From 1963 to 1966 Britain successfully waged a secret war to keep the Federation of Malaysia free from domination by Soekarno's Indonesia and by Chinese Communists. At the forefront of this campaign were the men of the Special Air Service ? the SAS ? an elite branch of the British military whose essence is secrecy and whose tools are boldness, initiative, surprise, and high skill. Working in four-man patrols, the SAS teams first made friends with the head-hunting border tribes and even trained some of them as an irregular military force. As the conflict continued, SAS teams went beyond the borders into Indonesia, where they tracked down enemy camps, fired on supply convoys, staged ambushes, and attacked enemy soldiers in their riverboats. By talking to those who were there, Peter Dickens has recreated what it was really like to fight in the jungles of Malaysia. He also captures the bravery and relentless pursuit of excellence that make the SAS the elite and prestigious regiment it is. AUTHOR: The great-grandson of the novelist Charles Dickens, Peter Gerald Charles Dickens was born in Fulham, London, in 1917. He joined the Royal Navy as a Naval Cadet in September 1934, going on to serve throughout the Second World War, particularly in Coastal Forces. He was awarded the DSO and the DSC, as well as being made an MBE. He died in 1987. SELLING POINTS: ? Explores the involvement one of the world's most elite Special Forces. ? The story of a small number of strategically-minded troops successfully undertaking counter-insurgency operations. ? Includes numerous first-hand accounts by SAS personnel. Separate plate section
