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War correspondent, film producer, and writer: many MHM readers will already know Damien Lewis’s work. In his latest book about British Special Forces, he presents five more hair-raising accounts of WWII escapes.
‘Escapes’, that is, in the broader sense, since – while some of the action covers POW breakouts – much of it deals with their missions behind enemy lines and their subsequent efforts to get back to base. The pace is breathless, and the action full-on, to the extent that it can be difficult to remember that this is not fiction. For those who enjoy detailed military adventure, this is hard to beat.
The book is an exciting page-turner, but it is also informative. As if by osmosis, the reader will have a much better grasp of exactly how these pioneering organisations worked by its final chapter. Culture, tactics, leadership, and training are all explored as the stories unfold. For example, one recurring theme is that of social egalitarianism, which several of the accounts mention. By the standards of the British armed forces of the time, it becomes clear that the SAS and SBS had a rather modern feel. Class prejudice was largely absent, as they focused relentlessly on effectiveness. This was what the Special Forces were all about.
The tactics and kit are equally well covered, and equally fascinating. Snipers were issued with bespoke rifles, calibrated precisely for their own eyesight. Usually outnumbered, Special Forces raiders used aggression, surprise, and innovation to even the odds, with bluff and audacity winning the day.
Of course, the characters emerge too. Lewis is careful to describe their backgrounds, and to follow up where he can with details of what became of them after the war. Making flesh and blood of these astonishing exploits, this approach also speaks of a meticulous research effort. Generalisations are tricky, but the impression left is of mavericks who don’t fit within conventional military culture. Away from the action, there is occasional indiscipline, and more than a hint of the psychological trauma such experiences can leave behind. There is a price to be paid here.
The book has a strong Mediterranean focus, mostly covering operations in North Africa, Italy, the Aegean, and Albania. Lewis’s other SAS volumes have described their work in north-west Europe. Chronologically, this work spans the war from the earliest exploits of the regiment in 1941 through to the role of the SBS in northern Italy in April 1945.
Operations in Italy bookend the account and exemplify the author’s facility with culture and place. We read of an astonishing escape from a hospital in Florence, agonising moral choices when dealing with hostile civilians, and, of course, about working with partisans. Hypothermic British soldiers are smothered in goose fat and given shelter by an old man they never see again; dirt-poor families risk their lives. Thus we are also reminded of the kindness of strangers. The chaos of Italy during this period is very well captured.
The book closes with generous acknowledgements to those who made it possible, in particular the families of the participants. Letters and memoirs have been extensively mined, bringing to life these extraordinary soldiers, nearly all of whom have now left us. Importantly for our times, and for anyone who values history, Lewis pays tribute, as well, to the various national archives he has been able to draw on. Long may that continue.
Some would characterise this book as populist or sensationalist. And, for many, all five volumes would be too much. But there is nothing wrong with fast-moving adventure stories, especially when they are as well written as this. Such issues are ultimately a matter of taste. What is incontestable, though, is that – as Lewis asserts – these stories must be told.
REVIEW BY ANDREW MULHOLLAND
SAS: Great Escapes 5
Damien Lewis
Quercus, hbk, 312pp (£22)
ISBN 978-1529448245
