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Raiders from the Sea: The Story of the Special Boat Service in WWII
£11.60£14.20 (-18%)
The Special Boat Service was a small force during World War II, never more than about 300 men. But that did not stop it from inflicting great damage on the enemy. In the Mediterranean arena and in the Aegean, which the Germans controlled after the fall of Greece and Crete, this small commando force kept up a constant campaign of harassment, thus pinning down enemy forces and preventing their joining other fronts. They travelled by night to their targets, using submarines, small surface vessels or canoes, with the commanders of the vessels often putting themselves in danger in order to help the men carry out their dangerous and secret missions. They were reliant on the co-operation of the fiercely independent Greeks and in particular the Cretans, all working together in their common objective against the German invaders. John Lodwick took part in the SBS Mediterranean campaign and writes from personal experience with the panache and verve of the squadron itself. For it is more than the story of the remarkable men who made up the force: men such as Anders Lassen, ‘the Dreadful Dane’ who was awarded a posthumous VC, Fitzroy Maclean, Eric Newby, Jock Lapraik, and Lord Jellicoe, who commanded the squadron for almost two years and who contributed a memorable foreword to this memoir. Strong, determined individuals, together the men of the Special Boat Service formed a deadly, cohesive fighting force which contributed much to the war in the Mediterranean and to whom John Lodwick’s book is an excitingly readable tribute.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Greenhill Books, Reprint edition (5 Nov. 2018) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 240 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1784383457 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1784383459 |
| Dimensions | 15.49 x 2.03 x 23.11 cm |
by Zak Wagman
This is an excellent read. It is about a little-known subject of the war, a small unit but an impactful and fascinating one. I would recommend this to both the history expert, as it provides a great first-hand response and understanding of the challenges and realities facing real individuals, but also for general interest as it is incredibly fascinating, easy to understand and enjoyable. Would 100% recommend, absolutely loved it.
by Tim H
I enjoyed this account, mostly about SBS activity in the Aegian which is new to me but the way it is written was not quite so easy at least for me. The author was also a writer and there are parts of the book that read more like a novel. However, the account is valuable and I particularly like the way he describes the activity of all who took part in these SBS activity, not just the leaders.
by Kevin Martin
Vainglorious immediate post-war account of the exploits by colourful SBS soldiers. Gives a good account of the characters who served and fought in the unit, and how they would appear to have single-handedly run the Germans out of Greece. There are better more even-handed later accounts of the SBS war record, but in the hands of a very competent author (who significantly served within the unit) makes them all out to be modern day brigands and bandits of the high seas. In a modern politically correct world the book reads one-sided and dated, and the reason for mark down, but as the first book written on the unit, its quoted in every subsequent account, and therefore has its place in history established as a key marker of the SBS Story.
by Seaweed
(Publisher’s review copy)
This is the story of the Special Boat Service and its exploits in the Mediterranean during WW2, chiefly among the Greek islands. It is a paperback reprint of a 1947 original (then published as ‘The Filibusters’), written in the summer of 1945 while memories were fresh, by the Dartmouth-educated author (who also wrote a novel about that place, pre-war, which Their Lordships must have much enjoyed reading). Lodwick (1916-1959) was himself a member of the SBS, as was Lord Jellicoe, his boss, who contributed the Foreword.
The first fifty pages document the SBS’ confused beginnings, operating often with and sometimes under command of the SAS. Spring 1943 finds the SBS more autonomous, based near Haifa under Jellicoe, and entering a period of reconnaissance and hit and run raids among the Greek Islands. By August 1944 they were headquartered in Italy, exchanging the Aegean for the Adriatic, often ferried to and fro by much-appreciated RN motor launches. There follows the SBS’ campaign in Greece, often with in conjunction with the RAF Regiment, which led to that country’s early liberation although deliberately impeded by Communist partisans, who were working not for liberation – others could die for that – but for the eventual civil war. The Communists proved equally obstructive to the SBS in Crete and, under Tito, in 1945 in Istria;
The story of this crew of eccentric, often weird, but sublimely brave and resourceful individuals is skilfully woven. They come across as titans, many Scots or Irish, men born for war whose tattered and unpolished boots most men today are not fit even to lick. Their success rested on seizing and keeping the initiative via boldness, taking that extra margin of risk, perseverance and shock. It is, for us, a window on another world, where the death of friends had to be accepted and the war got on with, with none of the grief-fest that erupts today when even some completely worthless ‘celebrity’ dies. Not that Lodwick is insensitive; but he marks the bad times in a sub-fusc way that is the more effective for the dignity of his expression. As he put it ‘The best were always taken’. This contrasts with the generality of the narrative where the tone is laconic, marked by sardonic humour. He writes with a novelist’s style – for that is what he was – but always with an awareness that the subjects are real people, on real and deadly operations.
The narrative is peppered with accounts of German atrocities and war crimes, mostly the murder of civilians but also the maltreatment and murder of some captured combatants.
There are 35 photographs grouped in the centre of the book, and several maps, which are helpful but sometimes difficult to read.
Reprints like this are so valuable, let there be more of them. The heroes of these stories deserve such memorials. Lodwick – he ex-French Foreign Legion and ex-SOE before joining the SBS – closes with some reflections on war, by one who had seen rather a lot of it.
“It takes all sorts to make a war” – un-named General in Cairo
by Arnauld Lodders
I very much appreciated this early book, from a prolific writer of his time. John Lodwick shines us a light on the intricacies of the inner workings of the ‘SBS’ regiment. Vividly bringing you along the journeys and excursions of this humble homage to his fellow contemporary brothers in arms. Lodwick’s unique and jovial writing style (which in context, still in its early form) is engaging and thought provoking. Unfortunately due to his premature death, his work has gone under the radar, which is a tragedy to say the least. I highly recommend this book (and his work in general) to anyone whom wish to illuminate themselves to the classical, fascinating tales of John Lodwick’s life and escapades.
by mick
The courage and daring is well documented
in a very matter of fact way. The missions come to life and how so much was achieved by a small number of devoted is incredible. Well worth reading. I read whilst on holiday on a Greek island and could imagine the stealth and daring of these troops.
by Nicholas grainger
Excellent product