David Stirling: The Phoney Major

There are several threads here that refer to David Stirling, none on a quick look are a suitable home for this review by Saul David of the book 'David Stirling: the Phoney Major: the Life, Times and Truth about the Founder of the SAS' by Gavin Mortimer. See: Busting the myth of the Phantom Major | Saul David | The Critic Magazine

A taster, the opening three paragraphs:

There is a recent 2022 thread on Schurch (there are a few others): General Court Martial ,Private:Theodore John Schurch

There is what I think is an Amazon review of the book in this thread (the last post): 72647 Archibald David STIRLING, DSO, OBE, MiD, Scots Guards attached SAS

 

There was an interview with the author on WW2TV earlier this year-



Scott

 

Via Simon Anglim's Twitter:

 

Mayne aside, or class obsession aside, did David Stirling massively embellish his role and accomplishments?

 

Your title is your thesis.

If you intend to prove that the thread that runs through David Stirling's 'life and times' and illuminates them is that he dishonestly presented himself and/or had been dishonestly represented, you're going to need bring a sack full of solid evidence.

Given that this is a distinguished soldier, you'd better make that a sack and a half.

 

Special Forces renegades isn't really my thing¹ but I watched the whole utube presentation with interest.
It doesn't denigrate David Stirling's actual achievements, merely points out how he failed to give credit where due (which seems to be the result of a personality flaw).

I also think that discussion about the British officer class system (which in my opinion hamstrung the British military for many generations) is completely valid. The histories we were all exposed to in the years after WW2 were almost all written by members of this class who thought there was nothing wrong with their god-given right to command, irrespective of actual ability.
I would buy this book except see ¹ above.

 

Adams, the Adjutant General appointed and resolutely supported by Alanbrooke, was the man to thank for bringing the British Officer recruitment process into the 20th Century.

His invention, the War Office Selection Board, has stood the test of time and is largely unchanged since its creation during the war. It is now called the Army Officer Selection Board and is still based at Leighton House in Westbury, Wiltshire.

The man was a genius.

Regards

Frank