Commando: The Elite Fighting Forces of the Second World War

Created to reverse the ailing fortunes of the British troops in the Second World War, the commandos were a hand-picked elite force that was assigned to "develope a reign of terror" among the enemy. Commando details raids by land, air, and sea, and how they targeted specific points in the enemy armor. It includes first-hand testimonies from those who took part in daring raids, likedisguising themselves as German sailors to destroy a critical dry dock, or hatching a plan to assassinate Rommel. The commandos defined a fighting formula that would be imitated the world over, and spawned the SAS and Britain's paratroopers.

Sally Dugan is a writer and teacher whose articles have appeared in the Oxford Mail and Times.