A good book in the same vein is "The War Magician" by David Fisher
(UK: Corgi ISBN 0 552 12509 1)
(USA: Coward-McCann, Inc. (ISBN: 0-698-11140-0) reprinted in paperback by Berkley publishing Group Nov. 1983).
This recounts the wartime deeds of the peacetime stage magician Jasper Maskelyne in the desert against the Afrika Corps. He successfully:
Hid the Suez Canal.
Moved Alexandria harbour.
Built a complete phantom fleet including a 720 foot long battleship.
Created an entire false army.
I cannot find the book now in print, but Paramount have just bought the film rights for a movie to star Tom Cruise - so I presume it will shortly be back in print!
<a href="http://movies.go.com/news/2001/1/cruisemagician012901.html" target="_blank">http://movies.go.com/news/2001/1/cruisemagician012901.html</a>
<a href="http://www.magictricks.com/library/war.htm" target="_blank">http://www.magictricks.com/library/war.htm</a>
There is also a 60 minute History channel special of the same name.