SAS War Diary 1941-1945

[Mike Jackson]

I appreciate that the Daily Telegraph is not everybody's favourite newspaper, but an exception should have been made this week. Published with the paper on Saturday and Sunday were two 8 page extracts from the remarkable SAS War Diary, collated in 1946 by a former member of the SAS "to collate every document and photograph relating to the regiment..." (in the period to disbandment).
Worth seeing - and it gives a taste of what the actual Diary (Economy facsimile edition c £950) has to offer. I particularly enjoyed the extract from the SBS's War Diary of the capture (by 1 GE Para Div) and escape of Lt JE Tonkin SBS. While briefly a prisoner he was interviewed by the Comd 1 GE Para Div, one Gen Heidrich (of Crete fame) described as being "a man of medium size, rather chubby, with light hair and pale eyes of indeterminate colour". They enjoyed an agreeable lunch. The following day Lt Tonkin escaped and 18 months later was Maj JE Tonkin MC, commanding T Tp, 1 SAS Sqn
Mike