SBS

Product Information

What a terrible, brutal conflict the Second World War was: some 60 million dead, cities laid waste, many more millions displaced, the horrors of the Holocaust and unspeakable misery. Saul David’s last book dealt with the ghastly Battle of Okinawa, probably the bloodiest most brutal battle of them all, so it is incredibly refreshing to read of these fabulously daring missions: of men of astonishing courage blowing up bridges, surveying invasion beaches, sinking ships in harbour and making clandestine rendezvous with secret agents – all by canoe and midget submarine. Each adventure is relayed with all the relish of a Commando comic. Partly as a result of the Coppists' report, the number of invasion beaches was raised from three to five. Nervous about giving the game away, the Americans chose not to accept the Coppists' offer to signpost their beaches ‑ Omaha and Utah ‑ on D-Day. Falconer joined the British Royal Marines at the age of 18. At 19 years of age, he attended SBS selection in Poole Dorset and was one of nine Marines to successfully complete the course out of 147 men. Most candidates are required to serve some time in a Commando unit before applying, however Duncan was given an exception. This was due to many SBS operatives leaving to instead work as deep sea divers in the North Sea for the lucrative salaries. The SBS briefly allowed recruits from CTCRM to apply for selection before serving the usual minimum time in a commando unit. Later he was posted to 42 Commando as a career broadening opportunity. [2] His autobiography, and first literary publication, First into Action included accounts of the actions carried out by the SBS and 14 Intelligence Detachment. The tone of this work was in contrast to a number of biographies of other ex- special forces personnel at the time – the tales not just about the heroic actions of those he served alongside, but also showed the more humorous, realistic side of the troops. The book also highlighted the rivalry and antagonism between the Special Boat Service and Special Air Service and the history behind their conflict.

Training begins with endurance exercises in the Brecon Beacons in Wales – where three would-be recruits died from heatstroke after taking part in lengthy marches during one of the hottest days of 2013. Training then moves to the jungles of Belize, where candidates have to demonstrate survival skills over long periods.In regards to United States Special Operations Forces, it is the Army units that tend to be less vocal about their exploits (Rangers, Special Forces, and Delta Force, though popular media exists about all three), while the Navy units (particularly the SEAL Teams) are seen as glory hounds and media darlings due to the sheer volume of books, TV shows, films, and former SEALs turned celebrities that exist out there. Immediately the weather and the powerful tidal set took hold of the mass of boats and swept them steadily, innocent and unknowing, to the east… The whole assault force on 'Omaha' had slipped sideways."

Yet their many improbable achievements – destroying enemy ships and infrastructure, landing secret agents, tying up enemy forces, spreading fear and uncertainty, and, most importantly, preparing the ground for D-Day – helped to make an Allied victory possible. Having provided his superiors with proof of concept ‑ by paddling up to and then sneaking aboard a heavily guarded ship in Inveraray harbour in the Scottish Highlands ‑ he was allowed to form the Folbot Troop, later renamed the Special Boat Section. Paddling flimsy canoes, and armed only with knives, pistols and a few sub-machine guns, this handful of brave and determined men operated deep behind enemy lines in the full knowledge that if caught they might be executed. Many were. The book is told through the eyes of an SBS veteran with the moniker, 'Grey', who commands a Pinkie driven by 'Moth' and its HMG manned a U.S. SOF embed known as 'the dude'.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. Written with the full cooperation of the modern SBS – the first time this ultra-secretive unit has given its seal of approval to any book – and exclusive access to its archives, SBS: Silent Warriors allows Britain’s original special forces to emerge from the shadows and take their proper and deserved place in our island story. A hard man to replace, Wilson has been a model for SBS operators ever since: small-framed but deceptively strong, a team player but capable of independent action, an intelligent problem solver, eager to embrace new technology and as brave as a lion. Another prominent early SBS man was Major Gerald

Killing Rommel is a fictionalized story, based on real events of World War 2. Told in the style of a first person memoir, the story features a mission by the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) to assassinate the German general before his Panzer divisions could sweep into the Middle East oil fields.There were, however, lighter moments. Determined to train his men how to live off the land, Courtney invited an elderly eccentric called Jim Branson, the great-uncle of Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson, to show his men how to survive on plants. A week later, a "gnome-like old gentleman" arrived at Ardrossan on an ancient bicycle. In March 1941, the two men were transported by submarine from Alexandria in Egypt to a point off the coast of the Italian-held Rhodes where they paddled in by canoe and took it in turns to swim ashore and carry out a clandestine survey of the closely guarded shore as preparation for an amphibious assault.

The operation is recounted in a superbly detailed way. Nicols focuses on several key characters and the reader follows them through the battle. They eventually placed seven limpets on the tanker's stern before making their getaway, arriving at their rendezvous more than an hour late, and with the canoe so filled with water that it would have sunk within 15 minutes.

The decision had disastrous consequences. "They could have done with that offer of markers," wrote one historian. "The whole assault force set its predetermined course for the unseen shore from its start point 12 miles out to sea. Zero Six Bravo is a fantastic record of special forces soldiering but, more than that, it sets the record straight about this controversial operation. A must read.