Jock Lewes: Co-founder of the SAS: The Biography of Jock Lewes, Co-founder of the SAS

Product Information

Lewes was first commissioned to the British Army's General List as a university candidate on 5 July 1935, while a student at Oxford. [11] At the outbreak of the Second World War, he was briefly transferred to a Territorial Army unit, the 1st Battalion, Tower Hamlets Rifles, Rifle Brigade on 2 September 1939 before joining the Welsh Guards on 28 October. [12] But now, a new BBC drama re-tells the story of the previously top secret origins of the Special Air Service, which was formed in North Africa in 1941 by Lieutenant-Colonel David Stirling. I enjoy books that are challenging and stimulating; ones that increase my knowledge and understanding. This book falls neatly into this category. I do not have much knowledge or interest in the Special Air Service (S.A.S.) during the Second World War, so approached this book with an open mind. The content of the letters is so at odds with Lewes's patriotic wartime persona that some military historians have suggested his early behaviour may have been a front and that Lewes may have been a government agent. He was depicted by Alfie Allen in the 2022 television historical drama SAS: Rogue Heroes. [10] Military career [ edit ]

Mortimer continues: “He was softly spoken. Veterans told me he was very intelligent, very perceptive, and would never take unnecessary risks. Something that comes out time and again is that he had this almost maternal, protective streak for his men. Stirling was captured by the Germans in January 1943 after yet another raid. Although he did initially escape, the officer was re-captured by the Italians and, despite another four attempts to get away, he was imprisoned for the rest of the war at the infamous Colditz Castle.

Early life and education

Lewes was a Flying Officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve (VRT) and is an Honorary Member of the Welsh Guards Association. Sophie Evans (6 February 2017). "SAS founder was 'dazzled' by Third Reich and even fell in love with NAZI socialite in run-up to WW2". The Daily Mirror . Retrieved 11 November 2022.

While Mayne’s portrayal might be contentious, Mortimer thinks that Stirling is accurately depicted in the series. “It captures his arrogant bravado and entitlement,” he says. Other details and characters – such as Sofia Boutella’s French intelligence love interest – are entirely fabricated. Even the SAS's first raid proved to be disaster, with the men failing to achieve a single hit on the enemy. Instead, 34 of those who took part were killed, injured or missing, with only 21 returning to base. The fearsome trained killers have protected Britain's interests wherever required - most famously in the 1980 siege of the Iranian embassy, when they rescued 24 hostages as millions watched on the television news. On one occasion, Stirling threw a real hand grenade into a bar in Paris so he could clear the room, according to Mike Sadler, 102, who is the last surviving member of the SAS.

An officer and a gentleman

For Gavin Mortimer, the competitive streak before Stirling and Mayne is one of the best elements of the series. “I don’t think they really had a scoreboard,” he says, “but there was a competitive element. Stirling was intimidated by Paddy Mayne. Mayne was a qualified solicitor, an international rugby player, and idolised by the men. And there’s Stirling, who in the Thirties had acquired a rep as a quitter and a loafer.