Desert Raiders ─ Axis And Allied Special Forces 1940-43

Although harsh and inhospitable, the North African theatre of World War II proved to be a perfect environment for irregular warfare and the deployment of Special Forces. Following Italy's entry into the war in June 1940, the Western Desert became the background for a long conflict dominated by motorized units. The major combatants - Great Britain, Free France, Italy and Germany - all developed irregular units to exploit the unique conditions of the region with varying degrees of success. This book details the genesis, organization and tactics of these forces, including such famous units as the Long Range Desert Group and the Special Air Service.

Andrea Molinari has worked as a junior researcher on international defense issues in both civil and military Italian research institutes. He is an expert on Axis forces in the Mediterranean theater of World War II. He has also worked for major Italian publishing companies as an editor and/or translator for the Italian edition of military history books and novels including Andy McNab's Bravo Two Zero. He currently works for DeAgostini and Hachette partworks as the chief editor and team manager for military and modeling. The author lives in Milan, Italy.