When the Second World War ended, England was bombed-out and starving, with practically every saleable commodity rationed. It was the age of austerity and criminal opportunity. Thieves broke into warehouses, hi-jacked lorries and ransacked railway yards to feed the black market: others stole, recycled or forged ration coupons. Scotland Yard was 6,000 men under strength but something dramatic had to be done - and it was. Four of the Yard's best informed detectives were summoned to form the Special Duties Squad and were told: "Go out into the underworld. Gather your informants. Do whatever is necessary to ensure that the gangs are smashed up. We will never ask you to divulge your sources of information. But remember - you must succeed". They did. Divisional Detective Inspector Jack Capstick, a brilliant thief-taker and informant runner, Detective Inspector Henry Clark, who knew the South London villains as few other detectives did and in addition, possessed a punch "like the kick of a mule" and Detective Sergeants Matt Brinnand and John Gosling, who topped the Flying Squad war-times arrests, both individually and collectively, went out with their informants, undercover officers and their own, unsurpassed ability, and in under four years, they arrested 789 criminals, solved 1,506 cases and recovered stolen property valued at £250,000 - or £10 million by today's standards. The Special Duties Squad was a one-off. How the four officers accomplished their task is dilvulged in this thrilling book, using hitherto unseen official documents and conversations from people who were there. AUTHOR: Dick Kirby was born in the east End of London and joined the metropolitan Police in 1967. Half of his twenty-six years' service was spent with Scotland Yard's Serious Crime Squad and the Flying Squad. Kirby contributes to newspapers and magazines on a regular basis, as well as appearing on television and radio. The Guv'nors and The Sweenys are also being published by Wharncliffe Books and he has further other published works to his credit. SELLING POINTS: ? Superb description of crime-busting at the front end. ? The Special Duties Squad was a small elite organisation which achieved spectacular success in the dark days of the late 1940s. ? Thrilling accounts of informants, detection and operations. ? By the same author as Guv'nors and The Sweeny. ILLUSTRATIONS: 8pp Bn plates *
