The story of Operation Bulbasket is one of such tension and drama that any resume which revealed its outcome would rob the reader of the vital element of suspense. Suffice it to say that on 6 June, 1944, known to history as D-Day, two members of the SAS were dropped by parachute deep behind the lines in enemy-occupied France. Shortly to be Followed by others, amounting in all to fifty-five men, their task was to disrupt in every way possible the movement of German troops to the north to repel the Allied invasion of Normandy. Only now, with the release of hitherto classified documents and thanks to a remarkable amount of painstaking research on Paul McCue's part, can the full story of Operation Bulbasket be told. The author has traced the surviving main participants and, by their various but often contradictory accounts and much careful detective work, has managed to piece together what really happened in those dramatic eight weeks after 6 June. Indeed, thanks to this book, those survivors have only learned the full story which was hidden from them for over fifty years. This has to be one of the most remarkable stories ever to be written about the Second World War.

This is the story of a plan to ambush German reinforcements heading for the invasion area in World War Two.

The author of Stirling’s Men recounts the WWII exploits of Britain’s legendary special forces unit in thefirst volume of this authoritative history. The British Army’s Special Air Service was formed during World War II as a commando unit for operations behind enemy lines. Their exploits in France inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans and left a trail of destruction and disorder in their wake. In 1944, they trained the French Maquis into an effective fighting force, delayed German reinforcements at Normandy, and sewed confusion for the German withdrawal. In this volume, historian Gavin Mortimer focuses on 1 SAS, describing operations Titanic, Houndsworth, Bulbasket, Gain, Haggard and Kipling in graphic detail. Using previously unpublished interviews with SAS veterans and members of the Maquis as well as rare photographs, Mortimer allows readers to walk in the footsteps of SAS heroes and see where they lived, fought and died.

A comprehensive account of the behind-the-lines missions that supported the D-Day landings and the breakout from Normandy. The SAS mounted 36 operations behind enemy lines, from sabotaging railways to ambushing German units on their way to the front. Some achieved results out of all proportion to the small numbers of men involved. Others, like the ill-fated "Operation Bulbasket," led to the execution and capture of many SAS operatives. This bloody tale exposes the limits as well as the potential of elite military units and the civilian resistance movements who fought alongside them.

Amde Maingard was a young Mauritian studying in London in 1939 who volunteered for the British Army. After a frustrating spell in the infantry, Maingard joining the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and later had a successful career as a leader and peace keeper in France and later Mauritius. Maingard returned to Mauritius and was instrumental in developing the islands tourism and hotel industry. Founder and first Chairman of Air Mauritius, he became one of his countrys most successful postwar businessmen before illness cut short his ambition and he died in 1981 at the age of 62.

This highly successful book has now been completely revised and expanded to bring it right up to date with current SAS operations and takes a glimpse into the future. The Special Air Service is one of the most highly skilled and effective components of the British Army. Provided here is a welcome insight into the history and unique function of the SAS since its formation. This book traces the variety of special operations from the first raids in the North African desert in World War II to the remarkable achievements in the Falklands' bleak terrain, the harsh deserts of Iraq and the ethnic confusions of Bosnia - all operations in which these crack troops have shown daring and endurance. James Ladd describes the innovative and often dangerous techniques that the SAS has developed over the years and shows through numerous examples how the determination and ingenuity of the individual officer and trooper is second to none. This detailed narrative vividly records the careful planning and meticulous execution of many of the most spectacular and daring raids ever accomplished. the mountains of Bosnia, the reputation of these keenly motivated soldiers remains unsurpassed, while their use of new types of weapons in this electronic age offers some guidance to the likely forms of warfare in the twenty-first century.

Stories of real-life bravery and courage-under-fire contribute to a unique and poignant record of a club created for heroes.