As Steven Knight’s war drama series makes a comeback, viewers are eager to delve into the real history behind the show. This includes learning about David Stirling (portrayed by Connor Swindells), the founder of the covert branch of the British Army.
The series reveals how Stirling devised innovative warfare strategies during World War II to outsmart the Nazis. He would approach enemy lines stealthily through the desert and then vanish into the night.
What fans might not be aware of is that the real-life Stirling was commemorated for his heroic efforts with a road in Surrey named after him.
Stirling Drive is located on the former Caterham Barracks site, close to the Guards’ Depot, which has now been transformed into a residential area under the supervision of the Caterham Barracks Community Trust.
In addition to Stirling Drive, several other roads within the complex pay tribute to other soldiers and nod to the site’s history, including Brigade Place and Coldstream Road, reports .
Stirling Drive in Caterham honours SAS founder David Stirling (Image: GOOGLE)
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The old Guards’ Depot gymnasium, once used by soldiers and army staff, has been repurposed into a community space.
Despite these changes, the building’s rich past and legacy remain intact, with biographies honouring notable soldiers associated with the Guards’ Depot, including Stirling, prominently displayed on the walls.
Before World War II broke out, Stirling trained at the Guards’ Depot in Caterham and was commissioned to the Scots Guard.
As the gripping series SAS Rogue Heroes recounts, he found himself on crutches after a disastrous parachute jump – initially thought of as an ideal strategy to infiltrate enemy lines swiftly and covertly.
Connor Swindells as SAS founder David Stirling (Image: BBC)
Yet his determination never faltered, leading to the establishment of the SAS, with German Field Marshall Rommel dubbing Stirling “the phantom major” for his uncanny skill in executing raids without leaving a trace.
Stirling’s run-ins with enemy forces saw him at one point captured by the Germans, from whom he managed to escape, only to be recaptured by the Italians.
After a total of four attempts to break free, Stirling was taken to Colditz Castle, though not before he had led the SAS in North Africa to spectacular achievements 15 months earlier.
David Stirling created a new method of warfare as depicted in SAS Rogue Heroes (Image: BBC)
Under Stirling’s command, the SAS obliterated over 250 enemy aircrafts, took out numerous supply dumps, and wreaked havoc on railways, communications, and enemy transportation.
In a nod to Royal connections, the Guards’ Depot site had been graced by none other than Queen Elizabeth II in 1946 and again the subsequent year, just before she rose to the throne.
Adding to the location’s regal history, the Duke of Edinburgh made an appearance there in 1954.
SAS Rogue Heroes season 2 is streaming on iPlayer now
For more information about the Caterham Barracks and the Guards’ Depot, please visit www.caterhambarracks.org.uk and theguardsdepot.co.uk