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The more one studies Churchill in the early stages of the war, the more in awe one is.
I became interested in the subject when…
About 25 years ago, I was on assignment in what is now South Sudan and my security guy happened to be former SAS. He told me the story of Operation Barras – the extraordinary hostage rescue mission by the SAS in Sierra Leone in 2000 – and I wrote Operation Certain Death about it. When you start writing about more contemporary special-forces operations, I think you then have to look at the beginnings, and that takes you back to World War II. So that’s really where it all began.
Growing up I was fascinated by…
Any kind of foreign cultures, foreign places, and foreign history. In my early 20s, I visited a host of off-the-beaten-track places; I remember being in the Burmese jungle and elderly Karen tribeswomen coming up with their Second World War medals, which they had earned when they fought with the British as part of the Chindits.
My favourite period or conflict…
It has to be World War II, because one is always finding new stories that haven’t been told. Some of these files are only just being released, and there are others that are still closed, so one can only imagine what secrets they conceal. There are also parts of the conflict that just never saw the light of day, and many of the units involved had an ingrained culture of secrecy so missions simply weren’t talked about.
The figure I most admire…
I’d have to pick Churchill. In 1939, Britain and its dominions went to war in solidarity with an allied nation, in defence of democracy and freedom, and stood alone for the best part of two years fighting against what seemed to be insurmountable odds. I believe Churchill is the person who made that possible, and the more one studies him in those very early stages of the war, the more in awe one is of his vision, his single-mindedness, and his strength. I’d also like to meet the commander of the SAS for most of the war, Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne.
My dream dinner party…
It would be me cooking, at home, and the guests would include Churchill and Paddy Mayne, but I’d also love to have the actors Tom Holland and Zendaya, because my daughter recently showed me an amazing clip of Tom Holland performing a song by Rihanna… and this is related to history! I wrote a biography of Josephine Baker, who was ‘the world’s most famous woman’ before the war and then became an incredible spy, and we’re currently trying to bring this story to the big screen. One of the people we’ve imagined might play Josephine is Rihanna, and when I saw this video, I thought Tom Holland would be great as Jacques Abtey, a Deuxième Bureau chap and seasoned spy who was Josephine’s right-hand man, and became her lover during the war.
A novel I’d recommend…
I just recently read All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, which is a brilliant evocation of World War II. Then I read Cloud Cuckoo Land by the same author, which is set in more ancient history, and I thought it was even better.
My favourite war film…
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024) is good fun – but then again, it’s an adaptation of my own book, so it’s got to be up there! I might also go for Where Eagles Dare (1968), because they just don’t make them like that any more.
A museum to get lost in…
Bletchley Park is amazing. It’s not like a museum: they’ve really brought the experience of working there alive. And it’s such an important part of Second World War history which isn’t known about enough.
Something I learned recently…
I learned recently that Ian Fleming set up a unit in WWII, which was eventually known as 30 Assault Unit, whose mission was to seize the enemy’s secret technology and scientists. Fleming took from all those missions, and the key characters, material for the James Bond novels.
My next project…
In October, I’m publishing a book that I’m very attached to. Several years ago, a guy called Paul Gibson sent me a manuscript that his father had written about his experiences in special forces during the war, and it was extraordinary. I’ve just finished writing up the story of him and his patrol: it’s called Behind Enemy Lines, and it’s a cracking tale of diehard heroism and a number of missions wherein a few good men changed the course of WWII. I’m also releasing a new book this month: SAS Great Escapes 5.
Damien Lewis is a former war reporter turned best-selling author. He has written dozens of books, covering topics including the Second World War and the history of the SAS, as well as multiple biographies and memoirs. A number of these works have been adapted for film, TV, and the stage. His latest book, SAS Great Escapes 5 (Quercus, £22), is out now. Damien Lewis is also speaking at multiple events across the UK over the coming months, find a full list of dates and book tickets here: https://geni.us/DamienLewis_Events.
Images: Nick Gregan; National Army Museum; Wikimedia Commons
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