During the Second World War, two young Irishmen served in the armed forces of Nazi Germany, swearing the oath of the Waffen-SS, wearing the organisation’s uniform and even its distinctive blood group tattoo.
James Brady from Roscommon and Frank Stringer from Leitrim were under the direct command of Otto Skorzeny, the man who rescued Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from a mountain-top prison, and they were involved in some of the most ferocious fighting of the war in the last days of the Third Reich.
Ironically these young men had originally joined an Irish regiment of the British army, and but for a twist of fate would have ended up fighting against the Germans. Instead, the pair were recruited to the German special forces after they were captured on the island of Jersey.
Based on new research from the two men’s own accounts and on state papers which have been recently released.
To see other books by Terence O'Reilly, click here.
Reviews:
Sunday Business Post - 'This is a well-documented and fascinating account of a handful of men who later wisely chose to disappear from history.'
Village Magazine - 'Fast paced, with the edge of a thriller, this book is a testament to how thoroughly history may be investigated, if willing to go to the task with an open mind'
Irish Daily Mail - 'It is a remarkable tale...'
Irish Independent - 'The book is full of interesting nuggets and vignettes,...'
Irish American News - 'If you like miliatry history, you'll love this book...'
Author interview on Looking Back, a local history and Irish heritage show on Dublin City FM. To listen to the full interview click here.
