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SAS Great Escapes #2
SAS Great Escapes Two: Six Untold Epic Escapes Made by World War Two Heroes
'Damien Lewis is both a meticulous historian and a born storyteller' Lee Child
SAS Great Escapes Two recounts the hitherto untold stories of six of the most dramatic and daring escapes executed by the world's most famous fighting force during WWII. From the very earliest SAS missions to the push into Nazi-occupied Europe, they cover some of the key figures in the Regiment, including its founder, David Stirling, plus other lesser-known heroes.
With each story comes an edge-of-the-seat, rollercoaster ride in classic Damien Lewis fashion, as readers are plunged into the escapees' experiences - sharing their most terrifying yet inspiring moments. These stunning accounts of survival beggar belief, revealing nerve-racking bluff and deception, knife-edge encounters with enemy hunter forces hellbent on wreaking vengeance and murder, but also incredible acts of mercy and kindness from those who risk all to help the escapees on their way.
Each tale of breath-taking derring-do reveals how necessity really is the mother of all invention, as with every step and at every juncture these fugitives defied fate, snatching survival and freedom from the jaws of the enemy, and all the horrors that would have followed capture.
Damien Lewis has worked closely with the families of those portrayed, accessing wartime diaries, letters, mission reports, interrogation transcripts and more, to relate how the men of the SAS crossed blazing deserts, evaded enemy hunter forces and escaped through hostile lands, battling against seemingly insurmountable odds. But most of all, these uplifting tales of endurance beyond measure showcase the triumph of the human spirit and the will to survive.
'Damien Lewis paints a uniquely vivid picture of the wartime SAS. Packed with detail, this fresh and dynamic book brings us as close to its remarkable members as we are ever likely to get.' Joshua Levine, author of
Dunkirk
'In these days when we are told to be scared of everything it is a relief to read of steely nerves and cold courage. Damien Lewis has collected examples of exactly these qualities from World War II and they are all thrillers, to be read with pleasure - and a bit of nostalgia!' Frederick Forsyth
'The fund of SAS escapes turns out to be too big for one book, and in Damien Lewis there is a writer of rare narrative gifts able to bring alive these epic stories for us today' Mark Urban
'An astonishing a collection of truly riveting stories of bravery, all brilliantly told. In terms of sheer drama and audacity, Great Escapes Two goes where no fiction writer would dare venture' Alex Gerlis, author of Agent in the Shadows
SAS Great Escapes Two recounts the hitherto untold stories of six of the most dramatic and daring escapes executed by the world's most famous fighting force during WWII. From the very earliest SAS missions to the push into Nazi-occupied Europe, they cover some of the key figures in the Regiment, including its founder, David Stirling, plus other lesser-known heroes.
With each story comes an edge-of-the-seat, rollercoaster ride in classic Damien Lewis fashion, as readers are plunged into the escapees' experiences - sharing their most terrifying yet inspiring moments. These stunning accounts of survival beggar belief, revealing nerve-racking bluff and deception, knife-edge encounters with enemy hunter forces hellbent on wreaking vengeance and murder, but also incredible acts of mercy and kindness from those who risk all to help the escapees on their way.
Each tale of breath-taking derring-do reveals how necessity really is the mother of all invention, as with every step and at every juncture these fugitives defied fate, snatching survival and freedom from the jaws of the enemy, and all the horrors that would have followed capture.
Damien Lewis has worked closely with the families of those portrayed, accessing wartime diaries, letters, mission reports, interrogation transcripts and more, to relate how the men of the SAS crossed blazing deserts, evaded enemy hunter forces and escaped through hostile lands, battling against seemingly insurmountable odds. But most of all, these uplifting tales of endurance beyond measure showcase the triumph of the human spirit and the will to survive.
'Damien Lewis paints a uniquely vivid picture of the wartime SAS. Packed with detail, this fresh and dynamic book brings us as close to its remarkable members as we are ever likely to get.' Joshua Levine, author of
Dunkirk
'In these days when we are told to be scared of everything it is a relief to read of steely nerves and cold courage. Damien Lewis has collected examples of exactly these qualities from World War II and they are all thrillers, to be read with pleasure - and a bit of nostalgia!' Frederick Forsyth
'The fund of SAS escapes turns out to be too big for one book, and in Damien Lewis there is a writer of rare narrative gifts able to bring alive these epic stories for us today' Mark Urban
'An astonishing a collection of truly riveting stories of bravery, all brilliantly told. In terms of sheer drama and audacity, Great Escapes Two goes where no fiction writer would dare venture' Alex Gerlis, author of Agent in the Shadows
Paperback
Published February 1, 2024
53 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
About the author
Damien Lewis
82 books452 followersNot to be confused with the actor, Damian Lewis.
Damien Lewis became an author largely by accident, when a British publisher asked him if he'd be willing to turn a TV documentary he was working on into a book. That film was shot in the Sudan war zone, and told the story of how Arab tribes seized black African slaves in horrific slave raids. Lewis had been to the Sudan war zone dozens of times over the past decade, reporting on that conflict for the BBC, Channel 4 and US and European broadcasters.
His slavery documentary told the story of a young girl from the Nuba tribe, seized in a raid and sold into slavery in Khartoum, Sudan's capital city, and of her epic escape. The publisher asked Lewis if the Nuba girl would be willing to write her life story as a book, with his help as co-author. The book that they co-wrote was called 'Slave', and it was published to great acclaim, becoming a number one bestseller and being translated into some 30 lanc guages worldwide. It won several awards and has been made into a feature film.
Over the preceding fifteen years Lewis had reported from many war, conflict and disaster zones – including Sudan, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, Burma, Afghanistan and the Balkans (see Author's Gallery). He (and his film crew) traveled into such areas with aid workers, the British or allied military, UN forces or local military groups, or very much under their own steam. He reported on the horror and human impact of war, as well as the drama of conflict itself. Often, he worked alone. Often, he filmed his own material over extended periods of time living in the war or conflict zone.
During a decade spent reporting from around the world Lewis lived in deserts, rainforests, jungles and chaotic third world cities. In his work and travels he met and interviewed people smugglers, diamond miners, Catholic priests 'gone native', desert nomads, un-contacted tribes, aid workers, bush pilots, arms dealers, genocidal leaders, peacekeepers, game wardens, slum kids, world presidents, heroin traffickers, rebel warlords, child prostitutes, Islamist terrorists, Hindu holy men, mercenaries, bush doctors, soldiers, commanders and spies. He was injured, and was hospitalised with bizarre tropical diseases – including flesh-eating bacteria, worms that burrow through the skin and septicemia – but survived all that and continued to report.
It was only natural that having seen so much of global conflict he would be drawn to stories of war, terrorism, espionage and the often dark causes behind such conflicts when he started writing books. Having written a number of true stories, in 2006 he was chosen as one of the 'nation's 20 favourite authors' and wrote his first fiction, Desert Claw, for the British Government's Quick Read initiative. Desert Claw tells of a group of ex-Special Forces soldiers sent into Iraq to retrieve a looted Van Gogh painting, with a savage twist to the tale. That fiction was followed up by Cobra Gold, an equally compelling tale of global drama and intrigue and shadowy betrayal.
Damien Lewis's work, books and films have won the Index on Censorship (UK), CECRA (Spain), Project Censored (US), Commonwealth Relations (UK), Discovery-NHK BANFF (Canada), Rory Peck (UK), BBC One World (UK), BBC-WWF Wildscreen (UK), International Peace Prize (US), Elle Magazine Grande Prix (US), Victor Gollanz (Germany), and BBC One World (UK) Awards. He is a Fellow of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Damien Lewis became an author largely by accident, when a British publisher asked him if he'd be willing to turn a TV documentary he was working on into a book. That film was shot in the Sudan war zone, and told the story of how Arab tribes seized black African slaves in horrific slave raids. Lewis had been to the Sudan war zone dozens of times over the past decade, reporting on that conflict for the BBC, Channel 4 and US and European broadcasters.
His slavery documentary told the story of a young girl from the Nuba tribe, seized in a raid and sold into slavery in Khartoum, Sudan's capital city, and of her epic escape. The publisher asked Lewis if the Nuba girl would be willing to write her life story as a book, with his help as co-author. The book that they co-wrote was called 'Slave', and it was published to great acclaim, becoming a number one bestseller and being translated into some 30 lanc guages worldwide. It won several awards and has been made into a feature film.
Over the preceding fifteen years Lewis had reported from many war, conflict and disaster zones – including Sudan, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, Burma, Afghanistan and the Balkans (see Author's Gallery). He (and his film crew) traveled into such areas with aid workers, the British or allied military, UN forces or local military groups, or very much under their own steam. He reported on the horror and human impact of war, as well as the drama of conflict itself. Often, he worked alone. Often, he filmed his own material over extended periods of time living in the war or conflict zone.
During a decade spent reporting from around the world Lewis lived in deserts, rainforests, jungles and chaotic third world cities. In his work and travels he met and interviewed people smugglers, diamond miners, Catholic priests 'gone native', desert nomads, un-contacted tribes, aid workers, bush pilots, arms dealers, genocidal leaders, peacekeepers, game wardens, slum kids, world presidents, heroin traffickers, rebel warlords, child prostitutes, Islamist terrorists, Hindu holy men, mercenaries, bush doctors, soldiers, commanders and spies. He was injured, and was hospitalised with bizarre tropical diseases – including flesh-eating bacteria, worms that burrow through the skin and septicemia – but survived all that and continued to report.
It was only natural that having seen so much of global conflict he would be drawn to stories of war, terrorism, espionage and the often dark causes behind such conflicts when he started writing books. Having written a number of true stories, in 2006 he was chosen as one of the 'nation's 20 favourite authors' and wrote his first fiction, Desert Claw, for the British Government's Quick Read initiative. Desert Claw tells of a group of ex-Special Forces soldiers sent into Iraq to retrieve a looted Van Gogh painting, with a savage twist to the tale. That fiction was followed up by Cobra Gold, an equally compelling tale of global drama and intrigue and shadowy betrayal.
Damien Lewis's work, books and films have won the Index on Censorship (UK), CECRA (Spain), Project Censored (US), Commonwealth Relations (UK), Discovery-NHK BANFF (Canada), Rory Peck (UK), BBC One World (UK), BBC-WWF Wildscreen (UK), International Peace Prize (US), Elle Magazine Grande Prix (US), Victor Gollanz (Germany), and BBC One World (UK) Awards. He is a Fellow of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 18, 2023
a less coherent collection of stories (than the previous Great Escapes). Still many thrills.
February 22, 2025
As time rolls by at speed, history can get lost or forgotten about. Books like these allow us to understand important parts of our history during the darkest hours and what individuals/people had to do to bring us to this point in time. Damien Lewis details 6 great escapes during WWII by a band of elite soldiers.
The escapes themselves are heroic by all accounts, even though a lot of people still lost their lives. Incredible missions that seem like fiction from a Boy's Own Comic saga.
By capturing these stories from people involved, documentation, archives and museums we are able to appreciate the tasks that very few people had to do during the war. Damien's research is extensive and his writing is clear as day as he recounts the escapes of groups of men and individuals during extremely difficult times.
The escapes themselves are heroic by all accounts, even though a lot of people still lost their lives. Incredible missions that seem like fiction from a Boy's Own Comic saga.
By capturing these stories from people involved, documentation, archives and museums we are able to appreciate the tasks that very few people had to do during the war. Damien's research is extensive and his writing is clear as day as he recounts the escapes of groups of men and individuals during extremely difficult times.
September 12, 2025
I am always astonished at the resilience of people under intense circumstances.
March 25, 2024
Another excellent book from Damien Lewis True stories that read like fiction
October 12, 2024
Another great book of unbelievable acts of bravery, self sacrifice, and heroism of the SAS and the people people that supported and helped them on their escape and evasion from the clutches of the axis forces.
Reads like fiction yet all true.
Lest we forget!
Reads like fiction yet all true.
Lest we forget!
June 14, 2025
Great storied
Excellent read . Well written stories of great acts of heroism and fortitude. It's moving to understand what these men went through and the help they got from some civilians particularly in the last story in France.
Excellent read . Well written stories of great acts of heroism and fortitude. It's moving to understand what these men went through and the help they got from some civilians particularly in the last story in France.
Read
June 28, 2024bought this book over a year ago and i will NEVER finish it...so time for a DNF
November 9, 2024
A collection of incredible true escape stories involving the SAS a great follow up to the 1st book. Recommend.
November 20, 2024
Wow. Super human
April 16, 2025
This is a great collection of tales with a great introduction as well.
July 28, 2025
This was good, but all of the stories blended into one and as much as I love the author and his excellent writing, it pains me to say but he is not the most dynamic narrator on Audible
January 18, 2026
Another brilliant read. Damien Lewis 5 star
May 28, 2023
This is in someways a difficult book to try and review, it features 6 stories which I am sure the majority will have never heard of before. However, by the end you be awe and admiration
One thing each story does have in common is that the people involved are heroes who risked all and made sacrifices most of us could not imagine. These are vivid portrayals which take you to the heart of those involved, the writing gives that sense of being there
With each story it is not only the attention to detail, but you can see the meticulous research that has gone into each. I always feel that as read any of Damien Lewis’s books that it is the characters that are at the heart of each story, you always come away with a feeling that you know something of each, their character and what made them. The stories for me don’t seek out to glorify or glamorise but to show the human side and the realities of war
What was endured is unthinkable in fact you are left wondering how they survived, the courage and ingenuity and in some cases blind luck all played there part
You have to remember though that this is not a textbook, the stories whilst sympathetic to the characters are told in a way that grabs the readers attention, they do tell a story, I was hooked by all.
Damien Lewis’s narrative not only gives you a feeling for who each character was but you also get a real sense and feel for the locations and the conditions endured, it is a book which is atmospheric and one that heightens the suspense and drama
These are stories that stay with you as they should, one of the stories at the end featured a piece of one of the families today, somehow that brings things home and shows how things should not be forgotten
It must be remembered that this was war and for some that meant paying the ultimate sacrifice
I found this a difficult book to put down, Damien Lewis knows how to engage the reader and capture their attention
This is a 5* read that I would urge people to read
One thing each story does have in common is that the people involved are heroes who risked all and made sacrifices most of us could not imagine. These are vivid portrayals which take you to the heart of those involved, the writing gives that sense of being there
With each story it is not only the attention to detail, but you can see the meticulous research that has gone into each. I always feel that as read any of Damien Lewis’s books that it is the characters that are at the heart of each story, you always come away with a feeling that you know something of each, their character and what made them. The stories for me don’t seek out to glorify or glamorise but to show the human side and the realities of war
What was endured is unthinkable in fact you are left wondering how they survived, the courage and ingenuity and in some cases blind luck all played there part
You have to remember though that this is not a textbook, the stories whilst sympathetic to the characters are told in a way that grabs the readers attention, they do tell a story, I was hooked by all.
Damien Lewis’s narrative not only gives you a feeling for who each character was but you also get a real sense and feel for the locations and the conditions endured, it is a book which is atmospheric and one that heightens the suspense and drama
These are stories that stay with you as they should, one of the stories at the end featured a piece of one of the families today, somehow that brings things home and shows how things should not be forgotten
It must be remembered that this was war and for some that meant paying the ultimate sacrifice
I found this a difficult book to put down, Damien Lewis knows how to engage the reader and capture their attention
This is a 5* read that I would urge people to read
October 13, 2023
Though, some of us are more apt than others, no one's really born to fight. But when your world is in immediate peril as was theirs' at a time of great evil and uncertainty, then that's when you'll find that there are people who're willing to make the most extraordinary decisions, even when some of those were hampered by older injuries. They still went ahead never knowing if they'd ever make it back in one piece or alive.
A couple of times in its early days the higher ups wanted to disband the SAS. But they really didn't have a handle on what this war with Germany meant — as Churchill did back then. For them, they may have seen it as ungentlemanly. Well, whatever their view was, it wasn't the right one we needed back then. And the men of the SAS would do all they could to oblige Churchill's view, in that regard.
While reading these stories, you may wonder how much more exciting and, or moving it can all feel. Yet, in a way, that's its joy. One moment, your eyes are racing along at an impossible speed to capture as much as you can at breakneck speed to lap it up all sooner, and at other times you find yourself perhpas wanting to savour some moments a little longer. For me though — at times, my eyes couldn't keep up. LOL
A couple of times in its early days the higher ups wanted to disband the SAS. But they really didn't have a handle on what this war with Germany meant — as Churchill did back then. For them, they may have seen it as ungentlemanly. Well, whatever their view was, it wasn't the right one we needed back then. And the men of the SAS would do all they could to oblige Churchill's view, in that regard.
While reading these stories, you may wonder how much more exciting and, or moving it can all feel. Yet, in a way, that's its joy. One moment, your eyes are racing along at an impossible speed to capture as much as you can at breakneck speed to lap it up all sooner, and at other times you find yourself perhpas wanting to savour some moments a little longer. For me though — at times, my eyes couldn't keep up. LOL
February 27, 2024
Another excellent book from Damien Lewis about the heroism and bravery of SAS fighters during WW2 . This is the second of the series and continues the theme of escapes from enemy forces either individually or in groups . The author has a very readable but detailed style , which adds to the thrill of the story . If you were not told they were fact you would not believe the courage and ingenuity shown not only by the escapees but also the Resistance and people , who helped them escape.
July 21, 2023
A continuation from Book 1, more amazing tales of incredible people of the “Greatest Generation”. What was once one of the military’s most secret units has become one of the most famous but that doesn’t detract from these stories of extraordinary courage by extraordinary people.
September 24, 2023
brilliant read
An insight into the story and state of mind of a number of heroes who laboured with unimaginable fortitude. We owe them a debt of gratitude. Hearing their tales, undoubtedly strengthens a reader’s resilience to the challenges of modern life. A brilliant read.
An insight into the story and state of mind of a number of heroes who laboured with unimaginable fortitude. We owe them a debt of gratitude. Hearing their tales, undoubtedly strengthens a reader’s resilience to the challenges of modern life. A brilliant read.
January 21, 2024
Another excellent book from Damien Lewis, six incredible stories involving the SAS. Couldn’t put it down.
April 3, 2024
This was a decent easy read. Good book for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews