Origins & Early Life

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Archibald David Stirling (15 November 1915 – 4 November 1990) was an officer in the British Army and the founder and creator of the Special Air Service (SAS). Under his leadership, the SAS carried out hit-and-run raids behind the Axis lines of the North African campaign. He saw active service during the Second World War until he was captured in January 1943. He spent the rest of the war in captivity, despite making several attempts to escape.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Stirling left the Regular Army in 1947. He settled in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and founded the Capricorn Africa Society, which aimed to fight racial discrimination in Africa, calling for equal rights for all civilised. Stirling's preference for a limited, elitist voting franchise over universal suffrage limited the movement's appeal. He formed private military companies and was linked with a failed attempt to overthrow the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in the early 1970s. He tried to organise efforts to undermine trades unionism and to overthrow the British government, none of which made significant headway.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He was made a Knight Bachelor in 1990. He died later the same year. The National Army Museum records...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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