Operations Special Air Service - Special Forces in World War 2

Two SAS jeeps with troopers during Operation Bullbasket.

Operation Crusader
Operation Squatter
Operation Green Room
Operation Agreement
Operation Bigamy
Operation Palmyra

Mediterranean

Operation Avalanche
Operation Candytuft
Operation Baobab

June 6^th, 1942 – June 23^rd, 1942

L Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade, No. 1 Special Boat Section

Operation Albumen is a British special forces raid targeting German-occupied airfields in Crete in June 1942. Conducted by No. 1 Special Boat Section and L Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade, the mission aims to disrupt Luftwaffe operations supporting Rommel’s Afrika Korps in North Africa. It is part of a wider strategy targeting Axis airfields in Libya.

Crete’s airfields play a vital role in Axis logistics, facilitating reconnaissance, bombing, and convoy attacks. To counter this, David Stirling’s Special Air Service and Mike Kealy’s Special Boat Section deploy to attack airfields at Kastelli, Tymbaki, Maleme, and Heraklion. Stirling assigns the Heraklion raid to a mixed team under French Captain Georges Bergé, supported by Captain Lord Jellicoe. No. 1 Special Boat Section is responsible for the other targets.

On June 6^th, 1943, 1942, the teams depart Alexandria aboard Greek submarines and a motorboat, reaching Crete on June 10^th, 1943. The No. 1 Special Boat Section teams land at Cape Trikala and receive support from the Cretan resistance, while the Special Air Service team lands separately near the Gulf of Malia. Captain Jellicoe’s team, delayed by leaky boats and difficult terrain, takes several days to reach Heraklion.

On June 12^th, 1943, Bergé’s team observes the Heraklion airfield, counting over sixty Junkers 88 bombers. They infiltrate on June 13^th, 1943, placing charges on sixteen aircraft and additional supplies. A timely distraction from an RAF bombing raid allows them to escape undetected, mingling with German personnel before withdrawing.

At Kastelli, Captain Duncan’s team achieves major success, destroying eight aircraft, multiple fuel and bomb dumps, and several trucks, killing at least seventy enemy soldiers. Tymbaki is found abandoned, rendering the attack unnecessary. The Maleme team is unable to breach heavy defences and withdraws.

Following the raids, German reprisals include the execution of fifty Cretans. The teams attempt to regroup and return to the coast, but Bergé and three of his men are captured on June 19^th, 1943. Pierre Léostic is killed in a brief skirmish, while Bergé and the others are taken prisoner. Captain Jellicoe and Lieutenant Costi evade capture, linking up with the Special Boat Section and escaping Crete on June 23^rd, 1943.

Bergé and his captured men endure interrogation before being sent to prisoner-of-war camps in Germany. Bergé is later moved to Colditz, joining David Stirling. The operation results in the destruction of twenty-six aircraft, numerous vehicles, and large quantities of fuel and munitions, at the cost of one French commando killed and three taken prisoner. The German failure to prevent the raids leads to the dismissal of General Alexander Andrae, commander of German forces in Crete.

July 10^th, 1943

Operation Narcissus

2 Special Air Service

Operation Narcissus is a raid in support of the Eighth Army’s landings on Sicily. The objective is a lighthouse on the island’s south-eastern coast, suspected to be an artillery observation post threatening the British assault. A detachment of 40 men from A Squadron, 2 Special Air Service, embarks aboard H.M.S. Royal Scotsman to investigate.

On the night of the landing, the squadron’s craft runs aground on a submerged rock. The men wade ashore and advance on the lighthouse, which appears deserted, though signs suggest recent occupation. Meanwhile, the Highlanders come under fire from Italian defenders, leading to an exchange of gunfire. A search of the area uncovers three captured Italian soldiers and an abandoned machine gun.

At dawn, the Special Air Service engages scattered enemy positions targeting the Highlanders. Randolph Churchill, acting as liaison officer, orders the squadron to Bizerta to prepare for further action. By mid-morning, they withdraw, returning to H.M.S. Royal Scotsman. Upon arrival in North Africa, they learn that the Highland Division has successfully taken Pachino, securing a foothold in Sicily.

July 10^th, 1943 – July 12^th, 1943

Operation Husky, Special Raiding Squadron

Special Raiding Squadron

In early July, H.M.S. Ulster Monarch joined a large convoy departing Port Said, bound for Sicily. By July 9^th, 1943, rough seas caused widespread seasickness. Despite this, the troops prepared for the invasion, loading into LCAs at 02:00 on July 10^th, 1943. One soldier fell overboard but was rescued. Landing Craft Assault pushed through heavy waves towards the Sicilian coast, covering a five-kilometre journey.

The squadron’s objective was the Lamba Doria gun battery on the Maddalena Peninsula, south of Syracuse. Poor weather and confusion led to scattered landings. No. 1 and No. 2 Troops landed closer to the battery than planned, while No. 3 Troop, assigned to block the main road, landed further west.
Upon landing, the troops advanced in silence. Mortar fire from the Special Raiding Squadron’s own 3-inch mortar section accidentally targeted their position, but no casualties were sustained. The assault on the battery began shortly after. No. 1 Troop, under Captain Bill Fraser, led a frontal assault, supported by No. 2 Troop attacking from the north. They faced limited resistance, capturing the position and over 200 Italian prisoners within 45 minutes.

With the Lamba Doria battery secured, the squadron moved inland to seize additional gun positions. They attacked and captured the AS 493 battery, a key coastal installation equipped with five anti-aircraft guns. Mortar fire suppressed Italian defenders, and the troops overran the position with minimal casualties. By midday, the Special Raiding Squadron held three coastal batteries, capturing over 500 prisoners. Italian troops, demoralized by the invasion, surrendered readily. The squadron linked up with the British 5^th Infantry Division the following day, assisting in the advance towards Syracuse.

On July 12^th, 1943, the Special Raiding Squadron returned to H.M.S. Ulster Monarch at Syracuse Harbour. The city showed signs of heavy fighting, with abandoned equipment and destroyed buildings lining the streets. The squadron boarded the ship, concluding their role in the initial phase of the Sicilian invasion.

Special Raiding Squadron casualties were minimal. Over 500 Italian soldiers were captured, with several batteries destroyed. The success of the Special Raiding Squadron contributed to the swift capture of Syracuse and the securement of the southeastern Sicilian coast, allowing Allied forces to advance further inland. The operation demonstrated the effectiveness of well-trained, specialized troops in seizing fortified coastal positions, significantly aiding the Allied invasion of Sicily.

July 12^th, 1943 – August 1943

Operation Chestnut

Special Raiding Squadron

Operation Chestnut involves deploying two 10-man teams into northern Sicily to disrupt enemy infrastructure and convoys. The Pink team, under Captain Philip Pinckney, is tasked with sabotaging roads, railways, and communications in the northeast, while the Brig team, led by Captain R. H. Bridgeman-Evans, targets Axis convoys and headquarters at Enna.

Originally planned as a submarine insertion, the teams are instead parachuted in on July 12^th, 1943. The Pink team is scattered on landing, damaging their radio equipment, while the Brig team lands near an urban area, alerting enemy forces and leading to the capture, and later escape, of Bridgeman-Evans. A scheduled reinforcement drop on July 13^th, 1943, fails due to the teams’ inability to establish radio contact.

Though most men eventually return to Allied lines, the teams fail to achieve significant objectives. However, the operation highlights critical flaws in planning and execution, leading to lessons on the necessity of thorough rehearsals, coordinated drop zones, and avoiding last-minute changes. The raid is notable as the first parachute mission of the Special Raiding Squadron and for the loss of Major Geoffrey Appleyard, who is aboard an aircraft that fails to return from the drop.

September 7th, 1943 – April 1944

Operation Speedwell

2 Special Air Service

Lieutenant Colonel Bill Stirling, commander of the 2 Special Air Service Regiment, recognises that German armoured divisions in northern Italy rely on rail transport due to fuel shortages. He devises a plan to sabotage railway lines, delaying enemy reinforcements and allowing the Allies to establish themselves before German armour arrives.

Planning begins in August 1943 with proposals for a large-scale parachute operation. However, limited transport reduces the force to four officers and nine men, split into two teams, Speedwell One and Speedwell Two. Their objective is to sabotage railways north of Florence and La Spezia. They receive no ground support, radio contact, or reliable escape routes. Command assumes an Allied advance will secure their exfiltration, but they may have to trek eight hundred kilometres south through enemy territory.

On September 7^th, 1943, two transport aircraft depart Tunisia, carrying the teams to Italy. They wear US Army overalls to mimic German troops at a distance and carry mixed weaponry, explosives, rations, and Italian lire. Officers have gold sovereigns for emergencies.

Speedwell One, led by Captain Philip Hugh Pinckney, parachutes into mountainous terrain near Florence. Strong winds scatter them. Lieutenant Greville-Bell breaks ribs on landing but regroups most of the team. Pinckney goes missing and is later presumed executed by Italian Carabinieri. The team presses on, sabotaging the Pistoia–Bologna railway and derailing multiple trains. They survive on minimal rations and eventually reach the Allied lines after 73 days. Greville-Bell receives the Distinguished Service Order, while Sergeant George Daniels is awarded the Military Medal.

Speedwell Two, commanded by Captain Patrick Dudgeon, targets the La Spezia–Parma railway. His team splits into separate sabotage missions. Lieutenant Wedderburn and Lance Corporal Harold Challenor successfully destroy railway lines, derailing multiple trains. Forced to evade German patrols, they rely on local farmers for shelter. As winter sets in, they suffer malnutrition. Challenor survives illness and a German capture, later escaping to reach Allied lines in April 1944. He is awarded the Military Medal.

Dudgeon, Brunt, Foster, and Shortall are captured and executed under Hitler’s Commando Order. A British military court convicts several German officers for their murders in 1948. Memorials in Italy honour their sacrifice.

Northwest Europe

Operation Overlord

Operation Overlord
- Operation Titanic
- Operation Nelson
- Operation Samwest
- Operation Grog/Grog
- Operation Dingson
- Operation Bulbasket
- Operation Cooney
- Operation Houndsworth
- Operation Lost
- Operation Swan II
- Operation Gain
- Operation Defoe
- Operation Derry
- Operation Hardy
- Operation Wallace
- Operation Gaff
- Operation Dunhill
- Operation Loyton
- Operation Pistol
Operation Moses
Operation Haggard
Operation Newton
Operation Noah II
Operation Canuck
Operation Cold Comfort
Operation Brake
Operation Tombola
Operation Archway
Operation Amherst
Operation Keystone
Operation Howard

December 19^th, 1944 – January 16^th, 1945

Operation Regent

5 Special Air Service

In late 1944, the Belgian 5 Special Air Service (SAS), led by Lieutenant Charles Radino, are ordered to leave Tervuren and regroup in Givet, France. Equipped with 24 specialised European Style Special Air Service Jeeps and two support trucks, their initial mission is to secure the Meuse River bridges in Belgium from German demolition.

The Special Air Service, actively patrolling areas like Tellin, Bure, and Rochefort, play a crucial role in intercepting German units, including stopping a Skorzeny group jeep en route to Dinant. Engaging in numerous operations, they face intense combat, particularly in late December 1944 and early January 1945, with significant British casualties and the loss of 3 Belgian Special Air Service members near Bure.

Amidst harsh winter conditions, the Special Air Service endure severe cold, sometimes reaching -18°C, taking extraordinary measures for protection. Lieutenant Radino also uncovers a civilian massacre in Bande, highlighting the unit’s critical role beyond combat.

The Special Air Service’s presence in the region concludes post-January 16^th, 1945, following the retreat of German forces.

December 27^th, 1944 – April 24^th, 1945

Operation Galia

2 Special Air Service

After the Italian armistice, many Allied prisoners escape and join the Italian partisans, particularly in the Apennine Mountains. Major Gordon Lett forms an ‘International’ partisan band in the Rossano Valley, between Genoa, La Spezia, and Parma. By December 1944, his group is well-established, in contact with Allied forces, and strategically positioned near German supply routes.

As the first Allied offensive against the Gothic Line stalls, SHAEF authorises Operation Galia, deploying No. 3 Squadron, 2 Special Air Service, behind enemy lines. Their objectives are to prevent German reinforcements from moving to Bologna and to slow any retreat through the mountains. Led by Captain Bob Walker-Brown, a former prisoner-of-war, the unit parachutes into Rossano Valley on December 27^th, 1944, linking up with partisans. The drop is staged in daylight to create the illusion of a larger force.

Despite harsh winter conditions, the Special Air Service launches raids on enemy convoys, supply routes, and infrastructure. Early successes include attacks on the La Spezia–Genoa road and railway sabotage near Pontremoli. The Germans respond with a large-scale sweep, deploying 6,000 troops, but fail to capture the Special Air Service. However, partisans and civilians suffer casualties and executions.
By early February 1945, the Special Air Service resumes operations, striking German convoys and camps. On February 10^th, 1945, Walker-Brown orders a withdrawal, recognising his men’s exhaustion. The force splits into two groups and begins the journey to Allied lines, leaving behind heavy weapons for future partisan use. Walker-Brown’s main group reaches safety on February 15^th, 1945, with the second party following on February 20^th, 1945.

Operation Galia successfully disrupts German operations, ties down thousands of enemy troops, and supports the broader Allied offensive. Walker-Brown is awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his leadership. Although plans for a follow-up mission begin, by April 1945, the Allies advance into the Po Valley, forcing a German retreat. The operation officially ends on April 24^th, 1945, having achieved its objectives.

April 6^th, 1945, – April 24^th, 1945

Operation Blimey

2 Special Air Service

Operation Blimey, conducted between April 6^th, 1945, and April 24^th, 1945, is the final Special Air Service mission in north-western Italy. Intended to replicate the success of Operation Galia, the mission is overtaken by the rapid Allied advance before achieving significant results.

Planned for the Rossano Valley, Operation Blimey follows the earlier success of Operation Galia. By this time, Major Gordon Lett has been extracted and replaced by John Henderson of the Special Operations Executive (SOE). Captain Alan P. Scott commands the Special Air Service detachment of 2 Special Air Service, leading one section, while Lieutenants John Wilmers and Pepper lead the others.

On April 6^th, 1945, 24 men parachute successfully into the valley. However, the mission quickly loses momentum. Henderson prioritises constructing a mountaintop airstrip, which remains incomplete when hostilities cease. Meanwhile, Scott’s men raid the La Spezia-Aulla road south of Rossano on April 14^th, 1945. The following night, a joint assault on Pontremoli fails, forcing the Special Air Service stick supporting the attack to abandon all heavy weapons under unclear circumstances.

By April 20^th, 1945, frustration grows over the lack of progress. Captain Walker-Brown, commander of Operation Galia, is ordered to replace Captain Scott, but this does not occur. By this time, the Allied Fifth Army’s offensive, Operation Craftsman, is in full swing. American forces reach the northern edge of the Bologna mountains, while the U.S. 92^nd Division advances along the coast. On the same day, Major Lett enters La Spezia from the south. By April 25^th, 1945, U.S. forces push north from La Spezia, liberating the Blimey operational area.

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