Get Free Shipping on orders over $79
The Jedburghs : The Secret History of the Allied Special Forces, France 1944 - Will Irwin

The Jedburghs

The Secret History of the Allied Special Forces, France 1944

By: Will Irwin

Paperback | 10 October 2006 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Paperback


$48.99

or 4 interest-free payments of $12.25 with

 or 

Ships in 10 to 15 business days

The story of the Special Forces in World War II has never fully been told before. Information about them began to be declassified only in the 1980s.
Known as the Jedburghs, these Special Forces were selected from members of the British, American, and Free French armies to be dropped in teams of three deep behind German lines. There, in preparation for D-Day, they carried out what we now know as unconventional warfare: supporting the French Resistance in guerrilla attacks, supply-route disruption, and the harassment and obstruction of German reinforcements. Always, they operated against extraordinary odds. They had to be prepared to survive pitched battles with German troops and Gestapo manhunts for weeks and months while awaiting the arrival of Allied ground forces. They were, in short, heroes.The Jedburghs finally tells their story and offers a new perspective on D-Day itself. Will Irwin has selected seven of the Jedburgh teams and told their stories as gripping personal narratives. He has gathered archival documents, diaries and correspondence, and interviewed Jed veterans and family members in order to present this portrait of their crucial role - a role recognized by Churchill and Eisenhower - in the struggle to liberate Europe in 1944-45. This is narrative history at its most compelling; a vivid drama of the battle for France from deep behind enemy lines.
Industry Reviews
"A gripping and authoritative account of the soldiers whose exploits formed the basis for modern special warfare." General Wesley Clark, author of Winning Modern Wars and Waging Modern War "Will Irwin's timely chronicle of (the Jedburghs) many hair-raising missions will delight both military history buffs and those looking for a genuine page-turner." Alex Kershaw, author of The Bedford Boys and The Longest Winter"

More in History

Looking from the North : Australian history from the top down - Henry Reynolds
Borneo : The Last Campaign - Michael Veitch

RRP $34.99

$28.75

18%
OFF
Guts and Glory : Diggers, Sport and War - Peter Rees

RRP $36.99

$28.75

22%
OFF
Henry V : The Astonishing Rise of England's Greatest Warrior King - Dan Jones
The Eagle and the Hart : The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV - Helen Castor
All Consuming : Why We Eat The Way We Eat Now - Ruby Tandoh

RRP $39.99

$31.75

21%
OFF
On My Watch : Leading NATO in a Time of War - Jens Stoltenberg

RRP $39.99

$31.75

21%
OFF
Huey : The Helicopter That Became an Australian Aviation Icon - Mark Lax
Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World - Philip Matyszak
100 Diaries That Chronicled World Events - Colin Salter

RRP $44.99

$35.75

21%
OFF
The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective - Sara Lodge
Where It All Went Wrong : The case against John Howard - Amy Remeikis