The Other Desert War: British Special Forces in North Africa, 1940-1943

(Hardback)

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Gordon's book reveals an impressive mastery of the archival and secondary sources available on the subject. His writing is crisp and interesting, yet sober and scholarly at the same time. The daring and resourceful men of the British desert forces have found a historian whose ability to tell their story matches their ability to create some of the most daring and imaginative operations of World War II. This is an extraordinary book about extraordinary soldiers. Military Review

Reviews

Military historian John Gordon has written an outstanding work about the various special forces groups that operated in the Libyan desert during the North African campaign in WW II. After examining the uses of such groups throughout history, the author describes the formation of the Long Range Desert Group. This elite organization's story is the centerpiece of the book, though organizations that evolved from it are also examined. Gordon moves easily from the theory behind such units through tactical operations to anecdotal material. The union of these elements has produced an extremely valuable and interesting treatment of this type of warfare.... Scholars will want the book for its military analysis, while WW II history buffs will enjoy the account of the unit's actions. A valuable addition for all libraries.-Choice
This book traces the history of the Long Range Desert Force and other such units from their origins in World War I and the period before World War II to their spectacular successes and failures against the Germans and Italians in the latter conflict. Along the way, the reader learns of the personalities, bureaucractic impediments, hostile environment and luck that affected British efforts to create and maintain these special forces. This superb volume is both highly informative and entertaining. John W. Gordon's book reveals an impressive mastery of the archival and secondary sources available on this subject. His writing is crisp and interesting, yet sober and scholarly at the same time. The daring and resourceful men of the British desert forces have found a historian whose ability to tell their story matches their ability to create some of the most daring and imaginative operations of World War II. This is an extraordinary book about extraordinary soldiers.-Military Review
"Military historian John Gordon has written an outstanding work about the various special forces groups that operated in the Libyan desert during the North African campaign in WW II. After examining the uses of such groups throughout history, the author describes the formation of the Long Range Desert Group. This elite organization's story is the centerpiece of the book, though organizations that evolved from it are also examined. Gordon moves easily from the theory behind such units through tactical operations to anecdotal material. The union of these elements has produced an extremely valuable and interesting treatment of this type of warfare.... Scholars will want the book for its military analysis, while WW II history buffs will enjoy the account of the unit's actions. A valuable addition for all libraries."-Choice
"This book traces the history of the Long Range Desert Force and other such units from their origins in World War I and the period before World War II to their spectacular successes and failures against the Germans and Italians in the latter conflict. Along the way, the reader learns of the personalities, bureaucractic impediments, hostile environment and luck that affected British efforts to create and maintain these special forces. This superb volume is both highly informative and entertaining. John W. Gordon's book reveals an impressive mastery of the archival and secondary sources available on this subject. His writing is crisp and interesting, yet sober and scholarly at the same time. The daring and resourceful men of the British desert forces have found a historian whose ability to tell their story matches their ability to create some of the most daring and imaginative operations of World War II. This is an extraordinary book about extraordinary soldiers."-Military Review

Author Bio

JOHN W. GORDON is Professor of History at the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina.