SAS: Operation Storm

SAS: Operation Storm recounts a covert Special Air Service mission during the Gulf War in 1991. The operation involved SAS teams conducting reconnaissance and sabotage missions deep behind enemy lines in Iraq. Former SAS soldier Roger Cole provides a first-hand account of the planning, execution, and aftermath of the mission. His narrative covers the intense training period, equipment preparation, and the challenges faced by the team in extreme desert conditions. The book details the technical and tactical aspects of special operations warfare, including communications protocols, survival techniques, and battlefield decision-making. Cole describes the physical and psychological pressures on soldiers operating in hostile territory with minimal support. The work stands as a record of modern special operations combat and demonstrates the complex relationship between strategic military objectives and the human experience of warfare. It examines themes of leadership, trust, and adaptation under extreme circumstances.

Readers describe this as a detailed account of SAS operations in the Malay jungle. Many appreciate Cole's first-hand perspective and the focus on daily routines and survival tactics rather than just combat stories. Readers liked: - Technical details about jungle warfare tactics - Descriptions of living conditions and equipment - The matter-of-fact writing style - Personal anecdotes about fellow soldiers Readers disliked: - Limited context about the broader Malayan Emergency - Some repetitive sections - Lack of maps and photos - Writing can be dry at times Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (89 ratings) Amazon UK: 4.3/5 (103 ratings) Amazon US: 4.2/5 (47 ratings) Typical review: "A soldier's honest account without sensationalism. Good on details but could use more background information." - Goodreads reviewer Several military history readers note this book fills a gap in SAS literature about jungle operations, though some wanted more strategic analysis.

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🔹 The operation described in the book, Operation Storm, was the longest running SAS mission in history - a covert war that lasted over three years in Oman during the 1970s. 🔹 Author Roger Cole served in 22 SAS for over a decade and personally participated in Operation Storm, making this a rare first-hand account of classified operations. 🔹 The SAS operators had to adapt to fighting in extreme desert conditions where temperatures regularly exceeded 50°C (122°F), while carrying up to 90 pounds of equipment. 🔹 The mission involved training and fighting alongside local Firqat forces - tribal fighters who had previously been rebels but switched allegiance to the Sultan of Oman. 🔹 Despite the operation's massive scale and strategic importance in preventing Soviet influence in the region, it remained largely unknown to the public for decades due to its classified nature.