THE SAS IN 1943

THE SAS IN 1943:
OPERATIONS IN SICILY & ITALY.
by Gavin Mortimer. 

If you have been watching the second season of 'SAS Rogue Heroes', then you will have followed the story of the men leaving behind the North African desert for Sicily and Italy.
This book tells the real story of what happened during that period. 

The 1st SAS Regiment had now become the Special Raiding Service (SRS) commanded by Paddy Mayne, with a 2nd SAS Regiment also now formed.
Gavin introduces readers to many of the men involved and includes many of their own first-hand accounts and photographs throughout the book.

The operations in both Sicily and Italy targeted a range of enemy occupied defences and towns. Often smaller groups of men were sent futher behind the lines, arriving by either parachute or boat, to blow up trains and bridges in an effort to stop reinforcements and supplies reaching the frontline.
It was also interesting to learn of the attempts to round-up and bring back Allied POW's who were now wandering around Italy after they left their camps following the Italian Armistice. 
These raids varied in their success with one particular operation (Maple) suffering high losses of either men killed, wounded or taken prisoner. This also included men who were 'missing' and whose fate is still unknown today.

For anyone interested in visiting the areas and locations covered in the book, the final chapter is a useful guide which also includes several cemeteries where those killed were finally laid to rest.

I have a collection of Gavin's books covering the different Special Forces of the second world war. This fascinating and enjoyable book will prove great company to those that I have previously enjoyed reading. 

The hardback edition is available now, published by Pen & Sword Books. 
I thank P&S for this review copy. 



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