Z Special Unit

GAVIN MORTIMER

The Story of the Special Operations Executive has been covered in The Armourer, but few have heard of the offshoot set up in the Far East to combat the Japanese. Not the Chindits, but the Special Operations Australia and its guerrilla warfare unit, Z Special Unit, manned by Australians.

In fact, it was so secretive, that many of the soldiers who served in it were unaware of who they were actually working for. Here are the main people involved and the missions they undertook, including manning a ship that was described as: ‘… dirty, untidy, full of cockroaches.’

With superb production standards and lots of interesting photos, this is an intriguing look at the chaotic world of spec ops down under. ■

• Osprey Publishing

• ISBN 978-1-4728-4709-6

• 244 pages • Hardback • £25