Gavin Mortimer

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Gavin Nicholas Mortimer is a British writer.

Career

Educated at Mill Hill School in north London, [1] Mortimer's first book, the critically acclaimed Fields of Glory: the extraordinary lives of 16 warrior sportsmen was published in 2001 and described by the Sunday Telegraph as "inspiring reading". [2] Mortimer authored Stirling's Men in 2004, which covered rugby international and SAS commander Paddy Mayne, as well as other members of SAS 'Originals'. [3] [4] Mars & Minerva, the SAS regimental journal' described the book as "a fascinating insight into the Regiment's birth and its early years".

Contents

Mortimer has subsequently written histories of the Special Boat Squadron, Merrill's Marauders and the Long Range Desert Group, drawing on interviews with the men who served in these Special Forces units. He caused controversy in 2016 when he suggested that today's special forces lack the mental toughness of their forebears. [5]

Mortimer has acted as a consultant to several television documentaries including the three-part BBC series about the wartime SAS, which was broadcast in 2017. [6]

In addition to his military history, Mortimer has written several narrative non-fiction books, including The Great Swim, [7] about the race to become the first woman to swim the English Channel. Dramatised on BBC Radio 4 in 2010, [8]

He has contributed to BBC History magazine, History Revealed, WW2 magazine and The Spectator.

Publications

Non-fiction

Children's

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Air Service</span> Special forces of the British Army

The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling, and in 1950 it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, direct action and special reconnaissance. Much of the information about the SAS is highly classified, and the unit is not commented on by either the British government or the Ministry of Defence due to the secrecy and sensitivity of its operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Stirling</span> Scottish World War II officer, and founder of the Special Air Service

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Archibald David Stirling, was a Scottish officer in the British Army and the founder and creator of the Special Air Service (SAS). Under his leadership, the SAS carried out hit-and-run raids behind the Axis lines of the North African campaign. He saw active service during the Second World War until he was captured in January 1943. He spent the rest of the war in captivity, despite making several attempts to escape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Boat Service</span> Special forces unit of the Royal Navy

The Special Boat Service (SBS) is the special forces unit of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. The SBS can trace its origins back to the Second World War when the Army Special Boat Section was formed in 1940. After the Second World War, the Royal Navy formed special forces with several name changes—Special Boat Company was adopted in 1951 and re-designated as the Special Boat Squadron in 1974—until on 28 July 1987 when the unit was renamed as the Special Boat Service after assuming responsibility for maritime counter-terrorism. Most of the operations conducted by the SBS are highly classified, and are rarely commented on by the British government or the Ministry of Defence, owing to their sensitive nature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gertrude Ederle</span> American swimmer (1905–2003)

Gertrude Caroline Ederle was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and world record-holder in five events. On August 6, 1926, she became the first woman to swim across the English Channel. Among other nicknames, the press called her "Queen of the Waves".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 62 Commando</span> Military unit

No. 62 Commando or the Small Scale Raiding Force (SSRF) was a British Commando unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The unit was formed around a small group of commandos under the command of the Special Operations Executive (SOE). They carried out a number of raids before being disbanded in 1943.

During World War II, Operation Defoe was a reconnaissance patrol by 21 men of the Special Air Service conducted from 19 July to 23 August to support the British Second Army in the Argentan area of Normandy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Loyton</span> 1944 failed Special Air Service mission in France

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merrill's Marauders</span> Military unit

Merrill’s Marauders (named after Frank Merrill) or Unit Galahad, officially named the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), was a United States Army long range penetration special operations jungle warfare unit, which fought in the Southeast Asian theater of World War II, or China-Burma-India Theater (CBI). The unit became famous for its deep-penetration missions behind Japanese lines, often engaging Japanese forces superior in number.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Reconnaissance Regiment</span> Special forces regiment of the British Army

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Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair Mayne,, best known as Paddy Mayne or familiarly as Blair, was a British Army officer from Newtownards, capped for Ireland and the British and Irish Lions at rugby union, a solicitor, amateur boxer, and a founding member of the Special Air Service (SAS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SCR-284</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stirling Lines</span> British Army garrison in Credenhill, Herefordshire

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Ernest Thomas "Bob" Lilley M.M., B.E.M. was a British Army soldier. A founding member of the British Special Air Service Regiment, he formerly served with the Coldstream Guards. Lilley was one of the first four men selected by Colonel David Stirling to comprise L Detachment 1st S.A.S. in Middle East Headquarters at Cairo in 1940. He took part in many operations behind enemy lines in Libya against Italian and German forces during World War II.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operations Wallace and Hardy</span> 1944 British special forces operations

Operations Wallace and Hardy I were two British Special Air Service operations during the Second World War that took place from 27 July to 19 September 1944. Initially two sets of operations by 2nd Special Air Service, they were eventually amalgamated into one. Their objective was to disrupt German lines of communication, coordinate the activities of the French Resistance and prevent German reinforcements moving to the Normandy beachheads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raid on Sidi Haneish Airfield</span> Military operation during World War II

The Raid on Sidi Haneish Airfield was a military operation carried out the night of 26 July 1942. A British Special Air Service unit commanded by Major David Stirling attacked a German-held airfield in Egypt during the Western Desert Campaign of Second World War. Several Luftwaffe aircraft used to ferry supplies to the Axis forces were destroyed or damaged with machine-gun fire and explosives. Axis front line units were diverted to reinforce the garrisons in the rear vulnerable to attack.

<i>SAS: Rogue Heroes</i> UK television series

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Lieutenant Colonel William Joseph "Bill" Stirling of Keir was a Scottish officer of the British Army who served during the Second World War. Initially joining the Special Operations Executive, he would go on to command No. 62 Commando and then the 2nd Special Air Service. He was the elder brother of David Stirling, one of the founders of the SAS, but Bill has been described as the "real brains behind the operation". He was, however, removed from his command of 2 SAS by Frederick "Boy" Browning two days before D-Day because they clashed over how best to deploy his unit, thereby ending his army career.

References

  1. "House Spirit Wins in a Vintage 10 Mile Cup". Mill Hill Schools. 1 April 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  2. Brough Scott,"Harrowing Accounts of War Reveal the Real Heroes", 'The Telegraph', 2001
  3. Furness, Hannah (13 March 2016). "SAS 'not as tough as they used to be'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  4. Bazaraa, Danya (27 June 2017). "Unseen archive of SAS photos revealed showing remarkable first pictures of force". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  5. Tom Batchelor, "SAS has gone 'SOFT'", 'The Daily Express', 2016
  6. "Episode 1, Series 1, SAS: Rogue Warriors". BBC. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  7. "Nonfiction Book Review: The Great Swim by Gavin Mortimer". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  8. "Gavin Mortimer - The Great Swim, Afternoon Drama". BBC. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  9. "THE LONGEST NIGHT by Gavin Mortimer". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  10. "THE GREAT SWIM by Gavin Mortimer". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  11. "CHASING ICARUS by Gavin Mortimer". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  12. "DOUBLE DEATH by Gavin Mortimer". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  13. Wilby, Peter (18 July 2013). "The Authors XI: A Season of English Cricket from Hackney to Hambledon by The Authors Cricket Club – review". the Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2018.