The Birth of British Special Forces: How the Guards Regiments Helped Forge the SAS, Commandos and Paras

In 1940, Churchill called for elite raiding forces to strike back at Nazi Germany. The Commandos, the Long Range Desert Group, the SAS, and the Parachute Regiment all emerged from that crisis. But why were Guards officers so central to their creation? The Birth of British Special Forces provides the first systematic answer. Drawing on war diaries, personal papers, and veteran interviews, Charles Trumpess demonstrates that Brigade of Guards officers were disproportionately represented in founding every major British special forces unit of the war. Men such as Laycock, the Stirling brothers, and Frederick "Boy" Browning brought the connections, self-confidence, and willingness to challenge convention that made experimental units possible. Their influence was structural, shaping selection, training, and operational culture that persists to the present day. The book traces that connection beyond 1945 to G Squadron SAS and the Guards Parachute Platoon, and examines controversies over effectiveness and manpower cost. Essential reading for anyone researching SAS origins, the Commandos, or how elite military culture shapes unconventional warfare. 

Publisher	Fonthill Media
Published	2026
Pages	208
Language	English
Type	War/Historical
ASIN	1036196046
ISBN	9781036196042