Drawing on recently declassified files and interviews with
veterans, this is a fascinating history of Bill Stirling and 2SAS
– pioneering founders of modern special forces. David Stirling is
the name synonymous with the wartime SAS, but the real brains
behind the operation was in fact Bill Stirling, David’s eldest
brother. Bill was described in the SAS War Diary as a ‘man from
the shadows’; it was an apt description for, unlike his attention
seeking brother, Bill shunned the spotlight. Now for the first time
the truth – and the triumph – of 2SAS is revealed. Having
originally joined the SOE in March 1940, Bill Stirling sailed for
Cairo in 1941 and there had the idea for a small special forces
unit to be led by his mercurial brother. But despite some success,
David allowed the legendary 1SAS to drift under his leadership.
Following his capture, Bill re-directed 2SAS, under his personal
command, to the strategy he had originally envisaged: parachuting
behind enemy lines to gather intelligence. Fully illustrated with
rare and previously unpublished photographs, this compelling
history details how 2SAS fought with ingenuity and aggression, from
Italy and then into France before heading through Holland into
Germany. The unit was capable of attacking by parachute, jeep or
landing craft, establishing a template for future special forces’
operations. Their feats have been overshadowed by the many books
that have focused on David and 1SAS. 2SAS corrects this oversight,
revealing that the real innovator was Bill Stirling – the true
pioneer of Who Dares Wins.
General
Imprint: |
Osprey Publishing
|
Country of origin: |
United Kingdom |
Release date: |
October 2023 |
Authors: |
Gavin Mortimer
|
Dimensions: |
242 x 190mm (L x W) |
Format: |
Hardcover
|
Pages: |
272 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-4728-5673-9 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
1-4728-5673-2 |
Barcode: |
9781472856739 |
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