Anglim Simon. Orde Wingate and the British Army, 1922-1944

Pickering and Chatto, 2010. — 293 p.Major General Orde Wingate (1903-1944) was the most controversial British military commander of the Second World War, due to his idiosyncratic leadership style, which led some to question his sanity, and his fiercely pro-Zionist stance. More than sixty years after his death he still splits opinion amongst soldiers, academics and writers. Anglim's biography fills a significant void in the literature, making extensive use of Wingate's papers official and private to place him firmly in the context of the British army of the time. The man who is revealed is shed of his mythology, but a more interesting figure emerges one of significant historical interest. This study also helps to inform contemporary controversies including the Arab-Israeli conflict, reactions to insurgency and terrorism, and the role of special and elite forces in modern warfare.