An interesting listen about an era most of us cannot fathom and are doubtless grateful we did not have to live through. The brutality (mostly) of the losing sides is not overlooked either and is a salutary reminder that war is gruelling and dangerous for the frontline soldier. But the narrator gives you a flavour of how these soldiers made an important difference to the outcome of WWII. Many of the fighting scenes are described in detail but impossible to truly comprehend. Though it could never be a complete expression of gratitude for their sacrifice. This book is a fitting tribute to them all. It takes the listener from the battlefields of N Africa where it all began to the end of WWII in Europe and concludes with vignettes of the post-war lives of many of the characters we encountered along the way who survived the war. The book traces the creation of the regiment incl the initial reluctance of “conventional” wisdom behind symmetric warfare prior to and during WWII. This book explains in fascinating detail the genius and determination behind the creation of the SAS (and out of it other connected domestic and foreign special services). With unprecedented access to the SAS secret files, unseen footage and exclusive interviews with its founder members, SAS: Rogue Heroes tells the remarkable story behind an extraordinary fighting force, and the immense cost of making it a reality.įascinating story of determination, bravery & unorthodox thinking And so begins the most celebrated and mysterious military organisation in the world: the SAS. In the summer of 1941, at the height of the war in the Western Desert, a bored and eccentric young officer, David Stirling, has a vision for a new kind of war: attacking the enemy where they least expect it - from behind their own lines.ĭespite the intense opposition of many in British High Command, Winston Churchill personally gives Stirling permission to recruit the toughest, brightest and most ruthless soldiers he can find. The book behind the hit BBC series SAS: Rogue Heroes, starring Connor Swindells, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Allen and Dominic West.įrom the secret SAS archives and bestselling author Ben Macintyre: the first ever authorized history of the SAS, read by the author.

Sas heroes book