S. A. S Men in the Making: An Original's Account of Operations in Sicily and Italy

"Peter Davis was the youngest officer to serve in the SAS during the Second World War. In this autobiographical account, he reveals the naïve enthusiam he felt when he joined the newly formed special force unit, his fears and trepidation during training, and the horror and drama of his experiences during operations in Sicily and Italy. This is his story. It explores the difficulty of a young, inexperienced officer leading older and seasoned soldiers. It tells of mistakes a 'rookie' can make and of how listening, learning and ultimately earning respect made him the skillful leader he became. During later operations he was awarded the Military Cross. Through it all the enigmatic figure of Paddy Mayne looms large. At times irrational, aggressive, and often drunk, he was always a born leader able to instill obedience and respect. Where he led, men followed. This autobiographical account was written shortly after the end of the War, using diaries written at the time. It is possibly the last, untold, first-hand account of a time of chaos, of horror and of the camaraderie of the men of the SAS"--Publisher's description. Drawn from wartime diaries, this memoir by a SAS commando veteran gives a firsthand account of the British Special Forces during WWII. Peter Davis was the youngest officer in the SAS during World War II. In this autobiographical account, he reveals the naive enthusiasm he felt when he joined the Unit, his fears and trepidation during training, and the horror at what he later experienced during his first operations in the liberation of Sicily and Italy. His story explores the difficulty of a young, inexperienced officer leading older and seasoned soldiers. It tells of mistakes a "rookie" can make and of how listening, learning and ultimately earning respect made him the skilful leader he ultimately became. During later operations he was awarded the Military Cross. Through it all the enigmatic figure of SAS founder Paddy Mayne looms large. At times irrational, aggressive, and often drunk, Mayne was a born leader able to instil obedience and respect. Where he led, men followed. Written shortly after the end of the War, Davis's account using diaries recorded during the war. It is possibly the last, untold, first-hand account of a time of chaos, of horror and of the camaraderie of the men of the SAS. Peter Davis was the youngest officer in the SAS during World War II. In his autobiographical account, he reveals the nave enthusiasm he felt when he joined the Unit, his fears and trepidation during training, and the horror at what he later experienced during his first operations in the liberation of Sicily and Italy. This is his story.It explores the difficulty of a young, inexperienced officer leading older and seasoned soldiers. It tells of mistakes a 'rookie' can make and of how listening, learning and ultimately earning respect made him the skilful leader he ultimately became. During later operations he was awarded the Military Cross.Through it all the enigmatic figure of Paddy Mayne looms large. At times irrational, aggressive, and often drunk, he was always a born leader able to instil obedience and respect. Where he led, men followed.This autobiographical account was written shortly after the end of the War, using diaries written at the time. It is possibly the last, untold, first-hand account of a time of chaos, of horror and of the camaraderie of the men of the SAS. [Elib]. Peter Davis was the youngest officer in the SAS during World War II. In his autobiographical account, he reveals the naive enthusiasm he felt when he joined the Unit, his fears and trepidation during training, and the horror at what he later experienced during his first operations in the liberation of Sicily and Italy. This is his story. It explores the difficulty of a young, inexperienced officer leading older and seasoned soldiers. It tells of mistakes a 'rookie' can make and of how listening, learning and ultimately earning respect made him the skillful leader he ultimately became. During later operations he was awarded the Military Cross. Through it all the enigmatic figure of Paddy Mayne looms large. At times irrational, aggressive, and often drunk, he was always a born leader able to instill obedience and respect. Where he led, men followed. This autobiographical account was written shortly after the end of the War, using diaries written at the time. It is possibly the last, untold, firsthand account of a time of chaos, of horror and of the camaraderie of the men of the SAS. Peter Davis was the youngest officer in the SAS during World War II. In his autobiographical account, he reveals the naïve enthusiasm he felt when he joined the Unit, his fears and trepidation during training, and the horror at what he later experienced during his first operations in the liberation of Sicily and Italy. This is his story. It explores the difficulty of a young, inexperienced officer leading older and seasoned soldiers. It tells of mistakes a 'rookie' can make and of how listening, learning and ultimately earning respect made him the skilful leader he ultimately became. During lat This autobiographical account was written shortly after the end of the War, using diaries written at the time. It is possibly the last, untold, first-hand account of a time of chaos, of horror and of the camaraderie of the men of the SAS. HISTORY / Military / World War II Memoirs of SAS 'originals' have always been rare but over 70 years on, this is a real 'find'. The author fought as a young officer in Sicily and Italy and this title throws fascinating first hand light on the character of the legendary Paddy Mayne.