SAS: Rogue Warriors: BBC2 9pm.

[Legacywr]

The remarkable story behind an extraordinary fighting force. Episode one tells the story of the founding of the SAS in the heat of the north African desert in 1941.

[Joscal]

Thanks had missed this.

[mcelliott]

Yep, looks good, will be watching.

[DoubleSix]

My grandfather was one of these pioneers. SAS Desert Rat. Captured twice, escaped twice.

Would love to be able to find out more about him but his relationship with his daughter (my mother) was not great so difficult to get information.

[PurpleAki]

The recruitment seems like The Dirty Dozen script!

[mcelliott]

Hard as fk!

[PurpleAki]

The Original Right Stuff.

Proper men.

[Evanivitch]

DoubleSix said:

My grandfather was one of these pioneers. SAS Desert Rat. Captured twice, escaped twice.

Would love to be able to find out more about him but his relationship with his daughter (my mother) was not great so difficult to get information.

The Desert Rats were the 7th Armoured Brigade, they had little to do with the origins of the SAS.

[DoubleSix]

Evanivitch said:

DoubleSix said:

My grandfather was one of these pioneers. SAS Desert Rat. Captured twice, escaped twice.

Would love to be able to find out more about him but his relationship with his daughter (my mother) was not great so difficult to get information.

The Desert Rats were the 7th Armoured Brigade, they had little to do with the origins of the SAS.

Like I say I'd like to find out more about his role.

All I have is an obit (which cites SAS) and stories of desert operations in North Africa handed down.

If there is a source for research I'd love to know where to start.

[gooner1]

Evanivitch said:

The Desert Rats were the 7th Armoured Brigade, they had little to do with the origins of the SAS.

Long Range Desert Group had much more involvement.

[Evanivitch]

DoubleSix said:

Like I say I'd like to find out more about his role.

All I have is an obit (which cites SAS) and stories of desert operations in North Africa handed down.

If there is a source for research I'd love to know where to start.

IF you have a name and DOB, plus a unit and maybe a service number, then you can request his service records. Best bet would be to call into your local county archives and talk to an archivist. They'll either have access to the information or be able to provide the forms necessary.

[Halmyre]

DoubleSix said:

Evanivitch said:

DoubleSix said:

My grandfather was one of these pioneers. SAS Desert Rat. Captured twice, escaped twice.

Would love to be able to find out more about him but his relationship with his daughter (my mother) was not great so difficult to get information.

The Desert Rats were the 7th Armoured Brigade, they had little to do with the origins of the SAS.

Like I say I'd like to find out more about his role.

All I have is an obit (which cites SAS) and stories of desert operations in North Africa handed down.

If there is a source for research I'd love to know where to start.

Try here: http://ww2talk.com/index.php

[DoubleSix]

Thanks both, appreciated.

[anonymous-user]

great episode.

[Legacywr]

Yes, how good was that!

It was gross negligence to go on that first raid though, IMO!

[Borroxs]

Would be a great subject for a full on BlockBuster film. It would have to be protected from being a 'Hollywood' makeover with Tom Cruise as Sterling though.

[Deptford Draylons]

I would normally give such shows on the SAS and the like the miss for being overly macho ste with a hard man type narrator and very little actual depth. Thankfully this show is presented by the excellent Ben Macintyre and the first episode was an a par with his over excellent BBC war documentaries from his book, and should not be missed.

[rambo19]

DoubleSix said:

My grandfather was one of these pioneers. SAS Desert Rat. Captured twice, escaped twice.

Would love to be able to find out more about him but his relationship with his daughter (my mother) was not great so difficult to get information.

My grandad was REME attatched to the LRDG, fought with them through the whole western desert campaign.

[DoubleSix]

rambo19 said:

DoubleSix said:

My grandfather was one of these pioneers. SAS Desert Rat. Captured twice, escaped twice.

Would love to be able to find out more about him but his relationship with his daughter (my mother) was not great so difficult to get information.

My grandad was REME attatched to the LRDG, fought with them through the whole western desert campaign.

I've passed the info suggested above to my mother in the hope she'll do some digging.

Apparently my cousins have all his medals etc

Mum said he was tortured and came home broken - aged 26. Sad, as it obviously led to the drinking and violence that undermined their relationship.

Do you have much hard info on your grandfather or just what's been recounted?

[Joscal]

Borroxs said:

Would be a great subject for a full on BlockBuster film. It would have to be protected from being a 'Hollywood' makeover with Tom Cruise as Sterling though.

Unfortunately Tom is not the brightest. I fear it's a time that has unfortunately passed. I can't imagine pausing for selfies or worries over protein intake whilst quaffing a bottle of water.