As a young lieutenant in 1941, David Stirling won a battle against military bureaucracy - he was able, against all odds, to introduce a new concept in fighting. Although it was disbanded after the war, the effectiveness of the Special Air Service resulted in its being re-formed six years later to meet the specialized demands of counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism in a host of limited-intensity conflicts. Based on three years of research in the UK, Africa, France and the Middle East, this biography seeks to explain Stirling's personal philosophies, drive, sensitivity and courage. Alan Hoe was a friend of Stirling and a long-serving member of the SAS. As James March he wrote The Negotiator, and was a co-author of Terrorism - Threat and Response.