'From now on, all men operating against German troops in so-called Commando raids are to be annihilated.' Adolf Hitler

This infamous edict was Hitler's response to the actions of the Commandos, a daring new guerrilla force led by eccentrics and idealists. The Commandos were Britain's first ever special forces, a group of volunteers from across the Army, Navy and Air Force that would confront the Germans on some of the most dangerous missions of the Second World War.


After the war, the Commando units of the Royal Marines carried on those traditions, engaging in virtually every military scenario involving British troops. They became the elite of the British 'ready-to-go' forces, capable of deploying at a moment's notice to any trouble spot in the world. Their training is uniquely challenging and those who pass through it are awarded the coveted Green Beret, the distinctive hallmark of the Commando ethos.


In John Parker's now signature style, Commandos details the formation of one of Britain's most controversial fighting units, told with unique accounts from the men at the frontlines of the biggest battles of the twentieth century.