The SBS was first into battle a month before the SAS
in the Falklands War and again in the Gulf War, yet
hitherto it is the SAS that has had by far the
higher profile. The SBS draws its manpower solely
from the Marine Commando Units, and the Royal
Marines are the oldest and most battle-honoured
regiment in the world. First Into Action is the
first Special Boat Services memoir written from the
inside.
It tells how Duncan Falconer trained with
the Royal Marines in Deal before being recruited
into the SBS at Poole in Dorset. The regimen of
ruthless training is graphically described and the
book also includes revelatory accounts of SBS
operations in Ulster and the Gulf War, and
of the intense rivalry between the SAS's
individualist mentality and the more team-based,
marine ethos of the SBS. Duncan Falconer's
grippingly detailed memoir is sure to command the
attention of anyone interested in the Special Forces
and how they operate.
First Into
Action
Special Forces 352 Pages
Hardback ISBN-13:
978-0316645683 Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-0751531657
Duncan Falconer
was the youngest ever operative to join the SBS.
He was just 19 years old. The SBS were the first
into action during the Falklands war and the
Gulf War. They are masters of jungle, desert,
arctic and maritime warfare and have been
deployed at the sharp end of every significant
conflict over the last two decades.
Through his own extraordinary experiences,
Falconer graphically describes the physical and
mental rigour of the SBS Selection process,
recounts the missions that have contributed to
the unit's astounding success in the fight
against terrorism and drug smuggling, and charts
the long standing power struggle with the SAS.
"First
Into Action" by Duncan Falconer is his
tale of life in the SBS (the Special
Boat Service - much like the SAS, but it
recruits purely from the Royal Marines).
Duncan Falconer was the youngest person
to ever join the Special Forces -
immediately after basic recruit training
he was allowed to attempt SBS selection
- something which had never before, and
never since been allowed. He passed SBS
selection, against all odds and served
with them for a number of y ears.
Falconer recounts his life from an early
age, including joining the Marines and
the SBS all the way up to leaving. It's
a superbly written biography which is
humourous at times, action packed,
revealing and always interesting. This
will appeal to anyone interested in the
armed forces, the Marines, the SBS or
Special Forces actions. If you like the
genre it's definetly worth reading, I've
been through it three times and it's
still great.
I recommend this book to anyone with an
interest in the military. It is a very
down to earth, raw and honest account of
life in the SBS.
A brilliantly written, sometimes funny
and sometimes sad story of what it takes
to go through some of the toughest
training possible. Life in the SBS is
not as well documented as life in the SAS
which makes an account such as this so
much more interesting; they truly are an
exceptional body of men who are, aside
from the finest training in the world, just as flawed as the rest of us.
This is the story of Duncan Falconer's
amazing journey through that world.
Brilliant, I read it in one sitting.
