War came to North Africa in June 1940. But it would be another year and half before a newly-formed SAS went into action for the first time. Until then, the job of taking the fight to the enemy in their own backyard belonged to an elite, top secret band of brothers called the Long Range Desert Group.

They were Britain’s first special forces

Born out of a pre-war club of explorers, eccentrics and mavericks, the LRDG wrote the book on covert warfare, developing new tactics, techniques and weaponry that would stand the test of time. Operating alone behind enemy lines, the men performed astonishing feats of navigation, endurance and survival. Stung by their success, Nazi propaganda branded them as highwaymen of the desert.

The LRDG mentored, supported and sometimes rescued the young SAS, and yet, disbanded at the end of the war, the unit’s remarkable exploits have been largely forgotten. But it was the LRDG who paved the way for Monty’s ultimate victory in the desert.