Raiding Forces Series by Phil Ward

By May 1940, panzer divisions had decimated Belgium and reached Calais. Lietenant John Randal, a veteran of the U.S. 26th Cavalry Regiment, volunteers his expertise to help slow their advance. What unfolds is a blend of military guerrilla tactics, suspense, humor, and brotherly camaraderie-plus a little romance between the American GI and the widowed Lady Jane Seaborn... moreBy May 1940, panzer divisions had decimated Belgium and reached Calais. Lietenant John Randal, a veteran of the U.S. 26th Cavalry Regiment, volunteers his expertise to help slow their advance. What unfolds is a blend of military guerrilla tactics, suspense, humor, and brotherly camaraderie-plus a little romance between the American GI and the widowed Lady Jane Seaborn.Along the way readers meet such colorful characters as Captain David Niven in MO-9 and Captain "Geronimo Joe" McKoy with his Traveling Wild West Show and Shooting Emporium. The author-a decorated combat veteran-covers the details of war extensively, from the five points of contact of a parachute landing to descriptions of a British raider's A-5 flinging Jerries before the first shell casing even hits the floor.As the novel ends, Major Randal's men, fresh from Operation Tomcat in France, learn they'll deploy via sea transport within 48 hours on their next mission. The second book which has already been written, tells that tale. Those Who Dare is sure to appeal to avid military ficton fans and WWII historical fiction readers alike. less

In this sequel to Those Who Dare, U.S.Major John Randal, Commander of Strategic Raiding Forces is back, leading a crew of British Commandos, Royal Marines and Royal Navy raiders on bigger and bolder missions to foil Hitler's Third Reich. Off the Gold Coast colony in Africa, the Germans are operating a naval intelligence ring that gathers information about British convoys in the southern sea-lane... moreIn this sequel to Those Who Dare, U.S.Major John Randal, Commander of Strategic Raiding Forces is back, leading a crew of British Commandos, Royal Marines and Royal Navy raiders on bigger and bolder missions to foil Hitler's Third Reich. Off the Gold Coast colony in Africa, the Germans are operating a naval intelligence ring that gathers information about British convoys in the southern sea-lane. Couriers carry the data to nearby Rio Bonita, a tiny Portuguese island protectorate, whence they are broadcast to Nazi U-boats and surface raiders from a clandestine radio station onboard one of three interned enemy ships. As a result, British convoys vital to the war effort are ravaged. Major Randal and the Raiding Forces mission is to invade neutral Rio Bonita and spirit away the three ships. Failure means either imprisonment or hanging for piracy-and that Portugal will declare war on its oldest ally. Peopling Dead Eagles are colorful characters new and old. There is Wild West showman Captain "Geronimo Joe" McKoy, the stunning Special Operations Executive operator Lady Jane Seaborn, who adopts the Raiding Forces as her own pet project; and Lady Jane's bombshell of a driver, Pamala Plum-Martin. Even Commander Ian Fleming puts in an appearance, submitting a plan for "Operation Ruthless", the goal of which is to board a Luftwaffe bomber and crash it into the English Channel in order to capture an Enigma coding device from a Nazi air-sea rescue craft. This action packed adventure story features Lovat Scout Snipers, the take down of the Vichy French fleet in English ports, daring Commando raids, an epic sea battle, beautiful spies and culminates in a deadly shoot-out in a crowed bar in Occupied France. less

Trilogy set with Raiding Forces framework.n this sequel to Dead Eagles, U.S. Major John Randal, commander of Strategic Raiding Forces, returns in Blood Wings, the first book in a trilogy within the Raiding Forces Series about the Abyssinian Campaign. Major Randal parachutes into the middle of Italian East Africa with orders to raise a guerrilla army. Everything that can go wrong does... moreTrilogy set with Raiding Forces framework.n this sequel to Dead Eagles, U.S. Major John Randal, commander of Strategic Raiding Forces, returns in Blood Wings, the first book in a trilogy within the Raiding Forces Series about the Abyssinian Campaign. Major Randal parachutes into the middle of Italian East Africa with orders to raise a guerrilla army. Everything that can go wrong does. Blood Wings is a story of unconventional warfare and the ability to improvise, adapt and press on against overwhelming odds. As in the first two Raiding Forces military adventures, Major Randal takes on a long-range independent mission against incredible odds. He proves once again that he is the best unconventional commander that Special Operations Executive can call on in a time of desperate need. less