Sas: Secret War in South-east Asia

When you're fighting for your life with a fifty-fifty chance you've got to enjoy it.

Know what I mean? From 1963 to 1966 Britain successfully waged a secret war to keep the Federation of Malaya free from domination by Soekarno's Indonesia and by Chinese Communists.

At the forefront of the campaign was the SAS, an elite branch of the British army whose essence is secrecy and whose tools are bold initiative, surprise and skill. Working in four man patrols, the SAS teams first befriended the head-hunting border tribes and even trained some of them as an irregular militia force.

As the conflict continued, SAS teams went beyond the borders into Indonesia where they tracked down enemy camps, destroyed supply routes and attacked the soldiers in the riverboats. By talking to those who were there, Peter Dickens has recreated what it was really like to fight in the dense jungle and rainforest of Malaysia.

In telling this dramatic story, he captures the bravery and relentless pursuit of excellence that make the SAS the elite and prestigous unit it is.