My review of
CHURCHILL'S SHADOW RAIDERS
by Damien Lewis
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thankyou to @NetGalley for giving me the ARC in turn for my honest review.

To give it its full title, "Churchill's Shadow Raiders: The Race To Develop Radar, WWII's Invisible Secret Weapon", is a highly detailed account of the formation of our special forces during World War II, the origins of the SAS title, and the raid to steal German radar technology.

I enjoyed reading this book immensity, although I felt the title was misleading. Much of the book had nothing to do with radar at all, and more to do with the raids carried out by special forces against specific axis targets. That said, this is a fascinating look into the formation of the SAS, the inner workings of SOE, and Churchill's intention to win whatever methods were employed.
I felt some terminologies, regarding radar, were confusing to the layman without explanation hence four stars, but I happily recommend Churchill's Shadow Raiders to anyone with an interest in military history

Everyone knows that radar was a British invention that enabled them to survive the Blitz. But radar was not just a British monopoly. The Germans had their own radar sets that were used with success against British bombers. And the British were keen to get their hands on a set which is the gist of Damien Lewis' Churchill's Shadow Raiders.

Lewis focuses on two Special Airborne Services (SAS) operations. The first, Operation Colossus was launched in February 1941 to take out an aqueduct that supplied the Italian naval base of Taranto. Thirty-five SAS troopers parachuted into Italy, managed to severely damage the aqueduct, and escaped into the countryside. But, due to an unfortunate bomber crash, their escape route was compromised and they were eventually all caught. The follow-up aerial recon failed to show the damage that had happened, so the high command considered Colossus a failure.

Operation Biting was launched a year later in February 1942 for the purpose of grabbing a German radio direction finding device. Biting was much more ambitious with SAS troopers descending from the skies, seizing the device, fighting their way to the coast, and being snatched off the beach by motor gun boats.

However, Lewis offers more than the details of the operations. He provides context, background, and the exciting story of scientists, SOE operatives, and French Resistance fighters that made the operations possible. Also, Lewis provides an understanding of what was accomplished and the part these operations played in the larger conflict along with a briefing on what happened to the participants afterwards. So if you want a thrilling WWII read, do pick up Churchill's Shadow Raiders!

Churchill's Shadow Raiders: The Race to Develop Radar, World War II's Invisible Secret Weapon was a fascinating read to me. I learned a lot I did not know. Five plus stars.

WW2, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research

This review is by a certifiable history geek, so of course I loved it as the information was mostly new to me. I appreciated the narrative style as opposed to textbook style as I think all but the most scholarly do. There's no need for me to re-invent the wheel here as the publisher's blurb does give a better than average overview. Longish or not, it did grab me and keep me reading, but between tasks.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books/Citadel via NetGalley. Thank you!

I have to start this review with several notations: 1. I am a 66 year old woman who loves history. 2. I'm married with two sons, all have served in the military. 3. Among my favorite movies are A Bridge Too Far, The Longest Day, The Great Escape and We Were Soldiers. With that said, I was totally riveted by this book. It read like an Alistair MacLean novel. Rich in detail, I was in awe of the brave, courageous young men. Well-researched, with just the right amount of facts and details, but not too much to overwhelm one. I can't recommend this book enough. For history buffs, this is one book you should not miss, even if you are looking just for an interesting read, try this book! I received an e-book from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review. Thank you NetGalley!