Facing Hitler’s fearsome Panzer divisions with little more than raw courage and their nimble Willys jeeps, it would take maverick thinking and unconventional warfare to survive and overcome. Hunted at every turn, Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne’s SAS would face a bitter and bloody struggle to topple the enemy.

Drawing on never-before-seen archive material, bestselling military historian Damien Lewis brings to life the incredible efforts of the SAS as they dared all to bring the war to its close.

Praise for Damien Lewis’ books:
‘A convincing insight into the terror and adrenaline rush of war’ – Mail on Sunday

‘Damien Lewis is both a meticulous historian and a born storyteller’ – Lee Child

‘One of the most remarkable stories in the history of Special Forces’ operations’ – Daily Express

‘A howitzer of a tale’ – Daily Mail

‘Absolutely gripping’ – Times Radio

‘Riveting. Extraordinary’ – Dan Snow

‘An incredible story, and so well told’ – Bear Grylls

‘Honesty, integrity and real experience that puts you in the thick of the action‘ – Billy Billingham

FIVE DARING ESCAPES CARRIED OUT BY THE FAMOUS FIGHTING FORCE DURING WWII

From the infamous 1944 desert campaign to the unforgiving terrain of the Vosges Mountains; from a perilous escape across Europe aided by Resistance networks to three Captains fleeing an Italian Prisoner of War camp in 1943, and a death-defying return to Britain via boat, tunnel and train.

These inspirational true stories bring to life the do-or-die spirit of the SAS, as they faced an enemy hell-bent on wreaking vengeance.

Damien Lewis has worked closely with World War Two veterans and the families of those portrayed, accessing never-before-seen wartime diaries, letters, mission reports, interrogation transcripts and more, to reveal terrifying yet astounding feats of survival from the band of elite soldiers.

If you like Great Escapes Four, why not go back and discover the previous instalments in this bestselling series: Great Escapes, Great Escapes Two and Great Escapes Three.

‘Now that’s a Great Escape! How 34 members of the SAS evaded 5,000 Nazi troops in blizzard conditions, after wreaking havoc in Italian mountain ambush … The full gripping story of Operation Galia and the incredible escape that followed.’ Mail Online

FIVE OF THE MOST DARING ESCAPES CARRIED OUT BY THE SAS DURING WORLD WAR TWO

SAS Great Escapes Three recounts how warriors of the world’s most famous fighting force, the SAS, carried out five of the most daring escapes of World War Two. Ranging from the very birth of the SAS, to the post D-Day battles for Nazi-occupied Europe, these gripping true stories cover some of the most iconic operations of the regiment, and its key characters, while also including untold tales of courage and endurance beyond compare.

Told in classic Damien Lewis style, each account plunges the reader into the escapees’ experiences – sharing the most terrifying yet astounding moments of their lives. They include unimaginable accounts of survival in the face of staggering odds, episodes of nerve-wracking bluff and deception, plus knife-edge ambushes with
enemy forces hell-bent on wreaking vengeance.

In this new volume of incredible special forces feats, bestselling author Damien Lewis has worked closely with World War Two veterans and the families of those portrayed, accessing wartime diaries, letters, mission reports, interrogation transcripts and more, to relate how the men of the SAS were hunted by the enemy and forced to fight their way out of certain death or capture. Around every corner, upon every decision and every movement lurked the possibility of discovery.

Yet with every step, breath and turn taken, these fugitives epitomized the do-or-die spirit of the SAS to overcome.

Facing Hitler’s fearsome Panzer divisions with little more than raw courage and their nimble Willys jeeps, it would take maverick thinking and unconventional warfare to survive and overcome. Hunted at every turn, Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne’s SAS would face a bitter and bloody struggle to topple the enemy.

Drawing on never-before-seen archive material, bestselling military historian Damien Lewis brings to life the incredible efforts of the SAS as they dared all to bring the war to its close.

Praise for Damien Lewis’ books:
‘A convincing insight into the terror and adrenaline rush of war’ – Mail on Sunday

‘Damien Lewis is both a meticulous historian and a born storyteller’ – Lee Child

‘One of the most remarkable stories in the history of Special Forces’ operations’ – Daily Express

‘A howitzer of a tale’ – Daily Mail

‘Absolutely gripping’ – Times Radio

‘Riveting. Extraordinary’ – Dan Snow

‘An incredible story, and so well told’ – Bear Grylls

‘Honesty, integrity and real experience that puts you in the thick of the action‘ – Billy Billingham

Summer, 1943: the largest invasion fleet ever assembled sailed for Europe, aiming to bulldoze its way onto Nazi shores. At its vanguard went a few hundred elite soldiers, their Royal Navy warship bearing the iconic motto ‘Who Dares Wins’.

The aim: Led by the legendary SAS commander Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne, these war-bitten, piratical raiders were tasked to do the impossible – to bulldoze their way onto the most heavily defended Nazi shores – against all odds, outnumbered fifty-to-one. If they succeeded, it would mark the turning point in the war. If they failed, the consequences were unthinkable.

Action-packed and filled with heroic endeavour, SAS Forged in Hell is breath-taking combat writing at its best, in true Damien Lewis style.

‘Now that’s a Great Escape! How 34 members of the SAS evaded 5,000 Nazi troops in blizzard conditions, after wreaking havoc in Italian mountain ambush … The full gripping story of Operation Galia and the incredible escape that followed.’ Mail Online

‘It’s an incredible secret that has lain hidden behind the heroics of Normandy, but Allied forces had planned to invade the beaches of Brittany if the D-Day landings had failed … Author and historian Damien Lewis uncovered the details, while researching the story of a remarkable SAS hero for his new book, SAS Great Escapes Three.’ Sunday Express

FIVE OF THE MOST DARING ESCAPES CARRIED OUT BY THE SAS DURING WORLD WAR TWO

SAS Great Escapes Three recounts how warriors of the world’s most famous fighting force, the SAS, carried out five of the most daring escapes of World War Two. Ranging from the very birth of the SAS, to the post D-Day battles for Nazi-occupied Europe, these gripping true stories cover some of the most iconic operations of the regiment, and its key characters, while also including untold tales of courage and endurance beyond compare.

Told in classic Damien Lewis style, each account plunges the reader into the escapees’ experiences – sharing the most terrifying yet astounding moments of their lives. They include unimaginable accounts of survival in the face of staggering odds, episodes of nerve-wracking bluff and deception, plus knife-edge ambushes with
enemy forces hell-bent on wreaking vengeance.

In this new volume of incredible special forces feats, bestselling author Damien Lewis has worked closely with World War Two veterans and the families of those portrayed, accessing wartime diaries, letters, mission reports, interrogation transcripts and more, to relate how the men of the SAS were hunted by the enemy and forced to fight their way out of certain death or capture. Around every corner, upon every decision and every movement lurked the possibility of discovery.

Yet with every step, breath and turn taken, these fugitives epitomized the do-or-die spirit of the SAS to overcome.

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 book: a collection of truly riveting stories of bravery, all brilliantly told. In terms of sheer drama and audacity, SAS: Great Escapes Two goes where no fiction writer would dare venture’ Alex Gerlis, author of Agent in the Shadows

The incredible true story of the SAS’ daring mission to liberate Europe

In the summer of 1943, the largest invasion fleet ever assembled sailed for fortress Europe, aiming to bulldoze its way onto Nazi shores. At its vanguard went a few hundred elite forces soldiers, the Royal Navy warship carrying them bearing the iconic winged dagger emblem on its prow, plus the motto ‘Who Dares Wins’.

Led by the legendary SAS commander Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne, these war-bitten, piratical raiders were tasked to do the impossible – to bludgeon their way through the most heavily defended enemy shoreline, so enabling the ensuing forces to follow on.

If they succeeded, it would mark the turning point in the war. If they failed, the consequences were unthinkable. Against all odds, outnumbered some fifty-to-one, and facing a ferocious series of cliffside defences, they would have to dare all as never before.

So begins the incredible true story of the SAS’s mission to liberate Europe.

Action-packed and filled with heroic endeavour, SAS Forged in Hell is breath-taking combat writing at its best, in true Damien Lewis style.