The SBS in World War II: An Illustrated History

by Gavin Mortimer

Overview

The Special Boat Squadron was Britain's most exclusive Special Forces unit during World War II. Highly trained, totally secretive, and utterly ruthless, the SBS was established as an entity in its own right in early 1943, having previously operated under the auspices of the SAS during the war in North Africa. Unlike its sister unit, which numbered more than one thousand men, the SBS never comprised more than one hundred. 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.

By the end of the war they had served in Italy, the Balkans, and mainland Greece, and following the cessation of hostilities, their deeds were airbrushed out of history by an establishment that had never warmed to their piratical exploits. Through unrivaled access to the SBS archives and interviews with the surviving members of the unit, Gavin Mortimer has pieced together the dramatic exploits of this elite fighting force, illustrated with images of their daring actions, finally granting the unit the recognition they so richly deserve.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472811134
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	05/24/2016
Series:	General Military
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.80(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Gavin Mortimer is the author of Stirling's Men, a groundbreaking history of the early operations of the SAS, The SAS in World War II: An Illustrated History, and The Daring Dozen. An award-winning writer, Gavin has previously written for the Telegraph, the Sunday Telegraph, the Observer, and Esquire, and contributes to a wide range of newspapers and magazines from BBC History to the American Military History Quarterly. He has also lectured on the SAS in World War II at the National Army Museum.

Table of Contents

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

Editorial Reviews

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

From the Publisher