Commando is the first authoritative book on these formidable fighting forces of WWII for a general readership - out now in paperback

June 1940: As Britain's soldiers limped home from Dunkirk, a maverick Army officer was already devising a bold plan to hit back at the enemy. His idea revolutionised military thinking and changed the face of warfare for ever.

Relying on stealth and on raw courage, the Commandos brought to the battlefield the skills of the guerrilla. Trained by an unconventional band of experts, they made use of an extraordinary range of talents. Yet though they would win a heroic reputation for daring and endurance, the Commandos' creation was controversial and their early missions disastrous.

Weaving together official documents, new research and veterans' own accounts, Commando reveals for the first time the exhilarating full story of WWII's most formidable fighting force.

June 1940: As Britain's soldiers limped home from Dunkirk, a maverick Army officer was already devising a bold plan to hit back at the enemy. His idea was to revolutionise military thinking and change the face of warfare for ever.

Relying as much on stealth and guile as on courage and stamina, the Commandos brought to the battlefield the skills of the guerrilla. Trained by an unconventional band of experts, and led by a big-game hunter, a film star, a Highland chief and an eccentric wielding a bow and arrow, they became the spearhead of the Allied drive for victory.

Weaving together official documents, new research and veterans' own accounts, Commando reveals for the first time the exhilarating full story of WWII's most formidable fighting force.