Description: A talented sportsman who struggled with academic work, young Peter Weaver was a rogue, skirting the law. When World War II broke out he was determined to play his part in full. Volunteering for the Stay Behinds, he was recruited into the SAS, parachuting into France, and later fighting in Germany.
Brief description:
Will has a long interest in World War II military history, both as a researcher and model maker. Becoming the voluntary Auxiliary Units coordinator for the Defence of Britain Project in 1995, he developed substantial expertise in the field and many good friendships. This led to researching the links between Auxiliary Units and the SAS and he has been fortunate to meet many veterans of both, along with their families. In 2010, he joined Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team (CART), becoming a major contributor to their website, www.staybehinds, com. Through a CART event, he met Major Weaver's family and others involved in his story.
In recent years he has also been involved in archaeological explorations of Auxiliary Units Operational Bases, providing talks and displays and has visited many Operation Bulbasket locations in France. He has helped many families uncover the wartime history their father or grandfather would or could never talk about.
Review Quotes: "The combination of Peter Weaver's own words and Dr Will Ward's incredible knowledge has created a compelling insight into one of the most amazing stories from the Second World War. By following Weaver from the highly secret, highly trained, brutal civilian groups created to counter a German invasion of Britain, to the action behind enemy lines in France with the SAS, one gets an extraordinary view of his war. More than that, this book is important in smashing perceptions of Britain and the SAS that have built up since the end of the war."--Andrew Chatterton, author of "Britain's Secret Defences"