Operation Colossus

“Provides an excellent overview of the development of parachute troops as well as an exciting battle narrative and gripping human interest story.” —Argunners Magazine

Formed by a collection of free-thinking army and air force officers, the fledgling British paratrooper unit, known as the “SAS,” deployed trial and error in terms of tactics and equipment before an elite few were selected to make the first British parachute raid of the war, which took place in Basilicata, Italy on 10 February 1941.

Collectively known as “X-Troop,” these men were parachuted by specially selected bomber crews into the heart of enemy territory, where they successfully destroyed their target, the Tragino Aqueduct, before becoming the object of an exhaustive manhunt by Italian troops and civilians. Captured, they were variously interrogated, imprisoned, and the Italian SOE agent placed on trial for treason and executed.

Given the distances that had to be covered, the logistical complications and the lack of any precedent, the raid was a remarkable feat. Its success or failure depended on a group of men using methods and equipment thus far untried by the British Army. They were truly “guinea pigs” for those that would follow in their footsteps.

Often overlooked in British military history, Paterson brings this extraordinary episode to light, drawing on verbatim testimony and interrogating the truth of previous accounts. From the formation of the unit and the build up to its first deployment, through Operation Colossus and its aftermath, to its ongoing legacy today, this is the fascinating story of the modern-day British Parachute Regiment.

“Well written with all the flash and dash of typical commando warfare.” —Historical Miniatures Gaming Society