SAS Band of Brothers by Damien Lewis was, for me, unputdownable, and not just because I have my own small charity which helps veterans.

This is a story which should be told, and boy, is it told well, and rivals any thriller  on the shelves today. But what makes it riveting is that it is true, painfully so.

In June 1944 twelve SAS parachuted into occupied France, led by Captain Patrick Garstin MC, who bore wounds from previous  battles. It was a  small elite band, which included Thomas ‘Ginger’ Jones and Serge ‘Frenchy’ Vaculik, who destroyed enemy targets. However, they were captured, imprisoned and tortured. Hitler ordered their execution and only Jones and Vaculik escaped. You can imagine the hue and cry, the hunting…

Later in 1945 the Nazis hunters became the hunted,  and those in pursuit of these who committed such war crimes were the SAS including  ‘Ginger’ Jones and Serge Vaculik until… Ah, but no more, because this is a tale that needs to be read properly from beginning to end.

Damien Lewis’s exploration of this whole incident tears at the heart strings exposing what I consider injustices, quite apart from the executions. These were brave men, who acted on their country’s behalf  and, for me, Damien Lewis has not only told a story of bravery in the face of barbarity, but he has also exposed what amount to post war deceits.

Read it, give it to others. In this time of the pursuit of our esteemed military for historic so called  ‘crimes’ let us read through a different lens, the valour, the sacrifice, the commitment to the protection of our country and their comrades, and be proud of, and grateful to, them ALL, including those serving today.

SAS Band of Brothers by Damien Lewis pub by Quercus Books Hardback @ £20.

Margaret Graham is a bestselling author, who writes under the names Annie Clarke and Milly Adams Her latest by Annie Clarke is the Girls on the Home Front series.