As early as 1940 political leaders and military commanders responsible
for the conduct of the Allied operations realized that, after a string
of disastrous setbacks, national morale could only be restored by taking
offensive action against the enemy. With the limited resources,
available Churchill's stirring call to 'set Europe ablaze' called for
unconventional solutions and action.
From these uncertain beginnings was born a plethora of Allied Special
Force units. Inevitably, some are household names but others are little
known, having had brief and covert existences in far flung parts of the
world.
All, however, had distinctive identities and their proudly worn insignia
represent a fascinating and often elusive challenge for military
collectors. This is due, not just to the scarcity of items in many
cases, but to the mystery of their origin; a number of these units were
established on an ad hoc and spontaneous basis.
Peter Taylor's aim in compiling Allied Special Forces Insignia 1939-1948
is to fill a gap in the growing bibliography of militaria collecting. At
the same time, Brigadier Bryan Watkins' introduction sets in context the
growth and development of Allied Special Forces during the global
conflict 1939-45.
Lavishly illustrated, this work will prove an essential reference work
and companion guide for the expert collector and all interested in
military history.
