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  • 2SAS

  • Bill Stirling and the Forgotten Special Forces Unit of World War II
  • By: Gavin Mortimer
  • Narrated by: John Hopkins
  • Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (1 rating)

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2SAS

By: Gavin Mortimer
Narrated by: John Hopkins
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Publisher's Summary

Drawing on recently declassified files and interviews with veterans, this is a fascinating history of Bill Stirling and 2SAS – pioneering founders of modern special forces.

David Stirling is the name synonymous with the wartime SAS, but the real brains behind the operation was in fact Bill Stirling, David’s eldest brother. Bill was described in the SAS War Diary as a ‘man from the shadows’; it was an apt description for, unlike his attention seeking brother, Bill shunned the spotlight. Now for the first time the truth – and the triumph – of 2SAS is revealed.

Having originally joined the SOE in March 1940, Bill Stirling sailed for Cairo in 1941 and there had the idea for a small special forces unit to be led by his mercurial brother. But despite some success, David allowed the legendary 1SAS to drift under his leadership. Following his capture, Bill re-directed 2SAS, under his personal command, to the strategy he had originally envisaged: parachuting behind enemy lines to gather intelligence.

This compelling history details how 2SAS fought with ingenuity and aggression, from Italy and then into France before heading through Holland into Germany. The unit was capable of attacking by parachute, jeep or landing craft, establishing a template for future special forces’ operations. Their feats have been overshadowed by the many books that have focused on David and 1SAS. 2SAS corrects this oversight, revealing that the real innovator was Bill Stirling – the true pioneer of Who Dares Wins.
©2023 Gavin Mortimer (P)2023 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
World War II Special & Elite Forces Military
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Critic Reviews

Vivid and meticulously researched... Gavin Mortimer has certainly done the history of the SAS justice in this book. (Paul de Zulueta)

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An important addition

Good to have a book that focuses on the role of Bill Stirling and the unique characteristics and circumstances of 2SAS. A lot of the material will be familiar, but the book is well written and read and worth your time.

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