David Stirling is the name synonymous with the wartime SAS, but the real brains behind the operation was, in fact, Bill Stirling, David’s eldest brother.
Having originally joined the SOE in March 1940, Bill Stirling sailed for Cairo in 1941 and there had the idea for a small special forces unit to be led by his mercurial brother. But despite some success, David allowed the legendary 1SAS to drift under his leadership. Following his capture, Bill re-directed 2SAS, under his personal command, to the strategy he had originally envisaged: parachuting behind enemy lines to gather intelligence.
Joining me is Gavin Mortimer.
Gavin is the author of several books focusing on the SAS, including a biography of David Sterling. His latest book is 2SAS: Bill Stirling and the forgotten special forces unit of World War II.
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106 - Operation Swallow
105 - Case White: The Invasion of Poland, 1939
104 - Alarmstart: The Luftwaffe in the Mediterranean
103 'Chink' Eric Dorman-Smith
102 - D-Day Through German Eyes
101 - Operation CHASTISE: The Dambusters
100 - Left For Dead At Nijmegen
99 - George Mergenthaler - MERG
98 - Operation Market Garden
97 - Japanese POW: Ray Fitchett
96 - Bridge Busters: The Dortmund-Ems Canal Raid
95 - Jimmy Stewart
94 - 1941
93 - D-Day: The British Beach Landings
92 - D-Day: Omaha
91 - USS Arizona: Brothers Down
90 - Storm On Our Shores
89 - Cork Wars
88 - Division Leclerc
87 - Hitler's Death
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