One of the lasting legacies of Wold War 2 was the proliferation of what today are known as Special Forces. At the time many soldiers, often of high rank regarded these units as nothing short of ill-disciplined cowboys or worse! However desperate times called for desperate measures and there were those in high places who were prepared to take risks. As specaially recruited units such as the LRDG, SAS and SBS earned their spurs and scored significant vicotories, at high cost both to the enemy and themselves, so faith in the concept grew. Philip Warner's books takes a highly informed look at the broad spectrum of secret forces, of all sides, describing their orgins and training, the key personalities and their actions and achievements.