Author

Will Davies

Will Davies spent 37 years working as an independent producer of mainly historical documentaries and series for the ABC and SBS. He retired in 2010. He began writing books with the first published in 2012 and to date has had ten books published. Somme Mud: The war experiences of an Australian infantryman in France 1916-1919, which he edited, has become a bestseller in Australia, the UK and The Netherlands. In The Footsteps of Private Lynch has also been published to acclaim in Australia and the UK. Beneath Hill 60 tells the true story of the Australian miners and soldiers who tunnelled under Hill 60 near Ypres and eventually broke through to create a new frontline.

Search Results

You searched for 'Will Davies'. 2 results were found.

To add items to your order, enter quantity and click 'add selected products to order'

Return to search results

Listen to an excerpt

Released the same day as the standard print edition

Title:: Secret and Special
Written by:: Will Davies
Read by:: Steve Shanahan
Format:: Unabridged CD Audio Book
Number of CDs:: 10
Duration:: 12 hours 53 minutes
Published:: March 02 2021
Available Date:: March 02 2021
Age Category:: Adult
ISBN:: 9781867520146
Genres:: Non-fiction; Australian; Military; World War II
Publisher:: Bolinda/Penguin Audio Australia

Qty

Format

Price

Bolinda price

AUD$ 34.95

add selected products to order

Bestselling author
Australian author

Secret and Special is the untold story of Z Special Unit and Operations, the precursor to the elite SAS and the extraordinary feats they undertook in the Pacific during the Second World War.

Soon after the declaration of war on Japan, a secret military reconnaissance unit was established, based on the British Special Operations Executive (known as SOE) and called the Inter-allied Services Department. The unit was tasked with the role to 'obtain and report information of the enemy ... weaken the enemy by sabotage and destruction of morale and to lend aid and assistance to local efforts to the same end in enemy occupied territories.' In 1943 it became known under the cover name Special Reconnaissance Department (SRD) and included some British officers who had escaped from Singapore. After arriving in Australia, they assembled in Melbourne, forming the nucleus of ISD and together with some Australians established what became the Z Special Unit. During the course of the war, Z Special Unit carried out 81 covert operations in the Southwest Pacific theatre. While the unit was disbanded after the end of the war, many of its techniques would be modified and used by Australian Special Forces to this day.