Francis Mackay – författare

A battlefield guide to the scene of an Austro-Hungarian attack on the British Corps sector of the Allied front line on the Asiago Plateau, forty miles north of Venice in Northern Italy, on 15/16 June 1918. This comprehensive and attractive guidebook describes the terrain, the forces involved and the fighting, including the action leading to the award of two Vcs.

The book describes the problems of instigating resistance in France and the slow development of the clandestine warfare and special operation forces, equipment, training, delivery, communication, command, control and intelligence techniques.It covers the wide variety of organizations involved including OSS, SAS, US Operational Groups, Polish 'Bardsea' teams, Jedburgh and Sussex teams, Inter-Allied Missions, MI9, Evasion and Escape Groups, Special duties/Carpet Bagger Air Delivery Squadron, The Secret Flotillas and Radio security and surveillance services.The book starts at close of Operation Dynamo and ends with Operation Titanic, the SAS deception ploys and the last of the pre-invasion activities.

The book describes the problems of instigating resistance in France and the slow development of the clandestine warfare and special operation forces, equipment, training, delivery, communication, command, control and intelligence techniques.It covers the wide variety of organizations involved including OSS, SAS, US Operational Groups, Polish ''Bardsea'' teams, Jedburgh and Sussex teams, Inter-Allied Missions, MI9, Evasion and Escape Groups, Special duties/Carpet Bagger Air Delivery Squadron, The Secret Flotillas and Radio security and surveillance services.The book starts at close of Operation Dynamo and ends with Operation Titanic, the SAS deception ploys and the last of the pre-invasion activities.

The guide describes the ground and operations covered by the British, French and US Expeditionary Forces deployed from France to the area North of Venice between November 1917 and Spring 1919. These Forces supported the Italians after their disastrous defeat at Caporetto and helped stem the Austrian and German onslaught.This is the first guide to the Allied contribution and the Piave Defence line. It also covers the rear areas - supply and repair services, training and recreation, and describes the movement to Italy and subsequent service and care of the 16,000 British and 20,000 French horses and mules. The US contribution has never been adequately described before.

A prewar Sapper, Charlie Radford served in North Africa until he returned to the UK for parachute training. He volunteered and joined 2 SAS in Scotland. His first operation was in France (Op RUPERT) cutting railway lines, and he then took park in Operation LOYTON, now in armed jeeps. His next assignment (Operation ZOMBIE) involved parachuting into the Italian Dolomites to disrupt the vital German link north of Verona between Italy and Austria.This operation ended in failure due to foolhardy leadership, inadequate manning and poor preparation. His OC was captured, tortured and executed but Charlie escaped to live with the partisans before being repatriated to the UK. After the war he returned to France to help with the exhumation and reburial of SAS men executed in the Vosges mountains. Postwar he served in Kenya and Somaliland and briefly recounts his experiences.