Sting of the Scorpion: In Action with the Long Range Desert Group [Englisch] [Gebundene Ausgabe]

This book is the amazing story/history of the LRDG, a WWII special forces unit that would probe the desert waste lands to conduct reconnaissance, pathfinding missions, mapping and survey ops as well as limited direct action missions, against Italian targets of opportunity. The unit also ferried the SAS into operations. This book is fabulously written and structured makes the read quite fast and easy. This story covers the LRDG birth in the desert as long-range patrol unit to the LRDG. It covers the personalities, evolution of the unit; operations, equipment and an inside look at many of the tactics and procedures employed at that time for mobility operations. Excellent book if you would like to see the roots of modern special operations. Well worth the read.

Mike Morgan's "Sting of the Scorpion" is the riveting anthology of the Long Range Desert Group during World War II. Tapping his many contacts in veteran organizations, Mr. Morgan, author of The SAS Story, gathered and compiled exciting first person accounts of the LRDG's most interesting operations -- told in that famous understated British style.

In "Sting of the Scorpion", he proudly remembers many of the tough, self-reliant soldiers -- mostly from New Zealand, Britain, and Rhodesia, -- making up this colorful unit.

The LRDG was best known for its action behind Axis lines in North Africa. They focused on reconnaissance, desert exploration and mapping new routes, as well as occasionally ferrying spies and escaped prisoners.

Far behind enemy lines -- hiding close to the road -- LRDG patrols monitored the Axis convoys along North Africa's coast road, transmitting intelligence reports back to Egypt.

Other times. manning heavily armed 30cwt. trucks -- along side the SAS -- they would suddenly strike, causing mass panic and destruction hundreds of miles from their own bases.

A typical LRDG raid would involve one force tying up an Italian fortified garrison while a hard-charging truck column blasted parked aircraft, hangers, supplies, and equipment. The wounded were quickly taken to secret airstrips for quick evacuation to Egypt by air.

Perhaps, the LRDG's greatest fear was attack by enemy aircraft. When attacked, all personnel would scatter immediately. The stationary vehicles were often all lost -- leaving the men on foot with very few supplies.

Mr. Morgan also presents gripping short stories of ambushed LRDG patrols -- stranded without vehicles -- and little food or water. Dauntlessly, they slogged for miles on foot back to their own lines, surviving only with the help of friendly Arabs.

Later in the war,the LRDG parachuted behind the lines in Italy, as well as assisted partisan actions in German-held Albania, Greece, and Yugoslavia.

In the Adriatic theater, the LRDG traded in their desert trucks for small sea craft, shuttling on cat-and-mouse missions among the Greek Islands. They watched the coasts and channels at night, coordinating RAF air strikes and devastating Royal Navy MTB attacks on enemy shipping.

Cooperating with partisans in the Balkans, the LRDG resumed operations similar to those in the North African campaign. All Too often, the LRDG men were betrayed and captured. Mr. Morgan's short stories are filled with hair-raising chases, captures, escapes, and recaptures. The LRDG continued to harass German troops retreating out of Albania and Greece.

As the war in Europe ended, the majority of LRDG men volunteered to fight on in Japan. Mr. Morgan relates, "The glorious story of the LRDG, who won admirers from all sides during the war, came to a close after five action packed years and the famous unit was disbanded with great sadness, praise, and regret in 1945."

"Sting of the Scorpion" contains 65 excellent photographs, 2 maps, and 5 appendices:
LRDG Commanders and Patrol Designations
Honours and Awards
List of all serving LRDG Soldiers from the UK and Abroad
Patrol Commanders
Roll of Honour

Thought this was going to be a good history of the Long Range Desert Group but was very sad when I read the book. The book has no details of the unit, tactics or history of operations. It reads much like an interview with members of the group. You get a lot of "we got in the trucks and drove 1000 miles then we returned and I was sent to a new unit". I would not buy this book if you wanted to learn any real history of the unit.