No. 10 Inter-Allied Commando 1942-45 ─ Britain's Secret Commando

Osprey's study of British commandos of World War II (1939-1945). The largest, but least-known of all Britain’s elite wartime Commando raiding units, No.10 (Inter-Allied) was recruited from volunteers of many nations who had fled to Britain to carry on the fight after their own countries fell to the Nazis. Alongside Poles, Frenchmen, Dutchmen, Belgians, Norwegians and patriots from even further afield, the unit even included a small number of remarkably brave German and Austrian refugees from Nazism. These commandos took part in daring raids, intelligence missions and conventional infantry battles in North-West Europe and in the Mediterranean theatre. They earned many decorations and several battlefield commissions for gallantry and leadership; and after the war, some national contingents formed the nucleus of the new special forces of their liberated nations. This book examines these daring and secret units.

Nick van der Bijl, author of Men-at-Arms 250: ‘Argentine Forces in the Falklands’ and Elite 57: ‘The Royal Marines 1939–93’, is a 28-year veteran of the British Army, who retired as a warrant officer after 20 years in the Intelligence Corps. Has published two books based on his Falklands War service (Pen & Sword, 1999 and 2003).