Gentleman Jim: The Wartime Story of a Founder of the SAS and Special Services

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On another raid in the Agheila area, he led a party which destroyed five heavy enemy MT and he participated in shooting up an enemy post in this locality.

And he knew Kumasi would always right herself and would not ship much water because no hatches were allowed open.She said: "He navigated using the sun, the stars and the current, in ways that he had learned to navigate as a boy in those big empty spaces in Lincolnshire. The decoration was announced in April 1944 after the confidential recommendation had stated: “Captured at Benghazi on 14 September 1942, this NCO was first taken to Campo 51 (Altamura).

On another raid in the AGHEILA area, he led a party which destroyed 5 heavy enemy MT and he participated in shooting up an enemy post in this locality. Almonds and 40 others accompanied Jock Lewis on a daring attack on Nofilia airfield on Christmas Eve 1941 where they destroyed two aircraft. One of his many post-war achievements was to build, over four years, the 32-foot ketch he had designed in his head in solitary confinement. Step forward the appropriately named “Gentleman Jim” Almonds, one of the most remarkable men ever to pull on a British military uniform.We in Britain are very blessed by our Special Forces, arguably the best in the world, and this true account of one of the original members of the SAS is an inspiration to those who follow him behind enemy lines, even today. L" Detachment subsequently joined up with the Long Range Desert Group at Jalo Oasis, and in December they raided the aerodrome at Nofilia, Libya. And despite having no formal training, he even designed and made cars, canoes and boats in which to do it! Riley and Almonds got hold of a three-man tent and a double; they were to share with Ernie Bond, while Lilley and Blakeney shared another. Later, he parachuted into occupied France where he harried the Germans so effectively that he was awarded the Croix de Guerre.

The Jerry cans were hit by the sea each time and lost from view but then the air inside them pulled them back to the surface. Almonds didn’t talk about himself so I am delighted that his daughter has now written the story of his post-war adventuring. The founder members of the SAS were gathered informally, dressed in variations on the standard theme of the Commando uniform of khaki shorts and shirts.The occasion was the British Antique Dealers’ Association (BADA) Antiques and Fine Art Fair in central London and I was delighted that so many people took time to come and see part of my Special Forces collection. A little while later, Stirling asked Almonds if he could build them some parachute training equipment.

His job was to drive the lead jeep, which was full of ammunition and limpet mines, into the harbour. It employed many American servicemen stationed in Eritrea, gathering and beaming information into the Pentagon.Many military men over the years have displayed one trait or the other but to achieve both is anything but easy. Almonds’ Military Medal was announced in November 1942 when the confidential recommendation from Stirling stated: “This NCO has at all times and under the most testing conditions shown great powers of leadership.