{"product_id":"the-elite-the-story-of-the-rhodesian-special-air-service","title":"The elite: The story of the Rhodesian Special Air Service","description":"The Rhodesian Special Air Service  one of the most formidable fighting forces in the world  operated almost exclusively across borders during the long bitter bush war  undertaking deep-penetration missions against insurgents being harbored inside neighboring Mozambique and Zambia. There were missions into Botswana too  and at one stage  the SAS was operating without benefit of passport in all three neighboring territories at the same time. Long before the war escalated and the whole region became their battlefield  clandestine missions across the border were undertaken by SAS operators. Later  when the situation intensified  they were responsible for some of the most audacious and highly sensitive missions of the war.The writer takes the reader from the early days on the Western Desert to the formation of the Rhodesian SAS for service in Malaya  then back to Africa where the action spans the days of the Federation  the UDI era and finally the decolonization of Rhodesia by the British in 1980. This is the first book to detail the secret exploits of this elite regiment and it has been based on rare firsthand interviews with operators themselves. Some of their exploits may seem far-fetched  even impossible  but then  truth is often stranger than fiction. It is a history of high adventure and daring  courage and humanism  be it driving through the streets of a neighboring capital  knocking out trains  bridges and installations or swooping out of the morning skies then  with the ability to hit hard and fast  attacking and taking their leave  the devastation complete  the mission accomplished.This edition  which combines the original and the subsequent pictorial editions-originally published in the mid-1980s and long since out of print-is presented in a modern  attractive  upgraded format.","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44854071754805,"sku":"ByrdShop_0620074213","price":317.79,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/ByrdShop_0620074213_0b6cdb3f-9479-4d44-a83c-b0ed881f36dd.jpg?v=1770348965","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-elite-the-story-of-the-rhodesian-special-air-service","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}