Description

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#1 internationally bestselling author, war reporter, and award-winning WWII historian Damien Lewis chronicles the birth of the legendary SAS, Winston Churchill’s singular band of brothers, and how their extraordinary do-or-die exploits truly turned the tide of war.

In 1941, as World War Two raged, scores of men stepped forward to answer Winston Churchill’s call for volunteers for Special Service, a high-risk opportunity to undertake the most hazardous, top-secret duties of war. Comprised of some of the finest fighting units in the entire British Army, these warriors longed to leave behind their mind-numbing garrison duties for battle. They hungered to pit themselves against a seemingly omnipotent enemy and brave a bloody and bruising baptism by fire. A rightfully proud regiment with an unrivalled esprit de corps, they were disavowed as unruly by top brass, unyieldingly vaunted by Churchill, and courageously loyal to the clandestine “butcher and bolt” raids that made their sacrifices—and their triumphs—legendary. But even as the combat-worn ranks of the SAS risked all to deliver the first resounding defeats on Nazi Germany, there were well-founded fears that their fortunes would change.

In Brothers in Arms, Damien Lewis pays tribute to the mavericks and visionaries who founded elite-forces soldiering—the SAS. Exhaustively researched from an invaluable trove of never-before-seen documents, wartime letters, diaries, mission reports, rare photos, undeveloped film, plus interviews with WWII veterans and their surviving families, Damien follows one close-knit band of men from the founding of the SAS through to the Italian landings, which truly turned the tide of the war. It is a breathtaking narrative of do-or-die action and unbelievable daring chronicling the exploits of some of the most fearless, revered, and under-the-radar soldiers of the 20th century.

About the Author

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Damien Lewis is an award-winning historian, war reporter, and bestselling author. He spent over two decades reporting from war, disaster, and conflict zones around the world, winning numerous awards. He has written more than twenty books, including The Ministry for Ungentlemanly Warfare, Agent Josephine, Churchill’s Band of Brothers, SAS Ghost Patrol, and The Nazi Hunters. His work has been published in over forty languages, and many of his books have been made, or are being developed, as feature films, TV series, or as plays for the stage. Lewis is a Fellow of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Visit him online at DamienLewis.com.

Praise For…

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Praise for Damien Lewis' WWII History Books
 
"Exhaustively researched, powerfully written, and utterly gripping. Blows the doors off!" —Bear Grylls, host of Running Wild, and former British SAS Serviceman on Churchill's Hellraisers
 
"A true story that reads better than any thriller." —Dan Snow, Award-winning British historian on Churchill's Shadow Raiders
 
"Lewis presents a richly detailed and nail-biting tale. For readers who enjoy well-told history and scholars of World War II." —Library Journal on Churchill's Shadow Raiders
 
"Anyone who wants to learn more about the origins of the British Special Forces should read this book. It intertwines historical research and eyewitness testimony to tell the untold story of heroism, courage, and ingenuity." —Military Press on Churchill's Shadow Raiders
 
"Superb...Reads like an adventure novel and the reader may be excused in forgetting that it is a history book." —SOFREP on Churchill's Shadow Raiders
 
"Damien Lewis' wondrously realized Churchill's Shadow Raiders isn't a work of fiction, but that doesn't stop it from reading like a top-notch thriller fashioned by the likes of Jack Higgins or Frederick Forsyth... The narrative is so riveting and powerful that it's easy to forget you're reading fact instead of fiction. Lewis writes with the alacrity of the great Erik Larson while displaying an even keener sense of storytelling." —The Providence Journal on Churchill's Shadow Raiders
 
"Lamentably the role of technology in the Second World War has received relatively little attention compared to major campaigns, particularly given the importance of technology in winning the war. The conflict was fundamentally a technological race for better military intelligence and improved weaponry. In this regard, Damien Lewis' Churchill's Shadow Raiders reveals the crucial role of radar in defeating the Luftwaffe, itself a precedent for the Anglo-American landings in 1944." —The Churchill Bulletin on Churchill's Shadow Raiders
 
"A little-known behind-the-lines spectacular led by two heroic British officers. Successful niche military history for a popular audience." —Kirkus Reviews on Churchill's Hellraisers
 
"Military historian Lewis delivers an action-packed account of special operations missions against Nazi forces in Northern Italy during WWII...He sets a brisk pace and laces the narrative with colorful character sketches. Battleground history buffs will be entertained." —Publishers Weekly on Churchill's Hellraisers