Jim (John Edward Almonds to give him the names with which he was christened in 1914 at Stixwould, near Woodhall Spa) was the only one of twelve SAS ‘Originals’ who kept a daily, personal diary throughout the founding of the SAS. From the Coldstream Guards in 1939, he joined No. 8 Guards Commando, sailed to the Middle East in 1941 and became one of the Tobruk Four. They developed the technique of clandestine four-man operations and carried it into the SAS.

Almonds was also awarded gallantry medals for outstanding bravery in the field and remains one of the SAS’s greatest escapers. He escaped from two of the three Italian PoW camps in which he was held. The second time he got clean away and returned to the SAS to parachute into occupied France.

Lorna’s book ‘Gentleman Jim’ (about his wartime story only) is now in its 6^th edition. She interviewed not only her father but all the other Originals who remained alive at that time (2001) and she researched the relevant War Diaries in the National Archives at Kew.  This is the only account of the Founding that makes use of a living L Detachment Original, the only personal daily diary and is fully sourced.

Lorna will talk about the key characters in the early SAS, the raids, the relationships, the pressures, the disasters – and the triumphs which led to success and the Regiment which all other Special Forces in the world have emulated in setting up their own equivalents.

Lorna will be signing discounted copies of Gentleman Jim and her Sequel Escaping The Ordinary

This event is brought to you by the Stixwould Village Hall Group and raising funds to support renovation works. To book your tickets please click here

Please note this is not part of the IBCC Lecture and Supper series.  The bar will be open and snacks available.