Gavin Mortimer

Gavin Mortimer is a bestselling writer, historian and television consultant. His books include The Long Range Desert Group in World War II (Osprey, 2017)

The SAS played a vital role in defeating Hitler – so why did Britain disband them?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A composite image of athlete Gertrude Ederle and actor Daisy Ridley

Gertrude Ederle: the first woman to swim the English Channel

Allied troops hide from enemy shelling during the battle of Caen. The town was finally captured after several weeks of intensive fighting. The white markings on their shoulders were later added to the photograph by a censor to hide the name of the battalion. (Photo by Hulton-Deutsch/Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis via Getty Images)

The battle for Normandy: what happened after D-Day?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A member of a Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) patrol, May 1942

Desert raiders: the Long Range Desert Group in the Second World War. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Grave of a fallen soldier in World War I

“Their name liveth for evermore”: the difficult task of locating, identifying and honouring the dead of WW1. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Photo of the SAS in North Africa

Second World War

How the early SAS became heroes of the Second World War

War and Conflict, Malaya, pic: 1953, British troops of the Special Air Service (SAS) with a helicopter, having been dropped off in the jungle in search of bandits (Photo by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)

In a nutshellThe history of the SAS

David Stirling: SAS hero or fraud?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A drawing depicting a German monoplane dropping bombs on Paris during the First World War

First World War

Creating fake Paris: how one man built a mock city to fool WW1 German bombers

Johnny Hopper: a nerveless Nazi-killer. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Crown Prince Olav on his ice yacht (Getty Images)

From Hollywood to war heroes: 10 Olympians who were more famous outside sport. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Once allies, Adolf Hitler and Ernst Röhm (sitting to his left) had a colossal falling out over ideology

The Night of the Long Knives: the bloody purge that secured Hitler's power. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

The US cutter Spencer attacks U-boat U-175

The Battle of the Atlantic: why Britain almost lost to Hitler's U-boats. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Crowds in Piccadilly Circus in London celebrate VE Day

Countdown to VE Day: the week World War 2 ended in Europe. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Sir Nicholas Winton

Second World War

The 'British Schindler' who saved 669 children from the Nazis

Lauren Bruner and Iyozo Fujita

Pearl Harbor: 5 frontline stories from people who were there. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.