A gripping history of Britain’s Special Boat Squadron in World War II, drawing on veteran interviews and including rare photographs from the SAS Regimental Association.
The Special Boat Squadron was Britain's most exclusive Special Forces unit during World War II, and yet its exploits have been largely forgotten. This book tells its story.
Highly trained, totally secretive and utterly ruthless, the SBS was established as an entity in its own right in early 1943. Unlike its sister unit, which numbered more than 1,000 men, the SBS never comprised more than 100. Led by men such as the famed Victoria Cross recipient Anders Lassen, the SBS went from island to island in the Mediterranean, landing in the dead of night in small fishing boats and launching savage hit and run raids on the Germans.
Through unrivalled access to the archives of the SAS Regimental Association and interviews with the surviving members of the unit, Gavin Mortimer has pieced together the dramatic feats of this elite fighting force. In this new and updated paperback edition, featuring additional content including new text and photographs, the unit and its members are finally granted the recognition that they so richly deserve.
By:
Gavin Mortimer
Imprint: Osprey Publishing
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 196mm,
Width: 130mm,
Spine: 28mm
Weight: 280g
ISBN: 9781472811134
ISBN 10: 1472811135
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 20 May 2016
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Dedication Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1. Birth of the Boat Service Chapter 2. From Service to Squadron Chapter 3. Sick in Sardinia Chapter 4. A Close Call in Crete Chapter 5. Armistice and Uncertainty Chapter 6. The Germans Fight Back Chapter 7. Defeat in the Dodecanese Chapter 8. New Recruits for a New Year Chapter 9. Piracy on the High Seas Chapter 10. Turkish Deceit for the SBS Chapter 11. Caught, Questioned, Vanished Chapter 12. Vengeance Chapter 13. Germany on the Run Chapter 14. Into the Balkans Chapter 15. The Nazis’ Greek Tragedy Chapter 16. Adriatic Offensive Chapter 17. Andy Lassen’s Big War Chapter 18. The End of the Odyssey Glossary Notes Bibliography Index
Gavin Mortimer is the author of Stirling's Men (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2004), a ground-breaking history of the early operations of the SAS, The SAS in World War II (Osprey, 2015) and The Daring Dozen (Osprey, 2012), to name just a few of his titles on Special Forces. An award-winning writer whose books have been published on both sides of the Atlantic, Gavin has previously written for The Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph, The Observer and Esquire magazine.
Reviews for The SBS in World War II
This book was very interesting and I managed to read it in two sessions as I could not put it down while travelling on business. It held my interest and pulled you in to the missions while showing the human side of the conflicts they were involved in. - IPMS The personal statements and memoirs of many SBS men were used in the book, adding an authenticity that helps tell the history in a clear way that is enjoyable to read. A large number of archival and personal photographs add to the richness of the collection. - WWII History
