First into Action

By Duncan Falconer

Book Overview

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, Bosnia 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.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0751531650
• ISBN13: 9780751531657
• Release Date: July 2001
• Publisher: Sphere
• Length: 431 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.0" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

The best of the best

This is one of my favourite books. The book is a great insight into probably the United Kingdoms most elite special forces unit, surpassing the much more well known SAS. Many activities attributed to the SAS are in fact conducted by the much less well known SBS. The SBS founded by Roger Courtney came into existence before the SAS and it was an SBS element that helped form part of the original SAS. The author describes some of the super human feats that these ordinary men achieve, such as leaving submarines through torpedo tubes, scaling and assaulting two hundred foot oil platforms after swimming there first and being transported on the outside of submarines whilst running the risk of being succked through the rear propellars!

Great information and the start of a great writing career

Others have already gone into detail about the subject matter of this book so I won't do a real review just reiterate that this book is a great piece of information on the little know or discussed SBS. Unlike many former SF or SO authors Mr. Falconer is not only informative but a entertaining author. If you have a chance check out his fiction. Each novel gets better and better.

First Into Action A Dramatic Personal Account of Life in the SBS

First Into Action: A Dramatic Personal Account of Life in the SBS This is truly one of the most incredible insights into the real world workings of a unique Special Forces unit, which known to the public, however receives little attention. The author of the book, is an ex-SBS Opertive who shares his own experiences; most are extremly amazing feats of human courage. However, some are very sad and leave the reader pondering questions, such as, "how would I have handled this?". This is a truly must read for anyone interested in Special Operations, especially from a view outside our (United States) armed forces!

Very Entertaining and Informative

I've read a lot of these SF books (see my other reviews), and this one is one of the better ones to come around in a long time. He writes about himself, the SBS, and the SAS in a most sincere and humble manner. I will be buying more of Falconer's novels/books. Great book.