Behind Enemy Lines

Archie Gibson's initiation into desert warfare almost proved to be his last. Barrelling through the sand dunes at the wheel of his truck, Gibson spied a searing flash of light up ahead, the signature of a feared German 88mm gun firing … right at him. He leapt from his speeding vehicle just before it was torn apart and turned into a flaming inferno.

Gibson's response to his near-death experience was typical: his next vehicle he christened 'Wha Daur' – a phrase culled from the Scottish ballad, Who dares meddle with me? Wha Daur proved to be the slowest, most ugly and unwieldy of their Long Range Desert Group patrol – the unit that served as the forerunners of the SAS – but that didn't stop Gibson from spearheading a string of daring and audacious missions.

Miraculously, Gibson survived the war. Decades later, he went on to write his wartime story – twice – and at the urgings of his children. While it was never meant to see the light of day, Gibson's family decided that their father's tale – one paying tribute to duty, true grit and undying brotherhood, and laced with typical humility and humour – must be told.

Now, acclaimed historian Damien Lewis brings Gibson's story to life, as if his voice speaks from beyond the grave. Working from Gibson's incredibly detailed diaries, his sketchbooks, wartime reports, letters and the gripping account written by Gibson's own hand, Damien reveals the full story … for the first time.