2SAS

A fascinating history of Bill Stirling and 2SAS - pioneering founders of modern special forces. Draws on recently declassified files and interviews with veterans.

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. David allowed 1SAS to drift under his leadership but after his capture 2SAS reverted to parachuting behind enemy lines to attack lines of communication and gather intelligence. But Bill could rub up against authority, which led to his dismissal as CO of 2SAS shortly before D-Day. However, he had laid the foundations for 2SAS to thrive in the final year of the war.

Fully illustrated with rare and previously unpublished photographs, this compelling history details how 2SAS fought with ingenuity and aggression, from Italy and then into France before heading through Holland into Germany. 2SAS 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.