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The Nazi Hunters: The Ultra-Secret SAS Unit and the Hunt for Hitler's War Criminals
The gripping "untold story" of the Secret Hunters, deep-cover British special forces who pursued Nazi fugitives from justice after World War II (Daily Mail).
In the late summer of 1944, eighty British Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers undertook a covert commando raid, parachuting behind enemy lines into the Vosges Mountains in occupied France to sabotage Nazi-held roads, railways, and ammo dumps, and assassinate high-ranking German officers, undermining the final stand of Hitler's Third Reich. Despite their successes, more than half the men were captured, tortured, and executed.
Although the SAS was officially dissolved when the war ended, a top-secret black ops unit was formed, under Churchill's personal command, to hunt down the SS commanders who had murdered their special forces comrades, as well as war criminals from concentration camps who had eluded the Nuremberg trials. Under the cover of full deniability, "The Secret Hunters" waged a covert war of justice and retribution--uncovering the full horror of Hitler's regime as well as dark secrets of Stalin's Russia and the growing threat of what would become the Cold War.
Finally revealing the fascinating details of the secret postwar mission that became a central part of the SAS's founding legend, Damien Lewis "delves into some of the darkest days of the regiment's history to tell a story of tragedy, valor and revenge . . . [a] remarkable story" (War History Online).
In the late summer of 1944, eighty British Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers undertook a covert commando raid, parachuting behind enemy lines into the Vosges Mountains in occupied France to sabotage Nazi-held roads, railways, and ammo dumps, and assassinate high-ranking German officers, undermining the final stand of Hitler's Third Reich. Despite their successes, more than half the men were captured, tortured, and executed.
Although the SAS was officially dissolved when the war ended, a top-secret black ops unit was formed, under Churchill's personal command, to hunt down the SS commanders who had murdered their special forces comrades, as well as war criminals from concentration camps who had eluded the Nuremberg trials. Under the cover of full deniability, "The Secret Hunters" waged a covert war of justice and retribution--uncovering the full horror of Hitler's regime as well as dark secrets of Stalin's Russia and the growing threat of what would become the Cold War.
Finally revealing the fascinating details of the secret postwar mission that became a central part of the SAS's founding legend, Damien Lewis "delves into some of the darkest days of the regiment's history to tell a story of tragedy, valor and revenge . . . [a] remarkable story" (War History Online).
441 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 8, 2015
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About the author
Damien Lewis
83 books449 followersDamien 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.
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 - 30 of 109 reviews
April 24, 2022
The Nazi Hunters completely absorbing holy hell that 60 S.A.S men dropped and spending months behind enemy lines in occupied France eventually being such a pain in the ass killing and blowing up shit that eventually thousands of heavily armed kick ass SS Nazis had to be brought in and then the few survivors battled to the last bullet sorrounded in a lonely village farm houses they thought an honourable surrender was to take place but they were wrong rounded up beaten and shot. Then the men that escaped came back with the now publically disbanded but not really just changed to a very secretive unit that fixed broken situations. So more S A.S units formed after the war was over were sent to track down and kill these Nazi murderers. War is brutal even when it's finished for these guys the war didn't end in 1945 but in 1951.
A story not widely known outside military circles I would imagine and probably not a story a war weary public wanted to know about either good share Damien Lewis.
Bought a used copy from the Piggery
A story not widely known outside military circles I would imagine and probably not a story a war weary public wanted to know about either good share Damien Lewis.
Bought a used copy from the Piggery
April 22, 2018
A very solid history book, telling a little known story from the closing days of WWII.
Several units of British SAS got paradropped into the Vosges region in mid-44, on the border of France and Germany, tasked with the disruption and sabotage of German war materiel. The idea was to pin down the Wermacht troops, and force them onto the defensive, allowing General Patton's troops sufficient time to break through the mountain passes and invade Germany main land.
The British liaised with the French resistance (Maquis), and over the next two months, raided the German positions. Their work was largely successful, as at some point, the Germans had three divisions engaged in searching for the enemy. Operation Loyton was meant to last only two weeks, but the SAS held for almost two months before pulling out. In the course of action, some 40-odd members of the 100-strong force were killed or reported missing in action.
Shortly after the operation, the SAS started searching for their lost comrades, and soon learned that they had been killed by their captors, in what would be among the first documented cases of war crimes in the West. After the war, the disbanded SAS continued clandestine hunt after the Nazis, with more than 100 suspects apprehended and brought to trial.
Damien's signature writing style is evident in this book - extremely similar to Hunting Hitler's Nukes, with picturesque characters, almost naive escapades that are sometimes riddled with little inconsistencies, and gruesome, difficult situations that vividly portray the horrors of WWII.
I believe Damien's best work is his book on Viktor Bout - Operation Relentless, as it's modern and accurate. There are some problems working with ancient archives and first-person accounts of things that had happened some 70 years ago, in the pre-digital era. Like for instance the mention of the use of the Ouija board to track suspects and find buried bodies of dead Allied soldiers. That's just silly mystique that has no place in the book.
That said, it's still a very entertaining and compelling read, and the stories of what the SAS during Op Loyton and thereafter are truly fascinating, sometimes even absurd. The book also gives focus to the people of Vosges, who sacrificed a lot to help the British soldiers, the raids and sabotage missions, and then the post-war politics and war crime hunts.
The last part of the book is probably the most telling. The war crimes committed in the German concentration camps in France were suppressed - for the sake of possible political alliance with Germany against the Soviets - and then again, during the trials, with many of those implicated receiving light sentences. Worse yet, as revealed from declassified documents, the Americans actively employed former SS and Gestapo agents in their Cold War fight against the Soviets, writing off the war crimes. In fact, they may have shielded the two biggest perpetrators of the Vosges massacres. And author also draws criticism and disappointed for the British, who may have also done the same. Not surprisingly, the SAS team felt outraged and betrayed that the cruel deaths of their comrades would be traded for the sake of politics. Fast forward 70 years, it seems little has changed today. Politics and morality don't always mix.
This is a very good read, but don't expect a happy ending.
Recommended.
Igor
Several units of British SAS got paradropped into the Vosges region in mid-44, on the border of France and Germany, tasked with the disruption and sabotage of German war materiel. The idea was to pin down the Wermacht troops, and force them onto the defensive, allowing General Patton's troops sufficient time to break through the mountain passes and invade Germany main land.
The British liaised with the French resistance (Maquis), and over the next two months, raided the German positions. Their work was largely successful, as at some point, the Germans had three divisions engaged in searching for the enemy. Operation Loyton was meant to last only two weeks, but the SAS held for almost two months before pulling out. In the course of action, some 40-odd members of the 100-strong force were killed or reported missing in action.
Shortly after the operation, the SAS started searching for their lost comrades, and soon learned that they had been killed by their captors, in what would be among the first documented cases of war crimes in the West. After the war, the disbanded SAS continued clandestine hunt after the Nazis, with more than 100 suspects apprehended and brought to trial.
Damien's signature writing style is evident in this book - extremely similar to Hunting Hitler's Nukes, with picturesque characters, almost naive escapades that are sometimes riddled with little inconsistencies, and gruesome, difficult situations that vividly portray the horrors of WWII.
I believe Damien's best work is his book on Viktor Bout - Operation Relentless, as it's modern and accurate. There are some problems working with ancient archives and first-person accounts of things that had happened some 70 years ago, in the pre-digital era. Like for instance the mention of the use of the Ouija board to track suspects and find buried bodies of dead Allied soldiers. That's just silly mystique that has no place in the book.
That said, it's still a very entertaining and compelling read, and the stories of what the SAS during Op Loyton and thereafter are truly fascinating, sometimes even absurd. The book also gives focus to the people of Vosges, who sacrificed a lot to help the British soldiers, the raids and sabotage missions, and then the post-war politics and war crime hunts.
The last part of the book is probably the most telling. The war crimes committed in the German concentration camps in France were suppressed - for the sake of possible political alliance with Germany against the Soviets - and then again, during the trials, with many of those implicated receiving light sentences. Worse yet, as revealed from declassified documents, the Americans actively employed former SS and Gestapo agents in their Cold War fight against the Soviets, writing off the war crimes. In fact, they may have shielded the two biggest perpetrators of the Vosges massacres. And author also draws criticism and disappointed for the British, who may have also done the same. Not surprisingly, the SAS team felt outraged and betrayed that the cruel deaths of their comrades would be traded for the sake of politics. Fast forward 70 years, it seems little has changed today. Politics and morality don't always mix.
This is a very good read, but don't expect a happy ending.
Recommended.
Igor
February 20, 2017
This is a very interesting, enlightening and somewhat frustrating story as it shows not only the immense bravery and mild insanity of the SAS and their work behind enemy lines in the final years of the Second World War but also shows the uphill struggle they faced in bringing the Nazi war criminals to justice. Sadly this obstacles put in place by their own side. It also shows the bravery and resilience of the French people and they battle against the Nazis to help the SAS, even when it cost them their own and their families lives. Lewis presents all the information he was able to find from the recently opened files from the archives and from his own research but also highlights where there are still gaps and questions, making it clear what is fact and what is conjecture. He also covers the results of the war trials for those captured by the SAS (the sentances from which seem rather leniant I must say) not to mention what happened to the ones that managed to escape. A great read about a team of men who went above and beyond in order to do the right thing and see justice done.
July 20, 2021
Interesting in parts, particularly the first half. But became a little dry and repetitive in the second half when covering the attempts to bring perpetrators to justice. I'm not sure that the rather plodding and tedious narrative really does justice to the bravery and perseverance of the individuals involved with the action against the war criminals.
May 21, 2018
This is another mostly unknown part of history taken place during WWII in which the famous SAS got their own "bridge too far" deep in the French/German Vosges. The Vosges also called the Vosges Mountains, are a range of low mountains in eastern France, near its border with Germany. It was here that the SAS decided to stage a little unrest together with the local resistance fighters called the Maquis.
However the Germans had decided that this natural obstacle was a good a place as any to throw up a serious defense line towards Patton's unstoppable tank army. This proved to be mostly unknown to this small band of SAS paratroopers who were confronted right from the beginning with a very dedicated German army that would not rest until they got hold of all SAS men and of course Maquis.
This book is very well written reconstruction of what took place in August and September in the Vosges. The heroics of the SAS and the heroism of the French population who also suffered under the German boot.
The first half is the disastrous mission that did get shut down in the end by the Germans but also the successes they had in taking the German eyes from the ball. Patton came due to too long a supply line to late to relief these men who survived and died for their nation and freedom of Europe.
The second half of the book is about the reconstruction by the SAS, even if this unit was disbanded by this time, of what happened to their comrades who never came back from the job they were send to do. It is here that you cannot fail to see how WWII was never black versus white but al lot of grayness and people not taking responsibility for their actions (Befehl ist Befehl). You read about a concentration camp Netzweiler where a lot of political opponents and POW where send to basically be killed in forced labor of medical experiments. It was one of the first such places the Allied forces encountered and decided not to tell the world because they figured if the German population would found out the World knew they would not have any cause to surrender but fight to the bitter end. Thus it would cost more allied lives.
You find out about the general order by Hitler towards saboteurs and troops behind enemy-lines namely to be shot on sight without any court. The Germans troops who did hunt down the SAS where the same folks who already murdered their way through Russia and the Baltic states So not much mercy was to be expected. The stubborn SAS investigation even in the face of their own army turned up quite a few facts, truths and bodies where the British military was actually more interested in hushing matters so not to needlessly create an unrest within the population. The book does describe a after-war reality that shows that the Nazi's mostly were used against the next enemy for the next 45 years. The head of the German Secret Service was the same fellow that did this job during the war on the German side.
A book about hero's ordinary people that dared to stand up against an oppressor even if they payed dearly for it. And the second half that shows the ugly truth after the war when politics were suddenly back into play a replay with the same attitude as before WWII do not wake the sleeping dogs. The use of former Nazi's after the war and the acceptance of the lies told because they were profitable for the Allied in their new war against the Communism.
There is a church in the French place Moussey where there hangs a banner of the SAS and each year they are there to remember the people that lost their lives in such a cruel way and yet never gave each other up in order to save their own lives. Simply because they knew that would not save them from the cruel master called Nazi.
A book that starts of a adventure and quickly turns into a nightmare due to the war crimes the Nazi's were really good at and the acceptance of their wrongdoings. due to pure gain for the allied forces. If you have finished this book you know we have learned nothing since then with the various genocides we had in the recent years. A book about a noble ideal and the darker side.
A true story that should be read and I guarantee you will be seriously pissed of if not you are probably out of your mind.
However the Germans had decided that this natural obstacle was a good a place as any to throw up a serious defense line towards Patton's unstoppable tank army. This proved to be mostly unknown to this small band of SAS paratroopers who were confronted right from the beginning with a very dedicated German army that would not rest until they got hold of all SAS men and of course Maquis.
This book is very well written reconstruction of what took place in August and September in the Vosges. The heroics of the SAS and the heroism of the French population who also suffered under the German boot.
The first half is the disastrous mission that did get shut down in the end by the Germans but also the successes they had in taking the German eyes from the ball. Patton came due to too long a supply line to late to relief these men who survived and died for their nation and freedom of Europe.
The second half of the book is about the reconstruction by the SAS, even if this unit was disbanded by this time, of what happened to their comrades who never came back from the job they were send to do. It is here that you cannot fail to see how WWII was never black versus white but al lot of grayness and people not taking responsibility for their actions (Befehl ist Befehl). You read about a concentration camp Netzweiler where a lot of political opponents and POW where send to basically be killed in forced labor of medical experiments. It was one of the first such places the Allied forces encountered and decided not to tell the world because they figured if the German population would found out the World knew they would not have any cause to surrender but fight to the bitter end. Thus it would cost more allied lives.
You find out about the general order by Hitler towards saboteurs and troops behind enemy-lines namely to be shot on sight without any court. The Germans troops who did hunt down the SAS where the same folks who already murdered their way through Russia and the Baltic states So not much mercy was to be expected. The stubborn SAS investigation even in the face of their own army turned up quite a few facts, truths and bodies where the British military was actually more interested in hushing matters so not to needlessly create an unrest within the population. The book does describe a after-war reality that shows that the Nazi's mostly were used against the next enemy for the next 45 years. The head of the German Secret Service was the same fellow that did this job during the war on the German side.
A book about hero's ordinary people that dared to stand up against an oppressor even if they payed dearly for it. And the second half that shows the ugly truth after the war when politics were suddenly back into play a replay with the same attitude as before WWII do not wake the sleeping dogs. The use of former Nazi's after the war and the acceptance of the lies told because they were profitable for the Allied in their new war against the Communism.
There is a church in the French place Moussey where there hangs a banner of the SAS and each year they are there to remember the people that lost their lives in such a cruel way and yet never gave each other up in order to save their own lives. Simply because they knew that would not save them from the cruel master called Nazi.
A book that starts of a adventure and quickly turns into a nightmare due to the war crimes the Nazi's were really good at and the acceptance of their wrongdoings. due to pure gain for the allied forces. If you have finished this book you know we have learned nothing since then with the various genocides we had in the recent years. A book about a noble ideal and the darker side.
A true story that should be read and I guarantee you will be seriously pissed of if not you are probably out of your mind.
July 18, 2019
As a documentary piece regarding the activities of the SAS in the border regions between occupied France and Nazi Germany during WWII, this was an excellent and very readable book. Slightly less interesting later in the book when discussing how after the war various perpetrators of Nazi war crimes were brought to justice (despite the blurb making more of this part of the story than earlier aspects), the first half of the book which described the activities of these SAS personnel with the help of French Resistance fighters I thought was fascinating. There were some aspects of common ground between this and a recent book on the SOE I read, which made for an obvious comparison - the same events described much more compellingly here, compared to the dryness of the other book.
I was however troubled by a great deal of thought-provoking aspects of this book, and how the author seemed to frame one side of the conflict as unwaveringly heroic and the other as uniformly sadistic and evil. Yes, I understand that on balance there was a great deal of cruelty shown by a number of particular Nazi officers, and many heinous crimes committed during occupation. Yes, I don't disagree with the descriptions of resistance fighters and SAS soldiers as brave and serving a greater good in their actions.
However it struck me strongly that one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist, nowhere more so than when SAS members in league with locals, set roadside bombs and ambushed and killed invading occupiers. In exactly the same way that, for instance, Iraqi insurgents used improvised explosive devices to attack US/GB troops in Iraq. All seen very differently according to which side you are on. In this book there was a certain way in which Allied and Axis deaths were described very differently, a subtle but present level of bias.
I was however troubled by a great deal of thought-provoking aspects of this book, and how the author seemed to frame one side of the conflict as unwaveringly heroic and the other as uniformly sadistic and evil. Yes, I understand that on balance there was a great deal of cruelty shown by a number of particular Nazi officers, and many heinous crimes committed during occupation. Yes, I don't disagree with the descriptions of resistance fighters and SAS soldiers as brave and serving a greater good in their actions.
However it struck me strongly that one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist, nowhere more so than when SAS members in league with locals, set roadside bombs and ambushed and killed invading occupiers. In exactly the same way that, for instance, Iraqi insurgents used improvised explosive devices to attack US/GB troops in Iraq. All seen very differently according to which side you are on. In this book there was a certain way in which Allied and Axis deaths were described very differently, a subtle but present level of bias.
February 23, 2022
A story of two halves. One during the war and the action involving the SAS, which was important and brave. Second half is all about bringing the offenders to justice after the war which is also interesting to learn about. Few things written about that I'd never heard about the war which made me interested in doing some additional research.
May 16, 2016
Written like a fast moving thriller, this is the incredible tale of a little know chapter in the history of Britain’s elite Special Air Service (SAS).
A tenacious and heroic SAS division which, post-World War II (and the apparent closure of the regiment itself), diligently sought out German soldiers to bring them to trial for war crimes against members of a behind-the-lines SAS division and members of the French resistance movement.
An amazing piece of lost history which not only sheds light the dedication and courage of a particular group of men, but also makes interesting observations on the apparent blurring of lines between justice and politics.
A tenacious and heroic SAS division which, post-World War II (and the apparent closure of the regiment itself), diligently sought out German soldiers to bring them to trial for war crimes against members of a behind-the-lines SAS division and members of the French resistance movement.
An amazing piece of lost history which not only sheds light the dedication and courage of a particular group of men, but also makes interesting observations on the apparent blurring of lines between justice and politics.
November 9, 2021
A really good and very interesting read.
May 6, 2025
CAWPILE 8.00
4.5 STARS
Non-Fiction Pick for May 2025.
Seems a fitting choice given that this week is the 80th anniversary of V.E Day.
This book is incredibly well researched, well written and I found it very emotive. The horrors that were described, the politics that got in the way of justice, the CIA hiring and hiding the Nazi's from the European war courts....shocking and strangely not shocking at all. I was sad, frightened, angry, frustrated and furious by the end of the book- I'd recommend this to anyone who is interested in history as I think it's a pretty even telling of events.
I will certainly read Damien Lewis again in the future.
4.5 STARS
Non-Fiction Pick for May 2025.
Seems a fitting choice given that this week is the 80th anniversary of V.E Day.
This book is incredibly well researched, well written and I found it very emotive. The horrors that were described, the politics that got in the way of justice, the CIA hiring and hiding the Nazi's from the European war courts....shocking and strangely not shocking at all. I was sad, frightened, angry, frustrated and furious by the end of the book- I'd recommend this to anyone who is interested in history as I think it's a pretty even telling of events.
I will certainly read Damien Lewis again in the future.
July 6, 2025
An amazing, until now, untold story about how the SAS was formed, one of their thrilling missions fighting and sabotaging Germans in France, their struggles with diplomacy, and their hunt to put the ones responsible to justice.
This book does raise one question: how far is anyone allowed to go to fight for justice? The author shrugs the SAS’s actions outside of the law off pretty easily (like lying in court, etc.). In my point of view their actions are totally justified, as they obviously don’t weigh up to what those Nazi’s did. But if it isn’t the rules or law, then where do they draw the line?
Great read!
This book does raise one question: how far is anyone allowed to go to fight for justice? The author shrugs the SAS’s actions outside of the law off pretty easily (like lying in court, etc.). In my point of view their actions are totally justified, as they obviously don’t weigh up to what those Nazi’s did. But if it isn’t the rules or law, then where do they draw the line?
Great read!
February 29, 2020
I cacciatori di nazisti di cui parla questo bel libro sono un distaccamento dei SAS britannici che negli ultimi mesi della II guerra mondiale e nell'anno e mezzo successivo dedicarono il loro impegno a stanare e consegnare alla giustizia alleata i nazisti che si erano macchiati di orribili nefandezze nei confronti di quei militari alleati che, paracadutati sui Vosgi, gruppo montuoso tra Francia e Germania,oltre le linee tedesche, per favorire con le loro azioni l'avanzata delle truppe alleate verso la Germania, vennero catturati dalle SS, sottoposti a torture, giustiziati con un colpo alla nuca e sepolti in fosse comuni nei boschi della zona. E se il lavoro dei "cacciatori" fu in parte premiato con la cattura di diversi nazisti che furono assicurati alla giustizia e sottoposti a processo, l'autore informa che molti ufficiali nazisti scamparono alla forca perchè i nascenti servizi segreti alleati li graziarono e nascosero per utilizzare la loro esperienza nella guerra fredda contro i Russi. Un racconto appassionante che destabilizza l'opinione radicata in tutti noi che i governi si comportino in maniera etica nei confronti dei cittadini del proprio paese ma soprattutto è agghiacciante la consapevolezza che, per motivi opinabili, si possa decidere di non rendere giustizia nei confronti di chi ha messo in gioco la sua vita per il proprio paese.
April 21, 2016
An enlightening account of how the SAS was born, what it achieved and how the service survived clandestinely and secretly hunted Nazi war criminals in an effort to find out what had happened to their captured comrades in France during the 2nd World War. One cannot praise the men enough who gave their all to fight the Germans along with the Marquis to enable the allies to advance through France into Germany. It is a proper account of events taking place and the people involved and sometimes this makes it rather a dry read but worthwhile nonetheless. One can only admire the stubbornness and resilience of those involved actively during the war and those indomitable men trying to find and bring to justice the Nazi beasts that murdered their comrades and also the innocent French villagers who suffered brutally because of their support of the British fighters. The fact that the Americans put Nazi war criminals onto their payroll as spies against Russia after the war, instead of charging them with the despicable crimes they committed, is very hard to come to terms with but then, it is also mentioned that the British did the same.
July 31, 2016
A very well written account of the exploits of key SAS men responsible for disrupting the Nazi war effort towards the end of the 2nd World War and the subsequent hunt to bring their colleagues and comrades in arms killers to justice post war.
Mr Lewis has the capacity to draw you into the the story and weave the tail to capture your interest and keep turning the pages. Details and facts are there and vital to the accuracy of the historic narrative but you are also given a sense of the era and the rawness of the war effort as it drew to a close.
Such stories are done justice in the telling and this one should leave the reader with not only empathy for the subjects but a sense of pride that such men and women were prepared to undertake such tasks under the most extreme of conditions.
Mr Lewis does them an honour by recounting the story and for anyone wishing to gain a very personal insight into the struggles for seeing justice done to such an evil regime them this is well worth the read!
Mr Lewis has the capacity to draw you into the the story and weave the tail to capture your interest and keep turning the pages. Details and facts are there and vital to the accuracy of the historic narrative but you are also given a sense of the era and the rawness of the war effort as it drew to a close.
Such stories are done justice in the telling and this one should leave the reader with not only empathy for the subjects but a sense of pride that such men and women were prepared to undertake such tasks under the most extreme of conditions.
Mr Lewis does them an honour by recounting the story and for anyone wishing to gain a very personal insight into the struggles for seeing justice done to such an evil regime them this is well worth the read!
October 21, 2016
A very well researched account, with a lot of detail on the SAS operations in the Vosges. While it does cover the post-war war crimes investigations most of the book is actually about the period leading to the war crimes. This is very interesting, and shows how they were operating and why so many SAS soldiers ended up in enemy hands. It also sort of explains the personal nature of the SAS War Crimes Unit's all consuming involvement in hunting down the perpetrators.
July 20, 2019
This is a part of WW2 history I had never come across and it is brilliant, daring and heartbreaking all in one. My only grumble is that the author's style is quite odd - not sure how else to describe it (and it may just be me). Don't let the oddness put you off, this book, and the story of Op Litton, deserves to be widely read
March 24, 2024
I stayed up to read this to its conclusion as the last 100+ pages are incredibly insightful and gripping. I then read the 3 after sections, telling you about the lives of all involved. I had picked this book up as part of a set of 4 and had foolishly put it to one side; the title grated on me, and I anticipated it was going to be somewhat preachy. It's not at all like that.
The first half of the book tells the story of the SAS who landed behind enemy lines towards the end of the war. They scratch out an existence while facing thousands of enemy troops, adverse weather conditions, hunger, betrayal, and many other difficulties. However, the second half of the book turns to the immediate post-war era, a small team's attempts to discover what happened to their missing SAS comrades, and bring those accountable to justice.
The whole thing is just extremely well written. I would recommend it to everyone.
The first half of the book tells the story of the SAS who landed behind enemy lines towards the end of the war. They scratch out an existence while facing thousands of enemy troops, adverse weather conditions, hunger, betrayal, and many other difficulties. However, the second half of the book turns to the immediate post-war era, a small team's attempts to discover what happened to their missing SAS comrades, and bring those accountable to justice.
The whole thing is just extremely well written. I would recommend it to everyone.
September 19, 2024
Compelling, but I’m concerned by some pretty clear errors which I, an idiot, was able to catch- e.g. the author claiming the allies had no concept of a concentration camps when they were introduced by the British in the Boer war. There’s also a pretty clear bias towards the allies, which of course aligns with my views (fuck nazis), but concerns me from a perspective of analytical neutrality. I think that’s just my personal taste for more “anthropological” or “economic” examinations of history, and an effective way to make things compelling for readers. I’d rate it higher if I hadn’t caught some blatant misinformation, which I don’t necessarily blame the author for because of how historians view these topics changing over time. Enjoyable read overall, just view it with some skepticism
April 5, 2019
When people think of World War II, the first things that probably comes to their mind is Hitler, concentration camps, and how the Jews were targeted. But people really do not give the credit to the heroic and brave actions that were done by the people that were against the Nazis. People just tend to think of the negative side World War II, and not think of other things, like what did other people from other countries do to get revenge on those terrible people?
And if you want to know just that, then this book really dives into the SAS, which was a British Special Air Service that was out to capture the SS Commanders that caused the deaths of their fellow comrades.
Damien Lewis, shows the ups and downs of the SAS, and how it first failed to succeed their mission, but then rose back up to have justice served to these horrible people. But their trying to get these War criminals be served justice would not be approved by the British Government, but they still believed that what they were trying to do had to be achieved, so the SAS was hid from Britain.
This books shows the bravery from all these soldiers, that were willing to give up their lives just to have justice served to these terrible people, but it was not only the British that wanted to do it, but the French. Those French people wanted to help the SAS, which meant that they were willing to risk their lives, which shows the bravery. An example of their bravery is when they had to fight off the Germans, so that SAS could go capture Nazis while the French were fighting. One bullet can hit one of the French people fighting and then it could kill them, but those who were fighting were willing to risk that just to help the SAS. Lewis also does a great job on the trials of those SS commanders that were caught, and not to spoil anything, but justice was served.
In overall, this book will give you a clear understanding on how brave people were to stand up and capture these Nazis, no matter what the risk is, even if it meant sneaking and going around your enemies just to capture the person that is targeted, which is what the SAS were doing. Which in this case is very risky, because if a singular person from the opposing side sees unfamiliar faces then he will command his comrades to shoot or arrest those who they don’t recognize, and in this case the SAS would be those unfamiliar faces, if they were seen. This is just one example of many from the book, that shows the bravery of the people that were part of the SAS.
This book for sure made me realize that World War II is not only about what the Nazis did, but what the soldiers and people from other countries did to have justice served to those who caused the deaths of millions.
If you ever would like to read about a story what people from other countries during the Nazis era, this is definitely the book that you should read.
And if you want to know just that, then this book really dives into the SAS, which was a British Special Air Service that was out to capture the SS Commanders that caused the deaths of their fellow comrades.
Damien Lewis, shows the ups and downs of the SAS, and how it first failed to succeed their mission, but then rose back up to have justice served to these horrible people. But their trying to get these War criminals be served justice would not be approved by the British Government, but they still believed that what they were trying to do had to be achieved, so the SAS was hid from Britain.
This books shows the bravery from all these soldiers, that were willing to give up their lives just to have justice served to these terrible people, but it was not only the British that wanted to do it, but the French. Those French people wanted to help the SAS, which meant that they were willing to risk their lives, which shows the bravery. An example of their bravery is when they had to fight off the Germans, so that SAS could go capture Nazis while the French were fighting. One bullet can hit one of the French people fighting and then it could kill them, but those who were fighting were willing to risk that just to help the SAS. Lewis also does a great job on the trials of those SS commanders that were caught, and not to spoil anything, but justice was served.
In overall, this book will give you a clear understanding on how brave people were to stand up and capture these Nazis, no matter what the risk is, even if it meant sneaking and going around your enemies just to capture the person that is targeted, which is what the SAS were doing. Which in this case is very risky, because if a singular person from the opposing side sees unfamiliar faces then he will command his comrades to shoot or arrest those who they don’t recognize, and in this case the SAS would be those unfamiliar faces, if they were seen. This is just one example of many from the book, that shows the bravery of the people that were part of the SAS.
This book for sure made me realize that World War II is not only about what the Nazis did, but what the soldiers and people from other countries did to have justice served to those who caused the deaths of millions.
If you ever would like to read about a story what people from other countries during the Nazis era, this is definitely the book that you should read.
August 10, 2021
Me sorprendió... ¿de buena y mala manera?
Si bien te lo venden como la historia de la unidad del SAS que se dedicó a cazar nazis en secreto, a mí me parece que en realidad no trata de eso.
Cazadores de Nazis empieza con la operación Loyton, que consistía en lanzar paracaidistas a los Vosgos, en el territorio francés ocupado por los nazis, para desbaratar las defensas del enemigo en el frente (haciendo que ponga toda su atención en los Vosgos), afectar las rutas de abastecimiento nazi y, sobre todo, bajar la moral del enemigo. Yo sé que esto puede parecer una introducción, pero en realidad, y para mí sorpresa, la mitad del libro trata de eso.
Durante esa mitad se describe con todo lujo de detalles lo que pasó, cómo pasó y por qué pasó en la operación. Te describen a los hombres involucrados, te explican las motivaciones de todos ellos y te muestran de una manera espectacular todo lo que pasa. Esta fue mi primera sorpresa, porque usualmente, cuando me venden un libro de una manera y después termina ser bastante diferente, porque, por si no quedó claro, la operación Loyton fue durante la guerra, no después, me decepciona, pero en este caso me sorprendió gratamente y me gustó bastante...
...Hasta que empezamos con lo que supuestamente trata el libro: la caza de criminales. Para mí sorpresa, yo que estaba tan emocionada de leer ese libro por esa historia, sentí que bajaba la calidad. Se me hizo repetitivo y algo aburrido, y sentí que no era necesario repetir tanto que la unidad del SAS que los investigaba era ilegal. Me quedó claro las primeras mil veces. Igual, mientras lo leí estuve en un pequeño bloqueo lector, así que no me tomen completamente enserio.
... Y después llegamos a los juicios. Interesantes, escritos con la natural indignación, descritos de manera atrapante y siendo fiel a la historia, la parte de los juicios remontó y llegó a la altura de la primera mitad del libro. En ese punto se empezó a revelar cómo la CIA había estado metida y se describió cómo afectó la corrupción y la burocracia política a la búsqueda de justicia de las familias y compañeros de las víctimas. Definitivamente, una crítica bien construida que explica los sucesos de muy buena manera.
Léanlo para conocer una faceta de la historia de la que poco se habla, interesante y misteriosa. Aprenderán de la mano de una excelente investigación y un bibliografía detallada que le agrega credibilidad.
Si bien te lo venden como la historia de la unidad del SAS que se dedicó a cazar nazis en secreto, a mí me parece que en realidad no trata de eso.
Cazadores de Nazis empieza con la operación Loyton, que consistía en lanzar paracaidistas a los Vosgos, en el territorio francés ocupado por los nazis, para desbaratar las defensas del enemigo en el frente (haciendo que ponga toda su atención en los Vosgos), afectar las rutas de abastecimiento nazi y, sobre todo, bajar la moral del enemigo. Yo sé que esto puede parecer una introducción, pero en realidad, y para mí sorpresa, la mitad del libro trata de eso.
Durante esa mitad se describe con todo lujo de detalles lo que pasó, cómo pasó y por qué pasó en la operación. Te describen a los hombres involucrados, te explican las motivaciones de todos ellos y te muestran de una manera espectacular todo lo que pasa. Esta fue mi primera sorpresa, porque usualmente, cuando me venden un libro de una manera y después termina ser bastante diferente, porque, por si no quedó claro, la operación Loyton fue durante la guerra, no después, me decepciona, pero en este caso me sorprendió gratamente y me gustó bastante...
...Hasta que empezamos con lo que supuestamente trata el libro: la caza de criminales. Para mí sorpresa, yo que estaba tan emocionada de leer ese libro por esa historia, sentí que bajaba la calidad. Se me hizo repetitivo y algo aburrido, y sentí que no era necesario repetir tanto que la unidad del SAS que los investigaba era ilegal. Me quedó claro las primeras mil veces. Igual, mientras lo leí estuve en un pequeño bloqueo lector, así que no me tomen completamente enserio.
... Y después llegamos a los juicios. Interesantes, escritos con la natural indignación, descritos de manera atrapante y siendo fiel a la historia, la parte de los juicios remontó y llegó a la altura de la primera mitad del libro. En ese punto se empezó a revelar cómo la CIA había estado metida y se describió cómo afectó la corrupción y la burocracia política a la búsqueda de justicia de las familias y compañeros de las víctimas. Definitivamente, una crítica bien construida que explica los sucesos de muy buena manera.
Léanlo para conocer una faceta de la historia de la que poco se habla, interesante y misteriosa. Aprenderán de la mano de una excelente investigación y un bibliografía detallada que le agrega credibilidad.
April 27, 2021
The SAS (Special Air Service) is a ballsy special force funded during WWII in North Africa to perform acts of sabotage and other dangerous missions. Once the war was won in Africa, the SAS moved to Europe, where they carried out their tasks in France and Italy.
One of the most disastrous mission was Op Loyton. In the autumn 1944, a bunch of SAS men were dropped in the Vosges region to identify targets and contact the local partisans to help Patton's advancing troops. Unfortunately, Patton was delayed and the region pullulated of angry Germans, none too pleased about loosing the war.
Scheduled to last three weeks, the mission turned into a three months bloody ordeal and when the SAS withdraw, 34 men were missing. The book is split in two parts, the first on the mission and the second about the investigation by SAS ranking members, to find out what happened to their missing comrades.
While the first part reads as a detailed chronicle of war, bloody but understandably so, the second is shocking with its revelations of how the joint British and American military and intelligence powers dropped the SAS as a hot potato, when they started recruiting Nazi officers as "assets" for the forthcoming Cold War.
Part of the original archives have been made public only recently and the story is truly appalling. A handful of brave SAS officers, helped by a powerful allied in London, decamped in the Strasbourg area to track down the Nazis who were responsible for torturing and killing their men. The horrifying part of the story is that the SAS men (and many others, including the French partisans) were not treated as POW, but as spies to be tortured, stripped naked, shot and buried in secrecy.
Of those responsible, a few were captured and sentenced to death, but several escaped because protected for their valuable knowledge of the Easter front and "turned" into assets. The SAS was temporarily disbanded and had to finish their investigation in half secrecy. Talk about justice...
PS another horrifying tale is about four SOE female agents who were executed by lethal injection and then burned to make them disappear, whose fate was also discovered during the SAS investigation.
One of the most disastrous mission was Op Loyton. In the autumn 1944, a bunch of SAS men were dropped in the Vosges region to identify targets and contact the local partisans to help Patton's advancing troops. Unfortunately, Patton was delayed and the region pullulated of angry Germans, none too pleased about loosing the war.
Scheduled to last three weeks, the mission turned into a three months bloody ordeal and when the SAS withdraw, 34 men were missing. The book is split in two parts, the first on the mission and the second about the investigation by SAS ranking members, to find out what happened to their missing comrades.
While the first part reads as a detailed chronicle of war, bloody but understandably so, the second is shocking with its revelations of how the joint British and American military and intelligence powers dropped the SAS as a hot potato, when they started recruiting Nazi officers as "assets" for the forthcoming Cold War.
Part of the original archives have been made public only recently and the story is truly appalling. A handful of brave SAS officers, helped by a powerful allied in London, decamped in the Strasbourg area to track down the Nazis who were responsible for torturing and killing their men. The horrifying part of the story is that the SAS men (and many others, including the French partisans) were not treated as POW, but as spies to be tortured, stripped naked, shot and buried in secrecy.
Of those responsible, a few were captured and sentenced to death, but several escaped because protected for their valuable knowledge of the Easter front and "turned" into assets. The SAS was temporarily disbanded and had to finish their investigation in half secrecy. Talk about justice...
PS another horrifying tale is about four SOE female agents who were executed by lethal injection and then burned to make them disappear, whose fate was also discovered during the SAS investigation.
December 31, 2017
This is a book about the early days of the SAS (when it was was intended as a machine that killed fascists). After their founding in the North Africa campaigns the SAS methods were seen as having potential for causing havoc to the Nazis behind the lines and providing training and support to the indigenous resistance in occupied Europe. Split into two parts the first part focuses on the SAS activity in the Franco-German border regions of the Vosges Mountains where as Operation Loyton SAS members parachuted into France complete with equipment including jeeps to conduct guerrilla war against Nazi forces tying down German forces and causing havoc to supply lines trying to hold back the D-Day landings. Lewis has done detailed research (although some referencing/source notes would have been nice) into the ill fated operation which while successful in harassing the Nazis resulted in a high price to both SAS and locals many of whom were butchered and murdered in cold blood after torture and in some cases vivisection experiments. SAS men were among the first to discover Nazi concentration / death camps including Natzweiler where SAS members and SOE members were murdered along with French civilians. The second part of the book deals with the efforts of SAS members to track down and bring to justice the war criminals who had acted with impunity. The surprising part of the story perhaps is the official opposition the SAS found itself up against as former Nazis became new allies and crimes against humanity became forgettable in the world of Realpolitik. It is a real credit to the humanity and determination of those members of the SAS who took it on themselves to ignore, work around and resort to unorthodox tactics (for which they are famed) where necessary to capture and force the trial of many of the murderers. It is regrettable that many got off with light sentences or with none at all while many of the butchers lived respectable lives working for the new "clean" regimes.
May 7, 2021
The Nazi Hunters is a fast-paced book about two separate subjects. The first is a secret SAS mission behind German lines in France that began in the summer of 1944. The mission was to last a few weeks until Patton's Third Army broke through and relieved them. But as the ground war in Europe actually played out, (operation Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge etc.) the breakthrough anticipated in the summer of '44 never actually came to pass until early 1945.
During that time, the SAS did its best under nearly impossible conditions to raise hell behind the German lines, in concert with the French resistance. But they were tasked with harassing rear guard, second string troops. They had no way of knowing that there was a massive German program underway to ruthlessly combat rearguard actions. While the SAS did an effective job of attacking German leadership and sabotaging logistics, the cost was high. Not only did the Germans take out reprisals on the local populations, but the fate of captured SAS troops was grim.
This takes us to the second half of the book. Although the SAS was formally disbanded in October of 1945, a small group was absorbed into the War Office and able to hunt down the perpetrators of Nazi war crimes committed in their area of operations.
Not surprisingly, many of the French civilians in the area were happy to help with the investigations and helped the investigators to discover that many of the missing SAS soldiers were murdered in cold blood, along with hundreds of locals.
I don't wish to provide any spoilers, so I will let it go at that and encourage you to read how the investigations and the ensuing war crimes trials played out.
I highly recommend this book. The reason I gave it four stars not five was that I felt it ended too soon. It left the fate of one of the most hunted Nazis unanswered. Also, I am a big fan of wrapping up history books with a "what later became of..." and this book omitted that.
During that time, the SAS did its best under nearly impossible conditions to raise hell behind the German lines, in concert with the French resistance. But they were tasked with harassing rear guard, second string troops. They had no way of knowing that there was a massive German program underway to ruthlessly combat rearguard actions. While the SAS did an effective job of attacking German leadership and sabotaging logistics, the cost was high. Not only did the Germans take out reprisals on the local populations, but the fate of captured SAS troops was grim.
This takes us to the second half of the book. Although the SAS was formally disbanded in October of 1945, a small group was absorbed into the War Office and able to hunt down the perpetrators of Nazi war crimes committed in their area of operations.
Not surprisingly, many of the French civilians in the area were happy to help with the investigations and helped the investigators to discover that many of the missing SAS soldiers were murdered in cold blood, along with hundreds of locals.
I don't wish to provide any spoilers, so I will let it go at that and encourage you to read how the investigations and the ensuing war crimes trials played out.
I highly recommend this book. The reason I gave it four stars not five was that I felt it ended too soon. It left the fate of one of the most hunted Nazis unanswered. Also, I am a big fan of wrapping up history books with a "what later became of..." and this book omitted that.
January 6, 2019
I’ve been fascinated by World War II since I was a kid. I have a personal connection in that my grandfather met my grandmother when he was stationed in London with SHAEF headquarters. This unique look at early SAS special forces operations and Nazi depravity in the final years of the war is well worth the time to read. It also helps shed light on the chaos and moral complications of resolving war crimes and attempting to prepare for the next challenge. One thing is evident as I finished the book - the international laws were ill prepared for the barbarity of the Nazis. Between Nazis being utilized for information (effectively forgiving their past sins) to the light sentences that many responsible for the murder of thousands is laughable. As a world trying to move beyond the carnage of war they failed at properly giving closure and justice to the victims. Highly readable Lewis’s prose is engaging and effortless. Entertaining, thoughtful, and educational.
June 23, 2020
Amazing Story
I enjoy reading about World War II and this book did not disappoint. It describes the coming together, activities, successes and failures of a advertIsement trying to fight Nazis at the border of France and Germany. They depended on the goodwill of the people in that area, many of whom hated the Nazis as much as they did and risked so much to help them. I still find it hard to wrap my head around the idea one evil man helped bring about all this destruction, but he had many people who willingly followed him. The part of the book describing the atrocities was hard to read, but it is important to know how cruel the Nazis were. I am so glad the stories of these brave people were told so that the world knows there were good people out there fighting unimaginable evil.
I enjoy reading about World War II and this book did not disappoint. It describes the coming together, activities, successes and failures of a advertIsement trying to fight Nazis at the border of France and Germany. They depended on the goodwill of the people in that area, many of whom hated the Nazis as much as they did and risked so much to help them. I still find it hard to wrap my head around the idea one evil man helped bring about all this destruction, but he had many people who willingly followed him. The part of the book describing the atrocities was hard to read, but it is important to know how cruel the Nazis were. I am so glad the stories of these brave people were told so that the world knows there were good people out there fighting unimaginable evil.
January 1, 2021
This is an excellent novel about an unknown aspect of WWII history. While most people have heard about the Nuremberg Trials and the results of these high ranking Nazi members being tried, the stories of all the other members of the SS, Gestapo, and SD, are unknown. The machinery to murder millions of people needed many people manning the furnaces, camps, and pulling triggers, to accomplish the goal of genocide.
Lewis has laid out a great story about one SAS mission during the war, and the search for justice by the surviving SAS soldiers for their murdered comrades.
This book is a much read for people to get an understanding of the herculean efforts put in by people to ensure that these criminals would be held accountable for their actions.
Lewis has laid out a great story about one SAS mission during the war, and the search for justice by the surviving SAS soldiers for their murdered comrades.
This book is a much read for people to get an understanding of the herculean efforts put in by people to ensure that these criminals would be held accountable for their actions.
April 13, 2019
A fascinating look at the early years of the SAS, the men who made up the early organisation and the operations they covered in occupied France in 1944 before the American troops entered. The book looks at the personalities of the soldiers involved as well as those of the Nazis who carried out Hitlers night and fog decree. In the aftermath of the war it documents how the surviving SAS men looked to find the perpetrators of those who had killed their comrades as well as hinting at the morally dubious actions of the Americans and British in recruiting former Nazis to help them with the nascent cold war.
June 3, 2019
I can't believe this hasn't been made into an HBO miniseries. Just an incredible story not only about these SAS units, but the French resistance fighters and villagers who helped them (many of whom were sent to concentration camps because of their help). The only thing I can say against the book is that the author is quick to use a cliche and on a few occasions, eluded to character's fate just a few pages before it would come up in the story. Beyond that, this is one of the most important stories I'v ever read.
May 18, 2021
A pretty in-depth presentation of the insertion of the SAS into Nazi Occupied territory, their war and murder. Most interesting is what happened after the war ended, with government willing to ignore their murder and the vengeance they took without support.
One of the more interesting "small" stories from WW II, it is utterly amazing how these people were completely engaged at their utter peril. I also appreciated the well developed explanation of the French cooperation and support of the SAS, with equally murderous results.
This was a generation that saved the world.
One of the more interesting "small" stories from WW II, it is utterly amazing how these people were completely engaged at their utter peril. I also appreciated the well developed explanation of the French cooperation and support of the SAS, with equally murderous results.
This was a generation that saved the world.
August 27, 2021
Fantastic history of very brave men AND women
This book by a master storyteller shines a light on the very secret activities of SAS operatives during WW2. the men & ladies who made up these units are the best of the best, they knew there was only death waiting for them and yet they still went forward and terrorized the SS..
This book by a master storyteller shines a light on the very secret activities of SAS operatives during WW2. the men & ladies who made up these units are the best of the best, they knew there was only death waiting for them and yet they still went forward and terrorized the SS..
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