The Sixteen: The Covert Assassination Squad That Went Beyond the SAS

by John Urwin

Written by practising teachers, this text aims to increase the self-reliance of the A2 chemistry student. It is accessible to students of all abilities and is clearly laid out in double page spreads,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1904132146
• ISBN13: 9781904132141
• Release Date: November 2003
• Publisher: Vision
• Length: 269 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Review by R.JOHNSON!

I was sick and tired of reading stories about loud mouth beer swilling jerks telling us what great soldiers they are. So it came as a surprise to read this book and find a story about consumate professionalism. No medals, no celebrations, not even recognition. But this is the way it must be done! The stuff in the book does not match anything in special ops today and so makes interesting reading. I know the mountains and have had chance to try out some of the ropework described in the book, none of which I have ever come across before either on paper or in the Marines. It works, and works darn well!Thanks John for a real interestin book. I,ve checked the web site and plan to apply for some of this training in person.

Five Star Recommendation

Books of this genre dont often come along.I would'nt normally read books of military history, but having it recommended by a friend I felt at least that I should give it a try. I was surprised to find it a compelling read. The technicalities of subversive warfare were lost on me, but the human aspect of young men torn from their families and thrown into the couldron of terrorist warfare was heartbraking.This book is written from the prospective of a young national guardsman in England in the 1950's, taken off to the Middle East to work in abject slave labor in defense of the British Empire.The young mans nature and bearing held him apart from his friends in the army and this was quickly recognised by intelligence cheifs who recruited him into a covert unit. His missions took him, as many of his youthful counterparts in those days did, into deadly missions behind enemy territory.Extraordinary feats of bravery and skill enabled his team to carry out covert assassinations and to make them look like accidents or suicides.A bitter sweet tale of hope and bitter dissapointment as seen from the eyes of a young and very brave man.I would reccomend it to anyone.

Real Professionals

I was sick and tired of reading stories about loud mouthed beer swilling jerks telling us what great soldiers they are. So it came as a surprise to read this book and find a story about consumate professionalism. No medals, no celebrations, not even recognition. But this is the way it must be done!The stuff in the book does not match anything in special ops today and so makes real interesting reading. I know the mountains and have had chance to try out some of the ropework described in the book, none of which I have ever come across before either on paper or in the Marines. It works, and works darn well!Thanks John for a real interesting book. I've checked the web site and plan to apply for some of this training in person.

Real life special ops!

I have extensive knowledge of this subject but was still surprised by what this book had to say.What it contains cannot, to my knowledge be found anywhere else. The team known as "the Sixteen" used SOP's and techniques that are unique and very cleverly thought out. The techniques of unarmed combat described obviously cannot be put to the test by the reader, but if they are anything like the structure of the team, their infiltration techniques or ropework, then they must be very impressive.As Robert Baer showed in "See no Evil", there are very few people that can be trusted in the world of intelligence. The Brits had the same problems in the 1950's (with the likes of Burgess and Maclean running around), and so "The Sixteen" operated in a real covert manner with almost no one knowing anything about the unit, its background or its command structure. Everything was conducted in complete secrecy. I can see how John Urwin has had a hard time convincing the more ignorant amongst that "The Sixteen" did actually exist. But, read this book a couple of times and think about what this guy is really saying and you might learn something.If nothing else it is a good, interesting read and a reference book on military history....For anyone interested in special ops see Urwin's website at www.johnurwin.co.uk it brings up some serious questions on our use of intelligence and special forces.

An excellent book

At first I was doubtful about this book, the cover portraying the usual SAS/Hollywood image of special ops warfare, but as I soon found out this book cannot be judged by its cover. Where the three hooded ninja type figures fit into the story I dont know.The reality of this book is a fascinating account of an extraordinary group of men, whether soldiers or civilians we are not told. Only the author is known to be in the army, a young conscript.This book is one to really make you think and definately needs reading a couple of times before you start to get the message that the author is trying to put across. And this book, in my opinion is a message rather than a purely autobiographical account...note the long sections of dialogue that appear during Urwins training sessions that are obviously a dig at the likes of the SAS etc. Urwin was also selected for "The Sixteen" at such a young and inexperienced stage of his life that it could only have been to catch him before the army could sink their incompetant claws into him.As explained in the highly perceptive introduction, the western world needs the services of a team like "The Sixteen". Imaginative and truly covert methods of warfare are sadly lacking in our arsenal.Interestingly the book is not just a critisism of current tactics but actually offers alternative ie "The Sixteens" techniques of waging war. And these we are told are but a taster of what they were really capable of. I have not witnessed nor even read of the type of methods mentioned in this book and it certainly makes you wonder what a team such as this could achieve in the world as it is today.This book is a must for anyone seriously interested in special ops warfare.It is worth adding that Urwins website ( johnurwin.co.uk ) is a mine of information on the same lines as the book.