The Desert Jackal

THE DESERT JACKALThe desert was supposed to be a five-day raid. It became a fight that would carry them hundreds of miles into enemy territory. North Africa, 1940. Sergeant Tom Mercer has already seen what war can do to men. Now, beneath the merciless desert sun, he finds himself leading a mismatched platoon of British and Commonwealth soldiers into Operation Compass-a British offensive against an Italian army that vastly outnumbers them.
What begins as a limited attack soon becomes something far greater. From the assault on Nibeiwa and the battle for Sidi Barrani, across the Libyan frontier and into the fortresses of Bardia and Tobruk, Mercer and his men are driven relentlessly westward. Every victory brings another march. Every captured position reveals another enemy waiting beyond the horizon. They become known as the Jackals-soldiers who survive through courage, instinct and an unbreakable loyalty to the man beside them.
But survival comes at a price. Friends fall, replacements arrive, and Mercer discovers that leadership is not about being fearless. It is about carrying responsibility for men who trust you with their lives. And the enemy is far from beaten. As the retreating Italian forces make their final stand and the campaign races towards its bloody conclusion, Mercer and the Jackals must endure exhaustion, ambushes, brutal close-quarter fighting and the knowledge that one mistake could leave them stranded deep inside enemy territory.
Yet The Desert Jackal is more than a story of battles. It is a story of brotherhood, sacrifice, courage and the ordinary soldiers hidden behind the great events of history-British, Australian, Indian, New Zealand and South African men thrown together by war and transformed into something resembling a family. Because history remembers victories, generals and casualty figures. The men who fought remember the faces.
And Tom Mercer will learn that a leader cannot bring everyone home. Sometimes all he can do is make certain those who do not return are never forgotten. A gripping historical military adventure set during the Western Desert Campaign, The Desert Jackal follows one platoon through the dust, blood and extraordinary advance of Operation Compass. Perfect for readers who enjoy action-packed Second World War fiction, battlefield camaraderie and stories inspired by real military history.