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 was the SAS, Special Air Service, an elite branch of the military whose essence is secrecy and whose tools are bold 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 clown enemy camps, fired on supply mutes, staged ambushes, and attacked the 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.
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 clown enemy camps, fired on supply mutes, staged ambushes, and attacked the 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.
