18 December 2025 19:30
Paul Johnson - "Lone Wolf - The Life & Court Martial of Captain Jack William Lee - 2 S.A.S."
The Talk: The gallantry and audacity of the Special Air Service during the Second World War is nothing short of legendary. Their daring exploits have been told and retold across generations. Among these extraordinary figures stood one man: Raymond Couraud. A French-born soldier who became a naturalised British citizen in 1943, Couraud was also known as Captain Jack William Lee, which became a name spoken with both admiration and aversion.
A career soldier, Lee fought under two flags – France and Britain – and would be decorated with the Croix de Guerre and the Military Cross for his valour. A man who thrived on the knife-edge of danger, Lee led missions that crippled enemy operations, ambushed convoys, and vanished into the depths of occupied Europe. But his extraordinary career would end not in glory, but in scandal – destroyed by what was officially deemed an ‘error of judgement’.
For the first time, Paul Johnson reveals the untold truth. It is a saga not only of heroism and adventure, but of deception, betrayal, and political intrigue. ‘Lone Wolf’ is an explosive portrait of one man’s war, and an exposé of the shadowy forces that shaped Britain’s wartime elite.
About the Speaker: Paul Johnson is a recognised military historian, researcher and author, who has published a number of books covering various aspects of both the First and Second World Wars. Currently the Lead Historian for the Herts at War project, he has studied many facets of both wars but prefers to focus on the human element, the personal stories. A battlefield tourist and occasional guide, Paul has worked as an historical consultant and contributor for both television, radio and projects of national remembrance.
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