256pp. + Photos. Fine in fine dust jacket. Red cloth, gilt title and commando badge on spine, 8vo, black and white plates in text. Ex Lib. f.e.p. removed. Appendices, bibliography, index. The author has been able to interview surviving members of No. 4 Commando and with extensive research of official records has pieced together a terrific blow by blow account of one of the most daring early Commando raids of the Second World War.The generally held view is that the Dieppe landings were an unmitigated disaster. Too often overlooked is that the many men who died did not die needlessly, for the mistakes made at Dieppe were rectified three years later for the D-Day landings, and consequently saved many more lives. This book is about one of the actual successes of the Dieppe raid....."Operation Cauldron."History's overriding view of the Dieppe raid in 1942 is that of a catastrophic disaster, with thousands of Canadian and British troops killed or capt. ured. Often overlooked is No 4 Commando's successful supporting element of the raid to disable the heavy German guns that threatened the supporting ships at sea. No 4 Commando's training and preparation for their part in the raid was an ex. c e l l e n t example of operational planning, its leadership was superb and its luck held. Quite apart from this first use of Commando's, this raid was also the first instance in which US troops fired shots at their European enemy in WWII. Will . Fowler has been able to interview surviving members of No 4 Commando, and with extensive research of official records has pieced together a terrific blow by blow account of one of the most daring early Commando raids of the Second World War.