Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Broadway Books (2017), Edition: Reprint, 400 pages
Description
Britain's Special Air Service--or SAS--was the brainchild of David Stirling, a young, gadabout aristocrat with a remarkable strategic mind. Where his colleagues looked at a map of World War II's African theater and saw a protracted struggle with Rommel's desert forces, Stirling saw an opportunity: given a small number of elite, well-trained men, he could parachute behind Nazi lines and sabotage their airplanes and supplies. Paired with his constitutional opposite, the disciplined martinet Jock Lewes, Stirling assembled a revolutionary fighting force that would upend not just the balance of the war, but the nature of combat itself. He faced no little resistance from those who found his tactics ungentlemanly or beyond the pale, but in the SAS's remarkable exploits facing the Nazis in the Africa and then on the Continent can be found the seeds of nearly all special forces units that would follow. Bringing his keen eye for psychological detail to a riveting wartime narrative, Ben Macintyre uses his unprecedented access to SAS archives to shine a light inside a legendary unit long shrouded in secrecy. The result is not just a tremendous war story, but a fascinating group portrait of men of whom history and country asked the most.--Adapted from dust jacket and publisher description.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member irregularreader
This book is utterly fascinating. In 1942, in the deserts of Northern Africa, a brutal war was being waged. The victor of this front would gain a great advantage in the overall scheme of World War II.
Enter a rather peculiar soldier. David Stirling was an aristocratic Scot with many Scarlet
Macintyre used the war diary of the SAS, a compilation of primary documents about the unit from its founding in 1942 through 1946, for his source material for this book. This recently unclassified document has provided Macintyre with a rich canvas to write this history of the SAS, which he does with wry humor and masterful storytelling. The story of the origins of the SAS rightly belongs in the realm of legend, and Macintyre does their story justice. The primary players in forming the unit are realized as actual people, and vividly brought into focus by the author.
While this is a history book, the fast pacing and accessible narrative makes this a good choice even for those who normally don't read the genre. Any one with an interest in military or WWII history will find this book fascinating.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Rogue Heroes is currently available for purchase.
Enter a rather peculiar soldier. David Stirling was an aristocratic Scot with many Scarlet
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Pimpernel-esque traits. He hated discipline, could often be found enjoying the local alcohol or women, and was generally regarded as something of a dandy. But Stirling envisioned an entirely new way to wage war. Rather than the more conventional warfare practiced in WWI, where two large armies threw themselves at one another until a victor emerged, Stirling wanted to create a small, highly trained unit which could operate secretly behind enemy lines and cause maximum disruption to the Axis war machine. Old-school higher-ups viewed this as a unsporting, but with a combination of charm and family connections, Stirling was able to put together his very own squadron of rogues and misfits. Thus the SAS was born.Macintyre used the war diary of the SAS, a compilation of primary documents about the unit from its founding in 1942 through 1946, for his source material for this book. This recently unclassified document has provided Macintyre with a rich canvas to write this history of the SAS, which he does with wry humor and masterful storytelling. The story of the origins of the SAS rightly belongs in the realm of legend, and Macintyre does their story justice. The primary players in forming the unit are realized as actual people, and vividly brought into focus by the author.
While this is a history book, the fast pacing and accessible narrative makes this a good choice even for those who normally don't read the genre. Any one with an interest in military or WWII history will find this book fascinating.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Rogue Heroes is currently available for purchase.
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LibraryThing member Oberon
Rogue Heroes is the story of the founding of the British SAS, the Special Air Service.
Being raised by a military historian, I was familiar with the SAS from a young age. For reasons I can't fully explain, I always admired the SAS fighting knife (also called a Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife) as it
Rogue Heroes certainly offers plenty of secret missions and daring attacks. It also details the reality of such exploits, that there are lots of times that the good guys don't come home.
Rogue Heroes makes it clear that much of the SAS sprang from the ambition and determination of its first commander, David Stirling. Frustrated by out of date tactics and driven by a belief that hit and run tactics and operations focused on spreading chaos could result in a few, well trained soldiers having far more impact than their numbers, Stirling persuaded the British Army to create his own force. He did so my recruiting an odd collection of soldiers, many of whom struggled, like Stirling, with the obligation of being an ordinary soldier following orders.
What I did not appreciate until reading this book was how much of the early days of the SAS was defined by desert warfare in North Africa. While the SAS did do some parachuting (hence the Air in the title) much of its early techniques were honed in attempting to thwart Rommel's conquest of North Africa.
Stirling succeeded beyond expectations. That success, combined with the canny use of Winston Churchill's son to spread the story of the success, resulted in a rapid expansion of the SAS. By war's end, the SAS had established itself as an elite special forces group that would continue to serve the British army after WWII.
Rogue Heroes is well written and engaging. It does a good job of fleshing out the character of the individuals who first joined the unit. The loss of some of them in action and by accident feels like a real loss to the reader. Recommended for any WWII enthusiast.
Being raised by a military historian, I was familiar with the SAS from a young age. For reasons I can't fully explain, I always admired the SAS fighting knife (also called a Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife) as it
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seemed to typify the silent commando carrying out daring infiltrations behind enemy lines. The SAS were just these sort of commandos.Rogue Heroes certainly offers plenty of secret missions and daring attacks. It also details the reality of such exploits, that there are lots of times that the good guys don't come home.
Rogue Heroes makes it clear that much of the SAS sprang from the ambition and determination of its first commander, David Stirling. Frustrated by out of date tactics and driven by a belief that hit and run tactics and operations focused on spreading chaos could result in a few, well trained soldiers having far more impact than their numbers, Stirling persuaded the British Army to create his own force. He did so my recruiting an odd collection of soldiers, many of whom struggled, like Stirling, with the obligation of being an ordinary soldier following orders.
What I did not appreciate until reading this book was how much of the early days of the SAS was defined by desert warfare in North Africa. While the SAS did do some parachuting (hence the Air in the title) much of its early techniques were honed in attempting to thwart Rommel's conquest of North Africa.
Stirling succeeded beyond expectations. That success, combined with the canny use of Winston Churchill's son to spread the story of the success, resulted in a rapid expansion of the SAS. By war's end, the SAS had established itself as an elite special forces group that would continue to serve the British army after WWII.
Rogue Heroes is well written and engaging. It does a good job of fleshing out the character of the individuals who first joined the unit. The loss of some of them in action and by accident feels like a real loss to the reader. Recommended for any WWII enthusiast.
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LibraryThing member kristenembers
So I received an uncorrected proof of this book and was looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately, the proof was so uncorrected that 52 of the first 100 pages were blank. That is, pages 1 and 2 were blank, 3,4 and 5 were okay 6 was blank, 10 and 11 blank, etc. I am therefore unable to read or
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review it. Show Less
LibraryThing member JCGirl
Rogue Heroes tells the story of the men of the Britain’s Special Air Service (SAS) behind the lines during World War 2, creating the start of what we now know as guerrilla warfare. These men are the heroes of War World II, and many gave their lives to defeat the Germans. SAS was the start of what
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would be the special forces in many countries. Very informative I wish the books had some pictures of the men and their equipment because it would nice to see into the eyes of these brave men. Ben Macintyre yet again doesn't disappointment with Rogue Heroes; I recommend his book Double Cross. Show Less
LibraryThing member bulldog
Ben Macintyre tells the story of the formation of the SAS, the first special forces unit in modern warfare. Macintyre was given unparalleled access to the archives of the SAS and the few remaining original veterans in order to write a history of the unit's formation. If you enjoyed Agent Zigzag or
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Operation Mincemeat (as I did), then you will definitely appreciate Rogue Heroes. The story of the SAS and their early exploits is a story of outside-the-box thinking mingled with a good bit of luck. I found it quite enjoyable overall, though Macintyre seemed compelled to provide a statement or hypothesis about every major character's sexual orientation, which was distracting and felt agenda-driven. Show Less
LibraryThing member DeaconBernie
It's not often that a book is published in the USA about the exploits of a small British Army unit. The contrast between British and the US approach to small unit tactics is quite blunt. There seems to be an extraordinary effort on the part of the British to find humor as a way to deal with extreme
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tension and danger. The story in Rogue Heroes is excellent but it just seems as if Macintyre tells it in a very dispassionate manner. True, he does give some human acknowledgment at the end but the day to day activities come across as dull (as they probably were given the field of battle) but even the action time is clearly restrained. Even so, I'm glad I read this and would recommend it to anyone who wants to fill in blanks that still remain in the story of World War II. Show Less
LibraryThing member GaryKbookworm
I have recently been reading history of World War 2 and have just finished Rick Atkinson's excellent history trilogy on that subject. The things that struck me most about those works was the bravery of all those young men who participated in those bloody battles throughout those terrible years. I
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was intrigued by the special forces who put their lives on the line during every engagement so my interest in Mr. Macintyre's book was heightened and I was not disappointed. His cast of characters read like fiction and he weaves his story from details of each man and their secret missions behind enemy lines. I encourage anyone who has an interest on the men who fought during World War 2 to read this book. You will not be disappointed and you will come away with a greater respect for anyone who has ever served in the armed forces. Show Less
LibraryThing member Alliebadger
I requested this book from Early Reviewers because I absolutely loved Double Cross, also by Ben Macintyre. But since I'm not a WWII buff, this wasn't nearly as interesting to me. I probably just prefer spy stories to traditional battles, but I think military histories just aren't my thing. I was
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interested at many points of the story, but I got bored when it was the same sort of story many times over. I would also lose track of the characters and couldn't remember who had done what earlier in the book. But I think that if you like learning about WWII, or military campaigns in general, this will be a great choice for you. Show Less
LibraryThing member tnilsson
Ben Macintyre stresses that his book, Rogue Heroes: The History of the SAS, Britain's Secret Special Forces Unit that Sabotaged the Nazis and Changed the Nature of War, is an authorized, but not official, history of the Special Air Service. That means that Macintyre obtained access to the SAS’s
Macintyre’s book traces the history of the Special Air Service from the time of its formation in 1941 to its “official” end in 1945. He includes only a short discussion of the SAS’s continuation after the end of WWII, and a short post-script setting forth the afterlives of the members of the SAS that he has most prominently discussed in his book. Such a history could easily end up becoming a dry recitation of names and dates and missions. But Macintyre’s book is anything but dry. Macintyre hasn’t tried to write a comprehensive history of the SAS; rather, he has focused what he considered key individuals and events, omitting many of both and focusing much more on British elements of the SAS than on its French, Greek, and Belgian elements. Macintyre also generally omitted mention of the history of the Special Boat Squadron, which split off from the SAS in the spring of 1943.
Macintyre’s book is a compelling read. Macintyre starts his story off strong with a brief prologue describing the beginning of the SAS’s first mission in Libya in November 1941. He then leaves his readers hanging as to what happens, backtracking to June 1941 to explain the events leading to the November mission. It’s a compelling start and Macintyre rarely lets the pace drop, carrying his readers along with the members of the SAS as they carry out missions in Libya and elsewhere in Africa and then move on to Italy and Germany. Though the story loses some of its romance as the SAS leaves Africa for Europe, that’s not due to any fault of the author, but due to changes in SAS leadership and in the leadership of the British forces in general.
I don’t want to give too much of this fascinating story away. Suffice it to say that I couldn’t put Macintyre’s book down and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the history of this period or military history in general. It’s a very readable and entertaining introduction to a group of very impressive people with more inventiveness, daring, and courage than one generally sees in life. Highly recommended.
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archives (including the SAS’s “War Diary,” a single volume consisting of more than 500 pages of original documents gathered by an SAS officer in 1946, kept secret for 70 years following WWII), but was free to express his own opinions of the people and events described, not the official SAS view of those people and events.Macintyre’s book traces the history of the Special Air Service from the time of its formation in 1941 to its “official” end in 1945. He includes only a short discussion of the SAS’s continuation after the end of WWII, and a short post-script setting forth the afterlives of the members of the SAS that he has most prominently discussed in his book. Such a history could easily end up becoming a dry recitation of names and dates and missions. But Macintyre’s book is anything but dry. Macintyre hasn’t tried to write a comprehensive history of the SAS; rather, he has focused what he considered key individuals and events, omitting many of both and focusing much more on British elements of the SAS than on its French, Greek, and Belgian elements. Macintyre also generally omitted mention of the history of the Special Boat Squadron, which split off from the SAS in the spring of 1943.
Macintyre’s book is a compelling read. Macintyre starts his story off strong with a brief prologue describing the beginning of the SAS’s first mission in Libya in November 1941. He then leaves his readers hanging as to what happens, backtracking to June 1941 to explain the events leading to the November mission. It’s a compelling start and Macintyre rarely lets the pace drop, carrying his readers along with the members of the SAS as they carry out missions in Libya and elsewhere in Africa and then move on to Italy and Germany. Though the story loses some of its romance as the SAS leaves Africa for Europe, that’s not due to any fault of the author, but due to changes in SAS leadership and in the leadership of the British forces in general.
I don’t want to give too much of this fascinating story away. Suffice it to say that I couldn’t put Macintyre’s book down and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the history of this period or military history in general. It’s a very readable and entertaining introduction to a group of very impressive people with more inventiveness, daring, and courage than one generally sees in life. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member bbrad
Ben Macintyre has produced yet another well-written, thoroughly researched page-turner of a book on British wartime deeds and bureaucratic maneuverings. See, LT reviews of his "A Spy Among Friends."
This is the story of the creation and activities of what came to be called the Special Air Services
His brief experience as a commando produced a major injury and Stirling's conclusion that "[t]he commando forces were simply too large and cumbersome to launch an assault without being spotted; the element of surprise was immediately lost." He convinced his British superiors in Egypt (helped a bit by his Scottish pedigreed connections) that "[i]f mobile teams of highly trained men, under cover of darkness, could be infiltrated on to the enemy's desert flank, they might be able to sabotage airfields, supply depots, communications links, railways and roads, and then slip back into the embracing emptiness of the sand sea." The precursor to SAS was formed to be such "mobile teams."
Part One of the book recounts in great detail the personnel of the growing SAS and its exploits in the Libyan and Egyptian desert. The attacks were extremely courageous. The mistakes are reported as well as the successes. No details are spared of the gruesome injuries and deaths on both sides. The idiosyncrasies and sometimes bizarre personality traits of the SAS fighters are dully disclosed.
After the German Afrika Corps was driven out of Northern Africa, the SAS, now growing in men (and a few women), moved to Italy and then to France, chasing the Germans northwards (Part Two). Fighting on European terrain required adjustments. And, unlike in the almost uninhabited desert, revenge on the European civilian population by the Germans, after SAS's successful raids, makes unpleasant reading.
Macintyre stresses throughout that the stealth, mobile, penetrating warfare perfected by SAS continues to influence fighting today, including anti-terrorism strikes by the United States and its allies. "In tactics and intentions, American and British special forces still follow the principles pioneered by the SAS in the desert more than seventy years ago."
The book seems extremely well sourced. Although this review copy had no bibliography or notes, the author tells us that his primary source was the "SAS War Diary", compiled in 1946 from original documents and over 500 pages in length. It has recently been declassified.
The book is a valuable addition to WWII literature. But more than that, it is an intimate portrayal of brave, dedicated soldiers and the risks they took while engaging in this new warfare.
This is the story of the creation and activities of what came to be called the Special Air Services
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(SAS), a small fighting unit meant to penetrate the Axis front lines, first in North Africa and later in Europe, and do damage to troops and materiel. The creator was a young aristocratic Scotsman named David Stirling (later SIR David Stirling for his military accomplishments). Stirling flunked out of Cambridge, failed as an aspiring artist in Paris, failed as an architecture student and worked as a cowboy in Mexico. At age 24, when Britain entered WWII, Stirling left Mexico to enlist and become part of a commando unit in Egypt.His brief experience as a commando produced a major injury and Stirling's conclusion that "[t]he commando forces were simply too large and cumbersome to launch an assault without being spotted; the element of surprise was immediately lost." He convinced his British superiors in Egypt (helped a bit by his Scottish pedigreed connections) that "[i]f mobile teams of highly trained men, under cover of darkness, could be infiltrated on to the enemy's desert flank, they might be able to sabotage airfields, supply depots, communications links, railways and roads, and then slip back into the embracing emptiness of the sand sea." The precursor to SAS was formed to be such "mobile teams."
Part One of the book recounts in great detail the personnel of the growing SAS and its exploits in the Libyan and Egyptian desert. The attacks were extremely courageous. The mistakes are reported as well as the successes. No details are spared of the gruesome injuries and deaths on both sides. The idiosyncrasies and sometimes bizarre personality traits of the SAS fighters are dully disclosed.
After the German Afrika Corps was driven out of Northern Africa, the SAS, now growing in men (and a few women), moved to Italy and then to France, chasing the Germans northwards (Part Two). Fighting on European terrain required adjustments. And, unlike in the almost uninhabited desert, revenge on the European civilian population by the Germans, after SAS's successful raids, makes unpleasant reading.
Macintyre stresses throughout that the stealth, mobile, penetrating warfare perfected by SAS continues to influence fighting today, including anti-terrorism strikes by the United States and its allies. "In tactics and intentions, American and British special forces still follow the principles pioneered by the SAS in the desert more than seventy years ago."
The book seems extremely well sourced. Although this review copy had no bibliography or notes, the author tells us that his primary source was the "SAS War Diary", compiled in 1946 from original documents and over 500 pages in length. It has recently been declassified.
The book is a valuable addition to WWII literature. But more than that, it is an intimate portrayal of brave, dedicated soldiers and the risks they took while engaging in this new warfare.
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LibraryThing member Eliz12
Ben Macintyre is one of those rare figures who knows how to write well and does impeccable research. It is always a pleasure to read his books, though the subject matter is difficult.
"Rogue Heroes" offers a compelling look at the SAS, a group of complicated and daring men. Macintyre takes readers
There is quite a collection of figures here - Paddy Mayne, for example - who will surprise you, and you will never forget. And what these men accomplished is profoundly impressive.
The only difficulty I had with this book is that it comprised a series of vignettes that often left me wanting more of the personal details and less of the war facts and made for challenging continuity. It is one story - that of the SAS - but each chapter is really an account itself. I wanted to learn more about the men's families, their backgrounds, their likes and dislikes. I wanted to know them as people, not just soldiers. Coming to learn about the men helps us care about them, and so makes their suffering all the more difficult for readers - as it should be.
I learned a lot reading this book, and I'm appreciative that I had a chance to be reminded what extraordinary human beings stepped forward at a time when we needed them most.
"Rogue Heroes" offers a compelling look at the SAS, a group of complicated and daring men. Macintyre takes readers
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along through their exploits in WWII, into extremely dangerous situations and the most brutal conditions, not just the terrible realities of battle but the hunger and thirst and leaving behind friends because they've been wounded, and you've got to go forward with a job.There is quite a collection of figures here - Paddy Mayne, for example - who will surprise you, and you will never forget. And what these men accomplished is profoundly impressive.
The only difficulty I had with this book is that it comprised a series of vignettes that often left me wanting more of the personal details and less of the war facts and made for challenging continuity. It is one story - that of the SAS - but each chapter is really an account itself. I wanted to learn more about the men's families, their backgrounds, their likes and dislikes. I wanted to know them as people, not just soldiers. Coming to learn about the men helps us care about them, and so makes their suffering all the more difficult for readers - as it should be.
I learned a lot reading this book, and I'm appreciative that I had a chance to be reminded what extraordinary human beings stepped forward at a time when we needed them most.
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LibraryThing member jnwelch
Ben Macintyre is an expert at telling war and spy stories, and his Rogue Heroes is another success. This ER book is an authorized WWII history of Britain’s Special Air Service, founded by idiosyncratic David Stirling, a "sideways thinker" who was looking for an unorthodox way to help beat Hitler.
This is an excellent read, and I recommend it to any Macintyre fans and WWII history buffs, or those who simply enjoy a well-told history-based story. For me, it nonetheless didn't quite measure up to his Agent Zigzag or A Spy Among Friends. This was mainly because there was no way to center it around a single character as was done in those books, although Stirling and his second in command Paddy Mayne feature prominently. Without that, there was a bit of a feeling of going from battle to battle with changing casts. But that's a minor quibble for an another topnotch outing from this author, involving a little known but key piece of the WWII conflict.
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It's based on previously unavailable SAS archives and a "war diary" collection of original documents gathered in 1946 that werre only recently made available. The SAS members were Foreign Legion types, that is, adventurous non-rule followers, some from rough backgrounds, some from the upper class, some from other countries. They volunteered for an unprecedented style of attacks behind enemy lines, first in North Africa against Rommel's forces, and later in Europe. Initially, they would sneak into German airfields and destroy airplanes and other valuable vehicles and cargo. Later they received Jeeps refitted with weaponry and carried out all-terrain missions of destruction and upheaval. They learned on the run, and showed amazing courage in taking on desperate situations. Their efforts helped turned the tide in Egypt and elsewhere, and the SAS became the model for U.S. Special Forces and similar units in other countries.This is an excellent read, and I recommend it to any Macintyre fans and WWII history buffs, or those who simply enjoy a well-told history-based story. For me, it nonetheless didn't quite measure up to his Agent Zigzag or A Spy Among Friends. This was mainly because there was no way to center it around a single character as was done in those books, although Stirling and his second in command Paddy Mayne feature prominently. Without that, there was a bit of a feeling of going from battle to battle with changing casts. But that's a minor quibble for an another topnotch outing from this author, involving a little known but key piece of the WWII conflict.
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LibraryThing member hermit
The author Ben Macintyre has written a narrative history of the founding and actions of the SAS during World War II. He based his writing mainly sourcing the SAS own war diary. This war diary was written by one of their own officers decades after the events had taken place.
It is an interesting and
It is an interesting and
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fast read that covers what seems to be their unvarnished early history. Their actions were spectacular when initiated on their own, whether failure or success. The methods and tactics used were original and formed the bases for special forces that would follow. The book does not go into to as much depth as I would like but is still an informative read. Show Less
LibraryThing member lubazuck
Macintyre did a thorough research on this book and in great detail. Britain special forces played an important role in World War II.
LibraryThing member AdamNu
This was the first book by Ben Macintyre and the first book about the SAS that I've read, and I must say it was a pleasure. It offers a unique perspective due to the secretiveness of the SAS, but also illustrates the universally remembered change from a war for gentlemen to a brutal and
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bloodthirsty fight. Macintyre provides a well researched history of the unit and presents it is a way fitting for those soldiers: fast paced, blunt, and exciting. Show Less
LibraryThing member btuckertx
I've read several of Ben McIntyre's books over the last year or two, and have always found them to be a fun, interesting read. Rather than take on the complex strategy of an entire war, he picks at the threads that make up the entire fabric. This is a page-turning look at Britain's Special Air
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Service, made up of brave, daring men who attacked Axis targets in the deserts, and along the coast. I heartily recommend it to anyone interested in exploring one of the quirkier aspects of the North African and European theaters of World War II. Show Less
LibraryThing member rufusraider
Rogue Heroes by Ben Macintyre provides a very good look at the early history of Britain's SAS. The story starts with the forming of the SAS in the North African desert while Britain was trying to prevent the capture of Egypt by the Axis forces.
What I liked best about this book was that it did not
I would like to hear more of the stories of the SAS after WW II to see how it has changed. I would like to hear stories of the other special operations troops that other countries have told in this same manner.
What I liked best about this book was that it did not
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just tell you the history of the unit and the battles they fought. You got to know the men who were in the unit and founding officers/NCOs. This was a very unusual group of characters who formed the SAS. It pointed out their strengths, weaknesses, and foibles. The book covers both the good and bad moments that occurred during WW II for the SAS. It was not a candy coated history of the unit that is meant to make it into a group of heroes who saved Britain's rear end in the North African campaign and later.I would like to hear more of the stories of the SAS after WW II to see how it has changed. I would like to hear stories of the other special operations troops that other countries have told in this same manner.
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LibraryThing member dpappas
I am always interested in reading about WWII and I can't get enough from Ben Macintyre so I knew that this would be a book that I would really enjoy. Ben Macintyre's writing is never dry and boring. He always manages to introduce readers to such fascinating people. That was definitely the case
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here. I haven't read much at all about the SAS so it was nice to get to read something new. I would definitely recommend this for anyone interested in WWII. Show Less
LibraryThing member kvrfan
The exploits of Special Forces teams--e.g. Delta Force, SEAL Team 6, etc.--have always carried a certain cachet. But before there were any others, there was Britain's Special Air Service, or SAS. It was hatched as an idea by David Stirling, an officer among the British commandos in early World War
In the early days as the SAS plotted against Rommel's forces in North Africa, it looked like the opinions of the establishment were about to be proved right. Missions fizzled or were aborted. But then as the group logged some successes, things got really gonzo. Raids were conducted by SAS units driving their Jeeps into the midst of the enemy encampments with machine guns blazing. Or they'd get behind enemy lines, simply by covering up the allied insignia on their vehicles and waving at the German sentries as they drove unmolested through checkpoints.
It took a special person to be one of those early SAS members, and the unit was loaded with its misfits, malcontents, and eccentrics. If they hadn't found this niche to put their talents to work while in the military, many of them would likely have found themselves in the stockade.
Ben Macintyre can be depended upon to be a capable story of these early days of the SAS. He has written other highly regarded books on World War II-era British special operations, from Operation Mincemeat to the D-Day spies (as well as an excellent book on Kim Philby). For Rogue Heroes, he had opened to him early SAS archives which had previously been kept under lock-and-key. Macintyre does as best he can, given the details the archives provided him. The problem in some cases is that details of operations are sketchy, and with most (if not all) of the actual participants no longer living to interview, what-could-have-been highly dramatic narratives become little more than a journalist's reporting. By the same token, the SAS consisted of a crew of characters and they inevitably remain a bit sketchy as well. Macintyre is at his best when he is able to devote his attentions to one or a few individuals (e.g. Kim Philby), to give the reader a personality to focus upon.
Nonetheless, if there weren't this book on the early SAS, there wouldn't be much of anything. It is the story of brave men risking themselves in remarkable exploits, and well worth reading.
(A final note: The front cover of the book bills it as "The History of the SAS." That's not entirely accurate. This is the history of the SAS during World War II, period. The SAS was revived after the war, but its story in the post-war decades is not contained in this book.)
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II who believed there would be value in small, specially teams who would be planted deep behind enemy lines to harass and sabotage. The proper British military establishment thought the idea was crazy, of course. But Stirling knew enough about working the system to get a fledgling group going.In the early days as the SAS plotted against Rommel's forces in North Africa, it looked like the opinions of the establishment were about to be proved right. Missions fizzled or were aborted. But then as the group logged some successes, things got really gonzo. Raids were conducted by SAS units driving their Jeeps into the midst of the enemy encampments with machine guns blazing. Or they'd get behind enemy lines, simply by covering up the allied insignia on their vehicles and waving at the German sentries as they drove unmolested through checkpoints.
It took a special person to be one of those early SAS members, and the unit was loaded with its misfits, malcontents, and eccentrics. If they hadn't found this niche to put their talents to work while in the military, many of them would likely have found themselves in the stockade.
Ben Macintyre can be depended upon to be a capable story of these early days of the SAS. He has written other highly regarded books on World War II-era British special operations, from Operation Mincemeat to the D-Day spies (as well as an excellent book on Kim Philby). For Rogue Heroes, he had opened to him early SAS archives which had previously been kept under lock-and-key. Macintyre does as best he can, given the details the archives provided him. The problem in some cases is that details of operations are sketchy, and with most (if not all) of the actual participants no longer living to interview, what-could-have-been highly dramatic narratives become little more than a journalist's reporting. By the same token, the SAS consisted of a crew of characters and they inevitably remain a bit sketchy as well. Macintyre is at his best when he is able to devote his attentions to one or a few individuals (e.g. Kim Philby), to give the reader a personality to focus upon.
Nonetheless, if there weren't this book on the early SAS, there wouldn't be much of anything. It is the story of brave men risking themselves in remarkable exploits, and well worth reading.
(A final note: The front cover of the book bills it as "The History of the SAS." That's not entirely accurate. This is the history of the SAS during World War II, period. The SAS was revived after the war, but its story in the post-war decades is not contained in this book.)
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LibraryThing member dancinladybugs
I've read previous books by Ben Macintyre that were really good so I was excited to get this one. It was well-written and really brings the history to life.
LibraryThing member octafoil40
I found this history of Britain's secret "Special Air Services" very interesting. However the author's technique was too "staccato" in format and as stated in the "Author's Note", the author basically sourced and followed ". . . the most important single source: . . the SAS War Diary".
As a
It is just that I was expecting a more fluid presentation of the facts told as a story.Aside from the above criticism of the author's technique the information provided was extremely interesting.
As a
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result, while all of the information gleaned from the diary was and is important,the author's presentation of the facts somewhat pedantically treats each revelation in a somewhat staccato manner. This is not to denigrate the author's exposition of the facts however.It is just that I was expecting a more fluid presentation of the facts told as a story.Aside from the above criticism of the author's technique the information provided was extremely interesting.
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LibraryThing member mattries37315
During World War II many military strategies and tactics that are today standard around the world were first pioneer, including behind-the-lines special operation as done by the British Special Air Service (SAS). Ben Macintyre in Rogue Heroes relates the birth and evolution of the SAS from an
Macintyre’s history of the SAS begins with the man whose idea it was and who shaped it during its first years in existence, David Stirling who used his connections and his desire to actively participate in battling the Germans. Early on Stirling and his brigade went through several phases of evolution of tactics before fully becoming what Stirling had conceived in mid-1941. However, after Stirling’s capture in January 1943 and the change in theater, the SAS temporarily became a regular commando unit in the invasion of Italy before returning to their behind-the-line Special Forces status original purpose later in the Italian campaign and on the Western Front during and after D-Day.
The decision by Macintyre to not focus on all of the missions of the SAS, but only those that influenced and impacted the development of the Special Forces unit as well as to reduce repetitiveness in the book was a good one. The decision help keep the book at a readable length for the general reader, however other choices by the author didn’t make for a smooth read. While Macintyre did his best to cover the efforts of the various SAS squadrons across several theaters and locations within each once as well over the course of the war, at times the division and abrupt changing from one situation to the next made for stilted reading. Another important decision by Macintyre was who within the SAS to highlight and follow over the course of the brigade’s service in World War II. And for the most part, Macintyre did a good job on putting the focus on who needed it but some of the soldiers highlighted seemed to just add flavor for no real purpose than to seemingly check off a list of possible people this book could appeal to.
Overall, Ben Macintyre did a very good job in relating the history of the SAS. Unlike writing a biography or a specific event, a history of a military unit with its change of personnel and changing theaters of battle make it harder to write as the author has to decide who to follow in the unit’s development. Rogue Heroes if anything gives the reader at least a general history and career of the World War II-era SAS, for some it will be enough and for others it’ll be a wetting of the appetite. I would recommend this book to those interested in military history or in World War II over than just the general reader as a whole.
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‘independent’ army in the North African theater to an integral part the Allied campaigns in Europe against Nazi Germany.Macintyre’s history of the SAS begins with the man whose idea it was and who shaped it during its first years in existence, David Stirling who used his connections and his desire to actively participate in battling the Germans. Early on Stirling and his brigade went through several phases of evolution of tactics before fully becoming what Stirling had conceived in mid-1941. However, after Stirling’s capture in January 1943 and the change in theater, the SAS temporarily became a regular commando unit in the invasion of Italy before returning to their behind-the-line Special Forces status original purpose later in the Italian campaign and on the Western Front during and after D-Day.
The decision by Macintyre to not focus on all of the missions of the SAS, but only those that influenced and impacted the development of the Special Forces unit as well as to reduce repetitiveness in the book was a good one. The decision help keep the book at a readable length for the general reader, however other choices by the author didn’t make for a smooth read. While Macintyre did his best to cover the efforts of the various SAS squadrons across several theaters and locations within each once as well over the course of the war, at times the division and abrupt changing from one situation to the next made for stilted reading. Another important decision by Macintyre was who within the SAS to highlight and follow over the course of the brigade’s service in World War II. And for the most part, Macintyre did a good job on putting the focus on who needed it but some of the soldiers highlighted seemed to just add flavor for no real purpose than to seemingly check off a list of possible people this book could appeal to.
Overall, Ben Macintyre did a very good job in relating the history of the SAS. Unlike writing a biography or a specific event, a history of a military unit with its change of personnel and changing theaters of battle make it harder to write as the author has to decide who to follow in the unit’s development. Rogue Heroes if anything gives the reader at least a general history and career of the World War II-era SAS, for some it will be enough and for others it’ll be a wetting of the appetite. I would recommend this book to those interested in military history or in World War II over than just the general reader as a whole.
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LibraryThing member dyarington
Ben Macintyre has woven together a spectacular narrative history of the SAS. Using, primarily a 500 page war diary written by an SAS officer, more than seventy years after the war, Ben has scored a home run. Why did it take so long to get this book in to print--apparently the military bureaucracy
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which holds up so many great stories of history. Any way, this is a wonderful story of the founding units of what we now call Special Forces. From the initial gathering together of the unit from Africa to Europe to their accidentally coming upon the atrocities at the Belsen concentration camp, this is a spell binding look at a largely unknown aspect of World War II . I give it 5 stars. Show Less
LibraryThing member 5hrdrive
Incredibly vivid accounting of one of the most celebrated killing machines in the history of warfare, the British SAS. From accidental invention by a misfit soldier with time on his hands, through the days of wanton destruction in the vast wastes of the forbidding Sahara Desert, and finally to the
Writing battle engagements is tough, doesn't matter the scale. There's always stuff happening simultaneously, often in the dark, and no single participant ever knows the full story. Ben MacIntyre does a marvelous job of straightening it all out to give the reader a chance to comprehend not only what happened, but how it came about and what occurred in its aftermath. I haven't come across an accounting of battle this well told since Shelby Foote wrote about the Civil War.
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"tip of the spear" recon tactics and terror in Europe, the amazing story of this highly decorated branch is presented in all its gory, booze driven glory. Writing battle engagements is tough, doesn't matter the scale. There's always stuff happening simultaneously, often in the dark, and no single participant ever knows the full story. Ben MacIntyre does a marvelous job of straightening it all out to give the reader a chance to comprehend not only what happened, but how it came about and what occurred in its aftermath. I haven't come across an accounting of battle this well told since Shelby Foote wrote about the Civil War.
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LibraryThing member eawsmom
"Rogue Heroes" is the story of the founding and early years of the British Special Air Services (SAS) unit which became the model for U.S. forces such as the SEALS. The author states that the book is intended for the "general reader" and he has done a very good job of keeping it interesting and
From the deserts of Africa and the initial forays against Rommel to the discovery of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, the men in this unit faced extreme hardship, danger, and death with a remarkable can-do attitude.
Details of operations were gathered primarily from the SAS War Diary, a collection of original documents which were gathered into a single volume in 1946. The author also lists some other sources which sound like they would be equally interesting read, as most of them are either biographies or autobiographies of the men involved in the original campaigns.
I was fascinated by this book and plan to seek out some of the sources listed by the author.
I received a free advanced reader's copy of this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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informative without going into a great deal of military detail.From the deserts of Africa and the initial forays against Rommel to the discovery of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, the men in this unit faced extreme hardship, danger, and death with a remarkable can-do attitude.
Details of operations were gathered primarily from the SAS War Diary, a collection of original documents which were gathered into a single volume in 1946. The author also lists some other sources which sound like they would be equally interesting read, as most of them are either biographies or autobiographies of the men involved in the original campaigns.
I was fascinated by this book and plan to seek out some of the sources listed by the author.
I received a free advanced reader's copy of this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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Awards
NPR: Books We Love (2016)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2016
Physical description
400 p.; 5.2 inches
ISBN
1101904186 / 9781101904183