Russell Philips: One night in February 1941, thirty-five men made history when they jumped out of six aeroplanes and parachuted into Italy. It was the first time Britain had ever used military paratroopers and there were high hopes that the mission could help change the way the war was fought in Europe.
With no previous experience of using parachutes to send troops behind enemy lines, the entire operation was experimental at best, with stunt parachutists brought in to help with training. While the mission itself marked a turning point in British military operations, it was plagued with bad luck right from the start. One of the aircraft suffered engine trouble, another missed its target by some distance and much of the equipment failed to arrive.
The men achieved their mission, but they were all captured. One was executed and the others were kept as prisoners of war, although they made multiple courageous attempts to escape. In Daring and Determined, Russell Phillips makes sure the bravery of these pioneering men is not forgotten. The book tells the whole story from the training and mission to the capture and escapes, examining the impact it had on the rest of the Second World War.
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