Born of the Desert: With the SAS in North Africa

Malcolm James

mar, 2015 · Pen and Sword

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An SAS medical officer’s gripping memoir of his WWII service in North Africa.

Born of the Desert is a classic account of the early years of the SAS. The Special Air Service was formed in 1941 and quickly earned a reputation for stealth, daring, and audacity in the Western Desert Campaign. This elite force utilized the endless expanse of the desert to carry out surprise attacks and hit and run raids behind the Afrika Korps’ lines, sowing confusion, fear, and consternation.

Malcolm James served as Medical Officer with the SAS throughout 1942 and 1943, and Born of the Desert is his atmospheric account of his life in the North African desert, the bitter fighting against Italian and German targets, and the forging of a remarkable elite unit. James captures the excitement of this dramatic mode of warfare and brings to life the deadly beauty of the desert, the harsh environment, and the strong bonds of comradeship and interdependence that grew out of this experience.

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Malcolm James joined L Detachment, SAS Brigade, in 1942 and served with the SAS until 1943. He later served as a medical officer in Cairo and Malta, where, in his spare time, he wrote Born of the Desert, before being transferred to England in 1945