Of Courage and Determination: The First Special Service Force, "The Devil's Brigade," 1942-44

by Bernd Horn, Michel Wyczynski, Charlie Mann (Foreword by)

Overview

An Allied unit comprised of Canadian and American troops, the First Special Service Force or "Devil’s Brigade" struck fear into the very heart of the Axis.

In the dark, early days of the Second World War, the Allies found themselves with their backs against the wall. With their armies, tactics, doctrine, and equipment in tatters, the Allies turned to special operations forces to carry the fight to the Axis enemy until their conventional forces could be built up once again. Specially selected and trained, these forces struck fear into the hearts of the enemy. One such unit, the First Special Service Force (FSSF) or Devil’s Brigade, was created for a hazardous mission in Norway. This unique formation was composed of both Americans and Canadians who served side by side without distinction of nationality.

A killer elite, the FSSF consistently demonstrated courage and determination and earned itself an unrivaled combat record at Monte la Difensa and Anzio in Italy and in the invasion of southern France.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459709669
Publisher:	Dundurn Press
Publication date:	06/29/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	408
Sales rank:	971,964
File size:	10 MB

About the Author

Colonel Bernd Horn is an experienced Canadian Forces infantry officer and military educator. He has authored, co-authored, or edited more than 35 books, including No Easy Task: Fighting in Afghanistan and No Lack of Courage: Operation Medusa, Afghanistan. Dr. Horn lives in Kingston, Ontario.

Michel Wyczynski has worked at Library and Archives Canada for more than three decades, primarily in political and military archives. With Colonel Horn, he co-authored Tip of the Spear and Paras Versus the Reich. He lives in Ottawa, Ontario.

Colonel Bernd Horn is a retired Regular Force infantry officer and military educator. Dr. Horn has authored, co-authored, and edited more than forty books, including A Most Ungentlemanly Way of War: The SOE and the Canadian Connection and No Ordinary Men: Special Operations Forces Missions in Afghanistan. He lives in Kingston, Ontario.

Michel Wyczynski has worked at Library and Archives Canada for more than three decades, primarily in political and military archives. With Colonel Horn, he co-authored Tip of the Spear and Paras Versus the Reich. He lives in Ottawa.

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword
Introduction 
Chapter 1  A Few Desperate Men: The Rise of Commandos and the Raiding Concept
Chapter 2 “Mastery of the Snows”: The Plough Project 
Chapter 3  A Growing Web: The Canadian Connection  
Chapter 4 “Hazardous Duty”: Recruiting and Selecting the Force
Chapter 5 The Other War: The Bureaucratic Battle to Sustain the Canadian Component of the    FSSF 
Chapter 6 Forging The Forcemen: Two Distinct Identities - One Common Legacy 
Chapter 7  No Room for Weakness: Training for the Plough Project
Chapter 8 Without Hesitation: Creating a Potent Striking Force   
Chapter 9 Kiska: The Battle That Never Was   
Chapter 10 Where Eagles Dare: Mount La Difensa
Chapter 11 Death in the Mountains: Mount Majo 
Chapter 12 Anzio and the Race to Rome   
Chapter 13  To the Bitter End: Operation Dragoon and Advance Through Southern France  
Chapter 14 Disbandment 
Chapter 15 Epilogue
ANNEXES:
Annex A Consent to Serve Declaration Form
Annex B The FSSF and Operation Jupiter - A Historical Clarification
GLOSSARY
INDEX
ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Editorial Reviews

08/19/2013
As England suffered bombardment early in the Second World War, a new type of soldier emerged to fight back—the multifaceted, shadow warrior. Horn (No Easy Task: Fighting in Afghanistan) and Wyczynski (Tip of the Spear) pay homage to the intrepid forerunner of the Canadian and American special forces, the First Special Service Force, in this broad study of its short existence. The authors follow the FSSF from the planning stages of the commando concept, to their grueling training, through the abrupt change of their major objective, to their gritty, gory campaigns and subsequent disbandment before the end of the war. The joint American-Canadian force represented a unique partnership between the allies, on both a political level and a personal one. The authors describe the amusement of the Canadian and American trainees as they met for the first time in a strange mixture of kilts, ‘pink' trousers, bagpipes and cavalry hats on a base in Montana. This is a scholarly read and presumes readers' familiarity with warfare. Period photographs and extensive quotes from military leaders and Forcemen acquaint readers with the human faces behind the black boot polish that contributed to the FSSF's well-deserved nickname: ‘Black Devils.' (July)

Publishers Weekly

A well-researched book that chronicles this unit’s short yet unique existence.

Esprit de Corps

This is an intrinsically suspenseful story of personal and collective valour in a high-stakes setting where the greater cause – the defeat of tyranny – validates all risk.

Ontario Historical Society Bulletin

"This is an intrinsically suspenseful story of personal and collective valour in a high-stakes setting where the greater cause – the defeat of tyranny – validates all risk."

From the Publisher