In early 1970, the Commanding Officer of 22 SAS flew into the strategically critical Sultanate of Oman on a covert intelligence mission to monitor a Communist rebellion threatening the Arabian Peninsula. Within six months, the Regiment arrived in theatre to lead a fierce, secret war against the rebels, reinforced by an elite band of RAF pilots flying out of a remote airbase in the desert.

But for the British soldiers and airmen, it was to be no easy victory. And despite confronting the largest assault force ever deployed by the SAS, many months later the enemy were still far from beaten. Something had to give.

Then at dawn on July 19th, 1972, and without warning, a force of nearly 300 heavily armed, well-trained guerillas attacked the little fishing port of Mirbat. Between them and glory stood a team of just nine SAS men, aided only by the skill of the fighter pilots overhead. It was to be an epic encounter; a modern day Rorke's Drift. Their heroism that day would become SAS legend.