enemy lines--the Squadron prevailed against them all, but the cost was high. Eight died and more were wounded or captured. Holding fast to their humanity, D Squadron's fighters were there at the start and end of the Falklands War, the first to raise a Union Jack over Government House in Stanley. Across an Angry Sea is a chronicle of daring, skill and steadfastness among a tight-knit band of brothers; of going awry, learning fast, fighting hard, and winning through.
Download or read book Pilgrim Days written by Alastair MacKenzie and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2019-03-21 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'We are the Pilgrims, master; we shall go, Always a little further; it may be, Beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow.' If there was ever anyone who went a little further, a little beyond, it was Alastair MacKenzie. In a career spanning 30 years, MacKenzie served uniquely with the New Zealand Army in Vietnam, the British Parachute Regiment, the British Special Air Service (SAS), the South African Defence Force's famed ParaBats, the Sultan of Oman's Special Forces and a host of private security agencies and defence contractors. MacKenzie lived the soldier's life to the full as he journeyed 'the Golden Road to Samarkand'. This extraordinary new work from the author of Special Force: The Untold Story of 22nd Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) vividly documents the experience of infantry combat in Vietnam, life with the Paras, the tempo of selection for UK Special Forces, covert SAS operations in South Armagh and SAS Counter Terrorist training on the UK mainland, vehicle-mounted Pathfinder Brigade insertions into Angola and maritime counter-terrorism work in Oman.
Download or read book The Germanic Influence in the Making of Michigan written by John Andrew Russell and published by . This book was released on 1927 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Making of Colorado written by Eugene Parsons and published by . This book was released on 1908 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
