Customer Reviews

Sleeping with Your Ears Open: On Patrol with the Australian SAS

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I found this book to be very detailed and informative on how the Australian SAS approached their commitment to gathering accurate intelligence of the VC activities in Viet Nam. The author consistently allowed the soldiers to explain in their own words their experiences of patrolling in small recon/ fighting units within smelling distance of the enemy and often undetected. The book explains how the unit operated in closeknit teams and how the unit successfully adapted to the varying roles it was to perform from long range recon patrols to aggressive ambushes. It was also a personal pleasure for me to read Nev Farley's detailed contributions as a patrol commander. I had the honor of serving with Nev Farley in the early 80's when he was the Regimental Sergent Major of my battalion. His military professionalism was an inspiration to all soldiers who had the honor to be associated with him. This is the book to read if you want to know the how-and-why to patrolling deep in the enemy's turf and winning.

As the author states in the beginning of this book, it is not a historical account or individual memoir. Instead, it is a journey into the nucleus of the SAS. The PATROL is the tool used to propel this account, which is the basic SAS fighting element of six operators. This book takes you through selection and training of patrol members, preparation and execution of patrols in Borneo, New Guinea, and Vietnam. This book spares no detail of operational patrols, from the warning order to mission debrief, it is all covered here. The book reads more like a how-to book highlighted with actual accounts of mission debriefs, this is just a treasure of lessons learned, that still apply today. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the SAS, or anyone that is in the military field Reconnaissance, scouting, sniping or special operations.

I must say this book started out very dry, in fact I put it down several times. But as you get into the tactics, equipment used, etc then it becomes very interesting. I do recommend it!