Damien Lewis

It usually requires literary writing and thematic depth to make me fall in love with a book, but dammit if I'm not just a sentimental sod at times. In War Dog, Damien Lewis (not the actor) tells the true story of Antis, an orphaned German Shepherd puppy rescued by a Czech airman in no-man's-land, and their adventures together over the course of World War Two. It is remarkable, with Ant providing constant companionship to his master, Robert Bozděch, in the most difficult of times, whilst show more also warning of approaching air raids, sniffing out survivors of bombed-out houses, performing steadfast vigils on the airbase whilst waiting for his master to return from missions, and, after sneaking on board for one bombing mission over Bremen, being fitted with his own doggie oxygen mask so he could accompany Bozděch for his entire tour of duty, taking shrapnel wounds in the process.

Cuddly dog stories and hellish war stories might seem unlikely bedfellows, but it turns out they go together like strawberries and cream. Lewis' writing is unobtrusive and accessible, providing a real thrill and danger when narrating the war story, but also milking all the heartwarming goo out of the friendship without condescending to mawkishness. It is almost impossible not to find something catch in your throat, or find someone cutting onions in the room, as Antis' unwavering loyalty, courage and bond with his master is displayed time and time again. Particularly in light of the recent al-Baghdadi operation, when the hero dog Conan chased after the suicide-vest-wearing Isis leader, Lewis' book is a reminder that war dogs are the goodest of boys, and we are not worthy of them. show less

This superbly written account of two pivotal Allied commando operations in WW2 is as compelling and thrilling as any fictional account could ever be. The subject matter is extremely suited to a dramatic adaptation for either cinema or television - such is both the importance of the story, the richness of the cast of leading characyers, and the exciting nature of the two operations at the heart of it.

As before, Damien Lewis (not the actor), has researched his subject to the finest degree, and show more the meticulous attention to detail is evident throughout.

Following the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940, with Nazi invasion a very imminent threat, Churchill and his closest advisors are very keen to initiate small scale special operations so as to A) lift morale at home; B) convey to the enemy that we may strike them anywhere and anyhow; and C) gain any kind of strategic advantage possible from accomplishing such ‘commando’ raids.

The first quarter of this book covers Operation Colossus: a daring airborne strike at the Italian mountain interior in early 1941. It is the first ever British combined operations parachute drop. Some 36 specially trained Sappers and Infantry are parachuted in at night to blow up a vital aqueduct, and so cut millions of southern Italians, German troops, and the vital Italian ports off from their fresh water supply. The mission succeeds, to a degree, but is perceived in London - rightly or wrongly (mostly wrongly) as a failure. Nearly all of the raiders end up captured as PoWs. In time, this perception is thankfully reversed, and the concept of parachuting mission-trained commandos in behind enemy lines for specific special operations is born.

In the meantime, the Battle of Britain is fought and won; thanks to “The Few” of course, but also in no small way to Britain’s nascent radar defences. Britain wrongly believes German radar capability to be either non-existent or vastly inferior. In fact, as a handful of dogged boffins maintain, it is significantly more advanced, and is causing widespread loss of the RAF’s bombers attempting to damage the German war effort. Something has to be done. What follows is an almost incredible tale of how an advanced ‘Wurzburg’ dish is first located on the French coast near Le Havre, and then how a new Commando unit is put together and trained to go in by parachute drop inland of the radar site, advance to and defeat the German defences, plunder the vital technology, sabotage the radar site in the process (thus disguising the burglary raid) and withdraw to the beach for Royal Navy extrication by means of small assault craft.

In February 1942, following recent setbacks in the north African desert against Rommel, and the shocking fall of Singapore to the Japanese, Britain’s war is at its lowest ebb. Operation Biting is just what is needed. With vital help from the French Resistance in gathering the necessary highly detailed field intelligence, the Commandos are under pressure to deliver before the cover of night darkness becomes too short with the approaching spring. It’s an exceptionally difficult mission and the rehearsals have been disastrous. Against the many considerable odds, will it succeed? show less

SAS Italian Job is an astonishing account of behind enemy lines operations in northern Italy towards the end of the Second World War. It’s a breathless read, and really should be a tale of courageous derring-do as well known as the Dambusters or Telemark raids. Damien Lewis recounts in impressively researched detail how a small British led force of SAS commandos, together with their comrades in arms - Italian partisans and escaped Russian POWs - raiding the German enemy from behind the show more previously impregnable ‘Gothic Line’*, managed to swoop down out of the Apennine mountains to carry out an audacious demolition job on the German HQ that controlled half of the front across the Italian peninsular.

*Those German forces in northern Italy, early 1945, under Hitler’s favourite commander Field Marshal Kesselring, are some million strong, and considered the most formidable remnant of the Reich’s war machine at this stage of the war.

Seriously outnumbered and outgunned, Major Roy Farran (SAS) and Captain Michael Lees (SOE), must first train up their unlikely band of brothers in the arts of guerrilla warfare in the weeks leading up to the raid. Their seemingly ragtag mob includes local priests, former Spanish Civil War veterans, an escaped Dutch intelligence officer POW, and even several Wehrmacht deserters. The Italian partisans consist of several dozen local communists as well as a force of non-communist Christian Democrats; all equally committed to ridding their homeland of the Nazi occupiers.

As other key SAS fighters and equipment are parachuted in to join them behind enemy lines, the ‘Battaglione Alleato’ (Allied Battalion) takes shape and hones its potency. Farran even has the partisans stitch the SAS motto ‘Chi Osera Vincera’ (Who Dares Wins) on their uniforms, and Italian flag coloured hackles (beret feathers) air-dropped in to help galvanise the unit’s espirit de corps!

Without spoiling the particulars of the raid itself, the Allied Battalion is to serve a decisive role in leading to the German collapse on the southern front in the crucial final phase of the war. Away from the heat of the battle, political and British Army Staff HQ considerations will play an extremely cruel part in the betrayal of some of the key actors in this story; some of the aspects of which remain unresolved even today almost 75 years later. This story would be hard to believe if it weren’t for the fact that it’s all 100% true. ‘SAS Italian Job’ is begging to be made into a breathtaking film of epic proportions. A highly recommended and rewarding read. show less

4.5 Stars
A detailed and fascinating history of the men who helped establish and shape the SAS (especially "Paddy" Mayne), this work focuses on the early African deployments during WWII. It's well-researched and offers more in-depth descriptions than many books on the subject. There's to be a sequel which will describe the subsequent period, the European segment of the SAS during WWII. For military history fans.

Net Galley Feedback