Rogue Heroes: The History of the SAS, Britain's Secret Special Forces Unit That Sabotaged the Nazis and Changed the Nature of War

by Ben Macintyre

Lieutenant John Steele Lewes

Stirling readily agreed to name his force “L Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade.” The letter “L” was selected to imply that detachments A to K were already in existence; Stirling later joked that it stood for “Learner.” Clarke was “delighted to have some flesh and blood parachutists instead of totally bogus ones.” In return he promised to use his extensive network of contacts to spread the word that Stirling was looking for recruits.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T. E. Lawrence described the elusive essence of military

leadership: “Nine-tenths of tactics are certain, and taught in books: but the irrational tenth is like the kingfisher flashing across the pool, and that is the test of generals.” Stirling, it seemed to Maclean, was a perfect illustration of that irrational tenth, with his “never-failing audacity, a gift of daring improvisation.”

Corporal John William Sillito,

Theodore John William Schurch:

John Tonkin, the young officer captured at