The headline title of this book can be misleading, as the book focuses on just three special operations undertaken in Sumatra in 1942, the Andaman Islands between 1943 and 1945, and Goa in March 1943. The author has published over seventy books on a range of subjects, so this book appears to stand alone, rather than part of a series.

As the book covers three special operations, each one is covered in some detail. Part I of the book covers Operation Minerva in Sumatra in December 1942, Part II Operations Baldhead and Hatch in the Andaman Islands over three years, and Part III Operations Longshanks/Creek in Goa in March 1943. Part IV is in effect a one page summary.

Operation Minerva is the first covered, and includes some interesting background and biographies of the five men involved. This operation was unsuccessful, in that after the party of five men had been landed on Sumatra, they were not heard of again. The author covers this issue well. Part II covers a series of operations against the Andaman Islands, including the planning and preparations for the operations. The privations the men suffered are documented, and their resilience is impressive. Part III details the operations against Goa, aimed at disrupting enemy shipping. Again, the strategic and operational planning is covered well, and the outcomes of the operations.

I enjoy books that open up new areas for me, and I admit that I knew very little about these three operations before reading this book. The subject is researched well, and more than adequately, to provide a very readable and informative account. One of the strengths of this book is the integration of the personal aspects of these operations, leading the reader to feel complete respect for the men involved. It reinforces how multi-faceted and multi-layered the Second World War is in terms of its history. The author is to be commended for writing about three small, and in terms of the overall outcome of the war, insignificant operations, yet, the reader is left to comprehend the actions of individuals in the desire to confront and defeat the enemy.

In conclusion, provided the reader understands the actual restricted subject of this book, and is not looking for a wider or more comprehensive account of special operations in South-East Asia, this book is recommended highly. I enjoyed it, and learned a lot from it. ( )