Desert Raiders: Axis and Allied Special Forces 1940–43

Osprey Battle Orders #23

by Andrea Molinari

Although harsh and inhospitable, the North African theater of World War II proved to be a perfect environment for irregular warfare and the deployment of Special Forces. Four countries took part in this 'shadow war': Great Britain, most successfully of all; Free France, including a surprising solitary campaign from Chad; Italy, mainly engaged in defending the Libyan southern line of communications; and Germany, operating an extensive spy network throughout Egypt.

Andrea Molinari deals with the development and organization of these unique units, and examines how the conditions in North Africa affected the Special Forces of all the countries involved as unconventional units were increasingly used to fight in unconventional conditions in the depths of the "sea of sand" between Libya and Egypt. Accompanied by evocative wartime photography, comprehensive maps and detailed organizational charts, this is the first complete coverage of desert raiders on both sides of the war. With Dr. Duncan Anderson, Head of War Studies at the British military academy and leading military historian, acting as consulting editor, this book is a definitive analysis of the world's first Special Forces.

Genres: Military History, History

96 pages, Paperback

First published July 24, 2007

Reviews

[Shrike58 · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I realize that the nuts and bolts of military organization are not to everyone's liking, I always liked this series and this is an unusually good number in it. Much of the focus is on the British "Long Range Desert Group," who demonstrated what really could be done with the right resources, and who basically set the example for the other armies covered.

[Erik Tolvstad · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fairly typical Osprey condensed history. The book is divided into a series of topical sections. The first and most substantial section covers the organizational structures of the various Western Desert Campaign Recon and Raiding forces of 1940-42. The second long section covers tactics used, but this may be the weaker segment of the book. There are a number of good detailed maps, but the supporting descriptions are pretty thin. The last and shorter sections cover CCC, weapons, vehicles, and lessons learned. Short, but nicely covered.

Much of the focus is on the British units, particularly the famous LRDG. The Italians and Free French also get a fair amount writing about their activities, which is a plus to the book, as those forces aren't often covered with much depth elsewhere. The Germans don't get much write up, as their efforts were more tied to the main battleground areas along the coast.