Damien Lewis and Helen Fry
The SAS and the Belsen Perspective
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Summary
Helen Fry in conversation with historian Damien Lewis, whose book, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, was made into a Hollywood film by the same title. They discuss his latest research on the SAS action after D-Day and the astonishing revelation that it was the SAS who first entered Belsen concentration camp in the liberation.
Damien Lewis
Lewis has established himself as one of the most popular WWII historians, selling several million copies of his books in 40 countries. For decades he worked as a war and conflict reporter for the world’s major broadcasters, reporting from across Africa, South America, the Middle and Far East and winning numerous awards. His books include the World War Two classics The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, Hunting the Nazi Bomb, SAS Nazi Hunters, SAS Ghost Patrol, SAS Italian Job, SAS Band of Brothers, SAS Brothers in Arms, The Flame of Resistance on Josephine Baker, SAS Great Escapes 1 & 2 and 3 plus the Paddy Mayne & SAS ‘trilogy’ SAS Brothers in Arms, SAS Forged in Hell and SAS Daggers Drawn. Many of his books have been made, or are being made, into movies or TV drama series or adapted as plays for the stage. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare came out as a major movie directed by Guy Ritchie and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and distributed by Lionsgate in the US in April 2024 and on Amazon in July 2024 starring Henry Cavill (Superman), Alan Ritchson (Reacher), Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) and Eiza González, amongst others.
Lewis has raised tens of thousands of pounds for charitable concerns connected with his writing.
Helen Fry
Helen Fry has authored and edited over 25 books covering the social history of the Second World War, including British Intelligence and the secret war, espionage, and spies, as well as MI9 escape and evasion. She is the foremost authority on the “secret listeners” who worked at special eavesdropping sites operated by British Intelligence during WWII. Helen is the official biographer of MI6 spymaster, Colonel Thomas Joseph Kendrick. She has also extensively written about the 10,000 Germans who fought for Britain during WWII. Helen has appeared in a number of documentaries and has provided advisory services for TV and drama. She also appears regularly in media interviews and podcasts. Helen is an ambassador for the National Centre for Military Intelligence (NCMI) and serves as a trustee of both the Friends of the Intelligence Corps Museum and the Medmenham Collection. She works in London.