Operation Archway

Allied Forces

• 1 Special Air Service
  • A Squadron
    • Troop Headquarters
    • A Troop
    • C Troop
    • D Troop
    • B Echelon
• 2 Special Air Service
  • 2 Troops
  • Later reinforced by the Operation Keystone Operators

Axis Forces

• Remants of the German Army

Multimedia

Operation

In Operation Archway, the initial assignment involves providing reconnaissance support for the U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps, scheduled to parachute east of the Rhine. Subsequently, the force will assist in penetrating deeply into Germany, ahead of the primary British advance toward the Baltic port of Kiel. For this operation, Operation Archway adopts an unconventional organisational structure, operating in small, autonomous groups guided by broad directives, resulting in fluid strength and composition. Initially, the force comprises four groups, each with approximately fifteen jeeps. The operation is under command of Lieutenant Colonel Brian Franks, the Commanding officer of 2 Special Air Service. Therefore, the combat force is also known as Frankforce after it’s operational commander. Frankforce consists of two reinforced squadrons, drawn from 1 and 2 Special Air Service Regiments. The total strength of the force is approximately 300 all ranks.

The 1 Special Air Service squadron comprises three troops, each subdivided into three sections, with three Jeeps per section, totalling 155 men. Squadron Headquarters includes a dedicated 3-inch mortar section and holds a reserve of twelve Jeeps. Squadron Headquarters is under the command of Major Harry Poat. Lieutenant Mike McNaught leads Headquarters Troop. “M” or A Troop is commanded by Captain Alex Muirhead, “C” Troop is commanded by Major Bill Fraser. T Troop operates under Major John Tonkin. Rear support, designated B Echelon, is under the responsibility of Captain G. White.

The 2 Special Air Service squadron, under the command of Major P.L.J. Le Poer Power, mirrors this structure but includes only two troops instead of three, including Frankforce Headquarters totalling 129 all ranks.

Shortly before embarkation, the men receive a new fleet of Jeeps. Each vehicle is equipped with two circular armoured glass windscreens, two inches thick, offering protection to the driver and front gunner. Additional armour plating reinforces the front of the vehicle. While most Jeeps retain standard single and twin-mounted Vickers machine guns, every third Jeep is fitted with a .50-calibre Browning heavy machine gun, mounted with an integrated searchlight for improved night-time visibility. Ammunition drums are fastened to the bonnet and side panels. In the rear compartment, each Jeep carries a bazooka and a Bren gun. They are mounted in 75 armed Jeeps, some of which are fitted with 3-inch mortars. Additional logistical support is provided by a number of 15-cwt and 3-ton trucks.

Flak jackets are issued to the men, although many discard them due to discomfort and limited mobility. All personnel are ordered to replace their Special Air Service and airborne berets with the black beret of the Royal Tank Regiment. This is one of several security measures put in place following confirmation that captured Special Air Service personnel face execution under the Commando Befehl. To minimise identification, the troops are instructed to remove all reference to the Special Air Service from their pay books and identity documents. Radio communication protocols are also altered; personnel are to refer to themselves only as “the little ones”.

In the final days before departure, the men receive a formal visit from Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. His words focus on the unit’s campaign achievements in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy, and the forthcoming assault into Germany. However, some within the regiment take exception to his closing remarks, which express a desire for the complete destruction of the enemy, without distinction.

March 20th, 1945

Frankforce, lands at Ostend, Belgium. This marks the beginning of their operational deployment in support of the final Allied push into northern Germany.

March 21st, 1945

Ahead of the advancing forces, in the small town of Bree near the Belgian-Dutch border, the main body of Frankforce, is assembling. A small column moves steadily eastwards to join them, passing through Louvain and Diest, both largely untouched by the war during the rapid Allied advances of the autumn.

In Bree, around fifty jeeps are drawn up in close order outside the local school. The schoolyard is a hive of activity, 1 Special Air Service, 2 Special Air Service mingling with the quartermasters’ staff, who are not yet due to enter battle.

Captain Ian Wellsted, second-in-command of C Troop, establishes his headquarters in the schoolhouse. After receiving a briefing on the unit’s forthcoming role, he visits the local estaminet to inform Major Bill Fraser, Commanding Officer C Troop and Major John Tonkin, Commanding Officer D Troop of their arrival. However, before much can be discussed, Wellsted is summoned back to Frankforce Headquarters and ordered to accompany a 2 Special Air Service captain into Germany to prepare night harbours.

March 22nd, 1945

Leaving Captain Johnny Cooper and Lieutenant Tony Trower in charge of the troop, Captain Wellsted sets off with the 2 Special Air Service captain in a jeep at approximately 11:00.

Continuing through the western suburbs of Roermond, The Netherlands, the group halts just short of Venlo, The Netherlands, at a roadside inn for a late lunch, accompanied by a cooling draught of the local beer. Crossing the Maas on a Bailey pontoon bridge at Venlo, the devastation from recent heavy fighting is stark. Military policemen direct vehicles through streets strewn with rubble. Pressing on, they encounter dense Dannert wire obstacles, a clear indication that they have entered German territory. Passing through Stadt Straelen, Geldern, and Kappellen, all heavily damaged, they observe dazed civilians wandering amidst the ruins as endless convoys of heavy equipment rumble towards the Rhine.

At Sonsbeck, the 2 Special Air Service captain stops to locate the designated harbour area. Exhausted from days without sleep and the arduous journey through dust and heat, Wellsted curls up on a pile of kit in the jeep and falls into a deep sleep. In the distance, the thunder of artillery shells ranging across the river echoes through the air.

At around 17:00, Lieutenant Colonel Brian Franks, Commanding Officer of Operation Frankforce, wakes Captain Wellsted. Shortly after, the 2 Special Air Service officer returns and guides them to a wooded harbouring area near a farmhouse off the Kappellen-Issum road. Wellsted marks out the 1 Special Air Service area and, as darkness falls, shares a meal with Lieutenant Colonel Franks at the farmhouse. Later, he finds a spot beside his jeep, rests his head on his boots, keeps his tommy gun within reach, and drifts into a deep sleep.

An hour later, loud shouting and revving engines shatter the night’s silence. The main body arrives at a the concentration area west of Issum at 23.30, three hours ahead of schedule. In the pitch dark, Wellsted is solely responsible for guiding 1 Special Air Service into their designated harbours within the woods.

Wellsted successfully directs Headquarters and D Troop into position, but in the confusion of darkness and dense undergrowth, half of A Troop mistakenly enters the 2 Special Air Service area. The 2 Special Air Service captain is displeased, and A Troop, forced to relocate, voices its frustration. Headlights and torches flicker in the night, raising concerns that enemy forces may take notice, given their proximity to the artillery line. Fortunately, no incidents occur, and soon the troops settle, brewing tea on petrol cookers before turning in for the night. Wellsted moves from section to section, sharing cocoa and offering apologies for the mix-up. It is well past midnight when he finally returns to his sleeping bag.

March 23rd, 1945

Orders dictate that only C Troop troop will be required for the river crossing the following morning, while the main body is to be held in reserve for the breakout. As a result, C Troop is given priority for equipment. Captain George White, the 1 Special Air Service quartermaster commanding Frankforce B Echelon, provides essential weapons and provisions. Additionally, an unarmoured 2 Special Air Service jeep equipped with wireless communication is assigned to them.

That evening, Lieutenant Mike McNaught and Sergeant Kendall from headquarters troop, who had missed the main body’s departure from Bree, safely arrive. However, they are reassigned from A Squadron to serve as personal protection for Captain Wellsted.

By nightfall, everything is in readiness. The only exception is the repatriation of Corporal Bunker Burgess to the Great Britain on compassionate grounds, leaving C Troop one man short. The vacancy is filled by Private R. Owen, a 2 Special Air Service soldier and an anti-Nazi German who had fled his homeland after Hitler’s rise to power and later gained British citizenship.

Shortly after sunset, the Royal Air Force begins bombing Wesel while the 1^st Commando Brigade launch their assault boats into the turbulent Rhine.

March 24th, 1945

The night is anything but peaceful. Before retiring, a dispatch rider informs Major Fraser that C Troop is on one hour’s notice. As they lie in their sleeping bags, the ground trembles under the relentless pounding of artillery fire.

By morning, the situation has shifted dramatically. The Commandos have seized Wesel with minimal casualties. Frankforce is ordered to cross the river that afternoon, but Fraser’s troop is placed in reserve, with the warning that limited carrying capacity may leave them behind.

During the night, Lieutenant Peter Weaver arrives from England with additional .5 Browning machine guns. Fitters work urgently to mount them onto vehicles.

The morning air is alive with movement. Dakotas and gliders sweep overhead, followed later by Liberators returning from supply drops, their low-flying silhouettes skimming the treetops. At 16:00, orders are given to move. The long column of armoured jeeps winds northwards, kicking up thick clouds of dust as they head towards a field west of Xanten, where they harbour.

March 25th, 1945

That night, plans to cross the Rhine via a pontoon bridge are thwarted when the current sweeps it away, forcing the troops to remain in harbour. During the evening, Lieutenant Colonel Paddy Mayne, commanding Officer of 1 Special Air Service, arrives to assess the battle’s progress and relays news that Trooper Davies and Trooper Brown of Captain Cooper’s section have been awarded Military Medals for their operations in Sardinia.

During the night, the Germans launch air attacks in an attempt to slow the advance. At one point, a low-flying enemy aircraft comes within range, prompting a gunner to fire at it with his .5 Browning. Meanwhile, across the river to the north, the night reverberates with the continuous roar of battle as the fight for Rees rages on.

The following morning, the unit relocates to an assembly area near Xanten. By 11:00, the troops advance to the river, where Buffaloes await to ferry them across. These large amphibious armoured vehicles, equipped with tracks and light automatic weapons, feature high waterproof sides and rear ramps that lower to allow jeeps to drive aboard. Each Buffalo accommodates a single jeep.

Once ashore, the jeeps disembark and follow well-marked tracks to a concentration area, where the unit waits for others to arrive. Many of the men seize the opportunity to rest, sleeping on the grass in the warm sunlight. In the late afternoon, movement resumes through the village of Marwick, following a light railway east along the northern bank towards Wesel, before harbouring in the woods. As Captain Alex Muirhead’s A Troop moves in, several snipers fire upon the leading jeep. Despite a thorough search of the woods, no enemy is located.

A closer inspection reveals the devastation of war. Trees are shredded by cannon fire, trenches and dugouts crisscross the area, discarded equipment lies scattered, and lifeless bodies remain where they fell. A nearby mortar team, caught by an American flamethrower, has been horribly burned. At a nearby farm, two prisoners are captured. Among the abandoned equipment, large cases of American Army K-rations are discovered, soon to prove useful.

A sudden rifle crack and a cry from Sergeant Cornelius “Maggie” McGinn, who has been targeted by a sniper, trigger another search. Once again, the assailant remains elusive. As night falls, further shots ring out nearby. With snipers and potential enemy patrols posing a risk, a strong guard is posted, with Bren guns covering the perimeter of the woods.

For the first watch, Trooper Swag Jemson and Captain Ian Wellsted take position in an empty slit trench. The sniper soon resumes firing, and a couple of bullets zip dangerously close to Wellsted’s head, prompting him to shift position to make himself a more difficult target. In the distance, small-arms fire intensifies, and spent bullets whizz overhead.

As darkness deepens, enemy aircraft launch attacks against the bridgehead. The Allied anti-aircraft barrage responds furiously, sending shell splinters raining down. Searchlights from the west bank sweep across the Rhine, scanning for mines and midget U-boats attempting to destroy the pontoon bridges. Each passing beam of light provokes machine-gun fire, filling the night with bursts of bullets cutting through the harbour area.

Another sniper, this time on the 2 Special Air Service side of the wood, narrowly misses Lieutenant Colonel Brian Franks. Orders are given for all guards to wear their steel helmets.

Multimedia

March 26th, 1945

1 Special Air Service and 2 Special Air Service part company following their initial joint deployment. 1 Special Air Service is tasked with conducting a series of reconnaissance patrols in support of the 18^th Allied Airborne Corps especially the 6^th Airborne Division. These operations are directed north-east from Hamminkeln, across terrain recently captured during Operation Varsity. The patrols are designed to probe enemy positions, monitor withdrawal routes, and locate potential crossing points and defensive strongholds as the British advance towards the northern German plains.

2 Special Air Service is attached to the 6^th Independent Guards Armoured Brigade in the vicinity of Schermbeck. Under orders to advance eastwards, 2 Special Air Service operates ahead of the main armoured column. Their role is to carry out deep reconnaissance, disrupt enemy withdrawal routes, and engage pockets of resistance along the approaches to the Weser.

As the firing subsides, Captain Wellsted attempts to sleep under his jeep. However, just after midnight, the noise swells to a crescendo. Reporting to Major Harry Poat, he observes the distinct flash of a sniper’s rifle aimed in their direction. Returning to his troop, he doubles the guards and patrols until 03:00 before attempting to get some rest before the dawn stand-to.

With first light, the gunfire diminishes, revealing that the harbour is positioned less than a mile from the fighting. Captain Wellsted’s jeep has been struck by a shell splinter, as have several others. A tyre is punctured, but miraculously, there are no casualties.

At 07:30, new orders arrive from Major Harry Poat at Squadron Headquarters. The battle is progressing favourably, and the unit is now, as said earlier, under the command of 18^th Allied Airborne Corps. The two squadrons of 2 Special Air Service are assigned to operate ahead of the British 6^th Airborne Division. The Division’s advanced reconnaissance elements have not yet completed their crossing of the River Rhine, leaving the northern flank temporarily exposed. The 2 Special Air Service is tasked with protecting this open northern flank. Wellsted’s troop is placed on standby at Corps Headquarters, under the call of the American Airborne Division, and is ordered to report to Corps Headquarters immediately. Corps Headquarters, located a few kilometres north, is a joint British-American operation.

2 Special Air Service plays a crucial role in supporting 6^th Airborne Division, eliminating Spandau machine-gun nests that have stalled the advance and securing the flank so effectively that, by the time the Airborne infantry reach their objective, 2 Special Air Service has secured an additional 1,500 metres of ground. Several German soldiers are killed during these encounters, and a total of 42 prisoners are taken. Three jeeps sustain minor damage, but there are no casualties within the squadron.

During the evening, Captain Wellsted returns to Snipers’ Alley to collect Major Poat and Major Bill Fraser for a conference.

March 27th, 1945

During the night, the men enjoy a well-earned rest, sleeping under tarpaulins stretched between their jeeps. After lunch, they return to Snipers’ Alley, now nearly deserted. Major Bill Fraser, Captain Alex Muirhead, and Major John Tonkin from 1 Special Air Service have been deployed in support of 6^th Airborne Division, and most of 2 Special Air Service has also moved forward. Elements of the 2 Special Air Service are placed under the operational command of the 6^th Independent Guards Armoured Brigade. The overall formation, 18^th U.S. Corps (Airborne), is tasked with a critical advance.

The objective is to push south-east from Wesel towards Münster, securing key crossings over the Dortmund–Ems Canal. 2 Special Air Service is assigned to support this advance, conducting reconnaissance, flank protection, and rapid assault tasks as required to facilitate the momentum of the main armoured thrust.

1 Special Air Service is ordered to move forward, under the guidance of Captain Padre Fraser McLuskey, and assume their role in support of 6^th Airborne Division. Major Bill Fraser then arrives. Major Fraser’s troop, is assigned to support Canadian paratroopers in the assault on a heavily defended wood.

The paratroopers he has been supporting have been pinned down by machine gun fire from a small wood. The Canadian Airborne unit has previously attempted to secure the position but is forced to withdraw under intense enemy fire, suffering eight casualties.

Fraser’s Special Air Service troop is brought forward to reinforce and retake the ground. Approaching undetected, the Special Air Service patrol closes to within 30 metres of the enemy line. Once in position, the troop fans out and begins a deliberate, coordinated assault. Leading his jeeps in a daring charge across open ground, Fraser suddenly finds himself under a withering burst of Spandau fire from a flanking hedge. Bullets spray into the back of his jeep, yet miraculously, Fraser only sustains a wound in the hand. However, Fraser is obliged to give command to his second in command, Captain Ian Wellsted.

Captain Muirhead takes command of the ongoing operation, directing a relentless barrage from massed Vickers-K’s and .5 Brownings, forcing the enemy to take cover in their slit trenches. With supporting rear-gunners dismounting and advancing on foot, Squadron Sergeant Major Reg Seekings leads a sweep through the wood, seizing a 50-millimetre anti-tank gun that has been covering the road, unable to return fire due to the intensity of the Special Air Service assault.

The assault results in ten German soldiers killed and 32 taken prisoner. The wood is fully cleared, and all enemy sniper posts are eliminated and handed back to the Canadian paratroopers.

March 28th, 1945

That night, the troops enjoy a well-earned rest. Reveille is at 05:00, but departure is delayed when Sergeant Jeff Du Vivier fails to wake Captain McLuskey. Further delays ensue as the unit becomes hopelessly lost in the bomb-ravaged ruins of Wesel. Several false starts and a misguided attempt to turn around in a blind alley, compounded by the accidental discharge of two smoke generators,cause further setbacks. Finally, the column finds its proper course and sets off once more, heading deeper into the heart of Germany.

Eventually, the unit arrives at a farm north of Schermbeck, where the rest of 1 Special Air Service are still at breakfast. Major Harry Poat informs Captain Wellsted that his troop is to take over support of 6^th Airborne Division, while the other troops retire to Wesel for rest. The first task is to send Lieutenant “Red” Hunter and Sergeant Du Vivier in their jeeps to escort a Paratrooper officer reconnoitring the forming-up point for the next advance. At approximately 09:30, the unit moves along the divisional centre line, passing weary paratroopers trudging steadily forward, some dragging captured guns for use against their former owners. Ahead, distant firing and the heavy crump of mortar bombs signify the ongoing battle.

By 11:00, near Erle, orders arrive. The division is to advance eleven kilometres to Rhade and take up positions along the railway line beyond. Light opposition is expected, and the road has reportedly been cleared as far as the village of Ostrich, about one and a half kilometres ahead. The unit’s role is to lead the division, reconnoitring enemy positions and supporting the infantry with firepower. The orders are explicit: “Get the infantry into Rhade.”

Lieutenant Tony Trower’s section takes the lead, with Captain Wellsted following in his Headquarters jeep, accompanied by Squadron Sergeant Major Reg Seekings in the wireless jeep, which has been attached after the breakup of Major Bill Fraser’s Headquarters. Lieutenant “Red” Hunter’s and Captain Johnny Cooper’s sections follow, with Harry Poat bringing up the rear to observe the unfolding situation.

As the unit navigates the rubble-strewn streets of Erle, the crash-bang of a self-propelled gun echoes nearby. At the edge of town, the road stretches over flat, open terrain towards a belt of trees surrounding Ostrich. A Paratroop officer in a wrecked house attempts to pinpoint the gun’s location, but without success. Meanwhile, Airborne troops advance past the southern side of the town.

The jeeps edge onto the Ostrich road. Far to the left, a troop of British tanks warms their engines, preparing to move. Ahead, all is still and ominously quiet.

Arriving at Ostrich, the unit pauses again. Lieutenant Trower speaks to the crews of a British tank and a Dingo armoured car, both awaiting their arrival. The paratroopers, still over a kilometre behind, advance steadily.

“OK, I’ll take the lead,” the Dingo commander announces, moving alongside the leading jeep. Lieutenant Trower waves him past, and a tank follows close behind.

At that moment, a young German soldier emerges from the scrub beside the road. With a roar and a flash, a Panzerfaust strikes the Dingo amidships. Instantly, Machine Guns erupt from the woods, first from the right, then the left. The sharp whirr of enemy fire is soon drowned out by the deafening response of Special Air Service Vickers and Brownings.

Captain Wellsted has positioned his jeep fourth in line, believing it unwise for the commander to be in the leading vehicle, as had happened with Major Fraser in a previous action. However, he quickly realises that Special Air Service battles cannot be controlled conventionally. The cacophony of over seventy Vickers and multiple Brownings is overwhelming. Ricochets screech, and enemy fire rakes the column, rendering any attempt at issuing orders futile.

At the front, Lieutenant Trower and his men frantically reverse as the tank manoeuvres back into its original position beside a farmhouse. Seeing an opening, Trooper “Dixie” Deane drives his jeep forward, sheltering under the lee of a large barn. Trooper Brinkley, the rear gunner, tumbles off while reversing and sprints back to rejoin the formation.

Sergeant “Maggie” McGinn’s jeep, caught between the tank and another vehicle, must be abandoned. Its crew takes cover in a roadside ditch, sniping with carbines as bullets crisscross above them.

Wellsted begins reversing, keeping to the left, reassured by the steady chatter of the Browning beside him. Meanwhile, Sergeant “Geordie” Cunningham’s jeep races back on the right, forming a tight defensive cluster of jeeps near the burning barn.

Despite the overwhelming noise, no enemy soldiers are visible. Wellsted runs to the tank, climbs onto its rear, and shouts to the commander for an assessment of the situation. The commander, peering from his turret, vaguely responds: “I really don’t know, old boy. We’ve cleared as far as here!” Finding this information less than useful, Captain Wellsted returns to the cluster of jeeps to assess casualties.

In Reg Seekings’ jeep, the wireless operator clutches a wounded shoulder but remains stoic. In the front seat, Trooper McKenzie, despite a severe arm wound, is still attempting to fire his Browning. Reg quiets him and applies a tourniquet. Other wounded lay beside the fighting jeeps. Wellsted orders Seekings to withdraw with the injured and send an ambulance as soon as possible.

The murderous exchange of fire continues. Down the road, “Digger” Weller lobs 2-inch mortar bombs at an unseen target to the left. Trooper Jemson and Trooper Glyde soon join him, bringing more mortars and ammunition.

With all control lost in the chaos, Wellsted focuses on recovering Maggie’s abandoned jeep, backing it into position where its guns can be utilised. Meanwhile, the barn is fully ablaze, streams of fire and thick smoke engulfing the courtyard. Lieutenant Trower and Dixie Deane, having circled the structure, discover two occupied slit trenches. Tossing in grenades, they neutralise the defenders before rejoining the defensive cluster.

Lieutenant “Red” Hunter, enraged by the loss of his two crewmen, furiously batters at the barn door, hurling grenades inside to no avail. Wellsted orders him to fetch an ambulance, providing him with a task to distract him from his grief.

Tony reports spotting more Germans in the strip of woodland bordering the open fields. Some enemy troops, shaken by the barrage, stumble forward with raised hands in surrender. As the gunfire subsides, Wellsted seizes his Tommy gun and leads a clearing operation into the woods.

Sergeant Jack Terry advances along the open side, while Wellsted moves alongside the barn. A group of four Germans is flushed from a slit trench. Each time they raise their hands, a subsequent order to disarm causes them to lower them again in confusion, resulting in an almost comical back-and-forth before they are marched towards the jeeps.

The carnage along the wood’s edge is devastating. Dead German soldiers lay piled in their trenches, while survivors, mute and trembling, are searched, disarmed, and sent unescorted to the rear.

Returning to the jeeps, Wellsted finds Corporal Hay tending to the wounded. Grundy, Red Hunter’s rear gunner, has suffered a severe body wound and is in significant pain. Trooper Andrews, the front gunner, is bleeding heavily from a throat wound. Despite Wellsted’s attempts to reassure them, Andrews succumbs that night, followed soon after by Grundy.

Major Poat, having moved forward, points out an 88-millimetre gun in the trees to the left, a weapon that could have decimated the unit had the German gunners not been caught by mortar fire. Their bodies are later found heaped around the emplacement.

Orders come to cease fire upon sighting a white Verey light. Shortly after, it streaks into the sky, signalling the approach of 6^th Airborne Division, who will clear the woods on the right. In the distance, long lines of paratroopers in red berets and airborne smocks advance into the undergrowth. The Special Air Service troops clear the immediate woodland along the road, encountering no further resistance, before reorganising to continue the advance.

When ordered to advance, Captain Wellsted requests that the paratroopers lead, allowing the jeeps to provide supporting fire. This plan quickly proves unfeasible. The men of 6^th Airborne Division have been marching and fighting almost continuously since their initial parachute drop three days earlier. With no transport and subsisting only on their 24-hour ration packs, they are utterly exhausted. When incoming fire from a prominent red house forces them to seek cover, the troops gratefully accept the enforced pause, showing little eagerness to continue.

Consequently, Wellsted’s unit must once again assume the lead, advancing cautiously along the road while weary paratroopers reluctantly follow, muttering complaints about “bloody jeeps.” Their forward momentum persists solely due to the Special Air Service’s determined push.

Captain Johnny Cooper’s section, which had earlier survived an ambush unscathed, now leads the way, closely followed by Wellsted’s headquarters jeep. However, scarcely a hundred metres onward, heavy fire erupts from the red house situated at a bend in the road. Beyond this lies a straight stretch flanked by dense vegetation.

Captain Cooper’s jeeps swiftly engages the red house, suppressing enemy fire effectively. Wellsted immediately returns to the paratroop commander, insisting the infantry must now advance as the jeeps face significant risks in such terrain. As the infantry moves ahead, Germans are spotted crossing the road approximately 550 metres ahead. The Special Air Service vehicles, staggered for optimal fire coverage, unleash devastating firepower. At the same moment, supporting tanks arrive and fire bursts above the paratroopers’ heads before veering right into a muddy meadow, becoming bogged down.

This unexpected barrage causes the paratroopers to again seek cover. Captain Wellsted drives forward once more to urge them on, but their exhaustion proves insurmountable, leaving the Special Air Service again to lead the assault.

Realising direct leadership is crucial, Wellsted pushes forward alongside Sergeant Tom Rennie’s jeep, doubling their firepower. The tanks remain immobilised, attempting to free themselves as the Special Air Service returns later, mission accomplished.

The next firefight occurs precisely where Germans had previously been sighted. Caught unaware, the enemy in the undergrowth is swiftly overcome. One disoriented German soldier wanders helplessly, rifle in hand, paralysed by the relentless gunfire, unable to flee or surrender.

With the paratroopers still lagging, Johnny Cooper, Reg Seekings, Jack Terry, and Paddy Kennedy dismount armed with Bren and Tommy guns to round up prisoners.

The advance encounters a fresh obstacle, a defensive kniferest positioned around a bend, not yet deployed but covered by enemy fire from a large house to the left and a low knoll ahead. Concerned about potential mines, Wellsted halts the column to await infantry support.

Taking personal initiative, Paddy Kennedy leaps from Jack Terry’s jeep, wielding a Bren gun from the hip, and boldly advances. Inspired by his action, the paratroopers follow suit. Upon reaching the obstacle, Kennedy signals the jeeps forward.

Under the covering fire of the Special Air Service, the jeeps cautiously advance, their suppressive fire preventing enemy retaliation. The column safely passes through, rear gunners firing into enemy positions to the flank and rear.

Wellsted loudly commands: “Hande hoch! Kommen sie hier! Ich tote sie nicht!” (Hands up! Come here! I won’t kill you). The effect is immediate, with prisoners emerging, hands raised, promptly directed to the rear.

The column advances further, but Kennedy resolutely refuses to remount his jeep. Mistaken for an officer, the paratroopers deferentially call him “Sir”. They supply him with Bren gun magazines, and follow his fearless leadership. Kennedy aggressively flushes Germans from hiding spots and foxholes.

As the vegetation opens, the town of Rhade appears. Sporadic resistance from surrounding buildings and ditches is swiftly neutralised by the jeeps’ firepower, with numerous prisoners taken.

Upon securing Rhade’s town square, the Special Air Service jeeps establish all-round defensive positions. Wellsted reports to the Parachute Battalion Commander, who instructs the Special Air Service to hold Rhade while the paratroopers proceed to secure the railway line.

More prisoners are rounded up, visibly shaken and demoralised, and escorted to prisoner-of-war holding areas.

Major Poat arrives shortly afterwards, and Wellsted briefs him on the operation’s success. General Gale expresses satisfaction at the rapid advance. Estimates indicate over fifty German soldiers killed and approximately eighty captured, achieved without casualties among the airborne infantry. 1 Special Air Service suffers two serious and two minor casualties, considered remarkably light given the scale of the ambush and the exposed nature of the approach.

In Rhade’s town square, paratroopers stagger past, exhausted and visibly burdened by their gear, desperately hungry. The Special Air Service distribute what little remains of their K-rations from Snipers’ Alley, but supplies are insufficient to meet the overwhelming need.

Major Harry Poat leads the Special air Service troop back to Erle, then turns north along damaged, battle-scarred roads towards Raesfeld. There, they pause on the outskirts as columns of British armour thunder past, a powerful show of force in pursuit of retreating German units.

Upon arrival in villages and on local farms, the Special Air Service makes their presence known and establishes accommodation as required. Instructions are issued clearly, and local compliance is immediate. The population offers little resistance, and no significant hostility is encountered. Observations among the men suggest that many civilians appear resigned to defeat and psychologically exhausted by the cumulative toll of the war.

The period at Raesfeld provides the opportunity for minor reorganisation, refit of vehicles, and preparation for further operations as the Allied advance continues east.

March 29th, 1945

The following morning, C troop maintain their jeeps and replenish supplies. Captain Muirhead arrives from A Troop, which is resting in Wesel, to have a wireless fitted to his jeep. Red Hunter transfers to Frankforce Headquarters.

2 Special Air Service continues its advance in support of the main thrust towards Münster. The regiment is tasked with covering the exposed left flank of the 6^th Independent Guards Armoured Brigade as the formation pushes through Dülmen towards Münster.

Operating ahead of and alongside the main armoured elements, 2 Special Air Service patrols screen the flank, engage enemy positions, and secure key routes to prevent German counterattacks. 2 Special Air Service advances towards the town of Dülmen, tasked with protecting the left flank of the 6^th Independent Guards Armoured Brigade. The advance is slow, the Jeeps negotiating a muddy, rutted track. One vehicle becomes bogged down and the troop halts to recover it.

While working to free the Jeep, British troops observe a group of German soldiers moving across open ground two fields away. Lieutenant Lord John Manners, son of the Dowager Duchess of Rutland, immediately instructs Sergeant Harry Vickers to locate Captain Jim Mackie and report the sighting.

As Vickers reverses down the track, he encounters Mackie already advancing towards the position. On hearing the report, Mackie expresses displeasure at the lack of immediate action. He orders Vickers and his two-man team to attack the enemy on the flank, while he leads a frontal assault. The ground between them and the enemy is exposed. As the Special Air Service men cross the field, the German troops open fire. Vickers is hit in the left arm.

He is evacuated to an American casualty clearing station, where the wound is assessed. The bullet has shattered the bone and removed a two-inch section of the upper arm. Sergeant Vickers is flown back to England for treatment, while the remainder of 2 Special Air Service continues its advance east.

March 30th, 1945

D Troop and Wellsted’s C Troop move cross-country under Major Poat’s leadership. On reaching the main road, they head north through Borken to Weseke, parking by the roadside. They are now attached to the renowned 7^th Armoured Division, known famously as the “Desert Rats,” and assigned to support the 11^th Hussars (Prince Albert’s Own), Armoured Car Regiment​. The men watch admiringly as the renowned reconnaissance regiment advances, its Staghounds and Dingos leading the way.

Their stay in Weseke is brief. After lunch, the column advances again, soon becoming caught in a heavy traffic jam of Allied vehicles parked two abreast along a narrow road. Although distant gunfire rumbles ominously, their immediate surroundings remain deceptively calm.

On the outskirts of Sudlohn, Wellsted leads C Troop off the road to scout ahead. The town lies in ruins, streets cratered and buildings shattered. Bulldozers are actively clearing debris, but navigation remains difficult, taking nearly an hour to identify a passable route.

Amid the chaos, traditional map reading proves ineffective, making it challenging to identify even familiar roads. Eventually, Wellsted finds a viable route northwest towards the Dutch border, where D Squadron is believed to be operating.

At the outskirts, two British soldiers crouch behind their Bren guns. When asked about conditions ahead, they reply uncertainly, “Don’t know, Sir. None of our chaps anyway.” Despite this uncertainty, Wellsted’s troop continues until reaching a five-way junction. Recognising tracks in the sand that suggest D Troop has passed this way, they press on.

Approximately a kilometre further, Peter Middleton spots vehicles concealed among trees. Confirming they are friendly jeeps, Wellsted’s troop quickly reconnects with Harry Poat.

D Troop has recently engaged in combat in nearby woods, rescuing Hussars from a destroyed armoured car. 1 Special Air Service’s Medical Officer Mike McReady tends the wounded while captured German prisoners await transport. Further engagements are anticipated as the British thrust northwards, creating a pocket of retreating German forces trapped against the Rhine.

Wellsted receives orders to harbour his troop on the northern outskirts of Sudlohn, awaiting further instructions. He locates a large farm east of the main road, assigns Peter Middleton and Reyes to secure it, then returns to bring the troop forward, radioing their new position to Major Poat.

That night, the men enjoy a substantial meal of fresh eggs and milk provided by the farmer, who also reveals that a local Nazi Party leader is hiding nearby. Denis Wainman is sent to apprehend the man, who is subsequently delivered to Stadtlohn for interrogation.

Later in the evening, Peewee and David Barnby deliver new orders from Harry Poat. D Troop is now positioned west of Sudlohn, and Wellsted’s C Troop is to resume their attachment to 11^th Hussars (Prince Albert’s Own), Armoured Car Regiment​. the following morning.

The men spend that night sleeping beside their jeeps, frequently disturbed by the roar of nearby artillery fire.

Meanwhile a Troop of 2 Special Air Service patrol with jeeps approaches a group of tanks, only to discover they are enemy when fire is opened. They turn out to be three Tiger tanks hidden in a forest filled with German infantry. One jeep is crushed beneath a tank, while the other two are abandoned under heavy fire and fall into enemy hands. Two Special Air Service troopers go missing but successfully return within four days.

Elsewhere, another patrol from 2 Special Air Service pushes 16 kilometres ahead of the main line but is forced to withdraw under heavy fire. Despite the pressure, the section returns with prisoners.

March 31st, 1945

By morning, the troops are surprised to find artillery fire directed southwest, towards the area they recently vacated. That same morning, D Troop, of 1 Special Air Service, returns, reporting that large groups of German soldiers are still attempting to escape from the south. D Troop spent a tense night in a farm, hearing enemy movement nearby but not coming under direct attack.

After lunch, C Troop replaces D Troop, travelling through Stadtlohn to the outskirts of Wullen, where they report to the commander of the armoured cars they are supporting. A Troop, already dispatched towards Wessum, is stalled near farms close to Wullen. A Dingo armoured car is sent to guide the Special Air Service unit. Captain Wellsted boards the Dingo just before arrival and requests to meet the Troop Commander.

The Troop comprises an armoured car, a Dingo, and a Staghound, with a young lieutenant commanding from the armoured car. The lieutenant, relieved by Wellsted’s arrival, admits he has no specific orders for the Special Air Service and explains that hidden Spandau machine-guns from their right flank have halted their advance. At that moment, a sudden burst of fire ricochets around Wellsted, forcing him to seek cover behind the armoured car as rifle fire and sniper rounds intensify.

With no clear instructions and the threat increasing, Captain Wellsted mounts the armoured car as it reverses to safety. Meanwhile, his troop also comes under sniper fire, prompting him to order an immediate sweep of nearby farms and surrounding scrub.

Covered by Denis Wainman, Jeff Du Vivier’s crew advance cautiously, armed with Tommy guns and Bren guns, to clear the farm buildings on the right, discovering only two frightened elderly civilians sheltering in a ditch. Wellsted positions other jeeps to target the farm on the left, initiating the attack with a Verey signal flare.

The Special Air Service unleash intense firepower, shattering the quiet with tracer, incendiary, and ball ammunition. Under cover of this suppressive fire, Lieutenant Trower’s section, accompanied by Wellsted, moves towards the farmstead. Another Verey flare signals a halt as they approach. Inside the buildings, they find terrified farmworkers hiding wherever possible. Smoke rises from burning structures, and behind one shed, Wellsted finds three German bicycles, gas capes, gas masks, and other military gear. Despite thorough searches and calls for surrender, no German soldiers emerge.

With sniper fire temporarily reduced, attention turns to the Spandau machine guns. An armoured car, backed by Swag Jemson’s mortar team, cautiously reverses towards Wessum. Another mortar and two jeeps provide covering fire. Hearing possible tank tracks ahead, Wellsted dispatches Lieutenant Trower to bring up a bazooka.

As the Special Air Service wait under limited cover, the armoured car reaches a bend in the road. When the Staghound moves forward, intense Spandau fire erupts again, forcing the armoured car to hastily retreat, leaving Jemson exposed under renewed enemy fire. Jemson manages to crawl back safely along a ditch. Mortars fire into suspected enemy positions, igniting buildings and haystacks where snipers might be hidden.

The situation becomes untenable, enemy positions remain hidden, the objective unattainable, and the lightly armoured Special Air Service vehicles increasingly vulnerable. Although withdrawal is logical, regimental pride makes retreat difficult, especially in front of the distinguished 11^th Hussars.

Captain Wellsted consults the armoured car commander, asking, “What would you like us to do now?”

“I don’t know, old boy,” replies the lieutenant, popping up briefly. “I think I’d get out of here!”

Accepting this reality, Wellsted immediately orders withdrawal. Enemy shellfire reinforces the urgency, as artillery rounds begin landing closer. The Hussars quickly retreat, and the Special Air Service follow. Wellsted directs Johnny Cooper to lead, followed by the remaining jeeps. Peter Middleton turns back for Wellsted but is waved on. Wellsted jumps aboard the final jeep to depart.

Enemy shells straddle the road, prompting Cooper to divert down a track, where the jeeps find temporary shelter among trees and outbuildings. A shell explodes near Middleton’s jeep, embedding a large fragment in the vehicle without causing injury.

At a regrouping point, Wellsted checks every jeep for proper spacing, camouflage, and defensive positioning. Shellfire continues sporadically, targeting the main road, seemingly anticipating a retreat along that route. Eventually, firing eases, and Wellsted instructs each jeep to move independently and swiftly to regroup in Wullen. He follows behind, counting them out.

Upon returning to Wullen, Wellsted reports the frustrating engagement to Major Poat, who reassures him their support had indeed been valuable and appreciated by Special Air Service Brigade.

As the troop settles into houses on the town’s outskirts, Wellsted consults the Hussar Squadron Commander. Enemy resistance is intensifying, prompting new orders for the Special Air Service to meet with the Hussars beyond Ahaus early the next day.

Returning late to his billet, Wellsted learns that a tank troop sent up the Wessum road has faced similar difficulties.

Meanwhile, 2 Special Air Service is reassigned to VIII Corps and held in reserve. Following several days of continuous operations securing the advance from Wesel to Münster, the regiment is temporarily withdrawn from frontline duties.

As part of the corps reserve, 2 Special Air Service remains on standby for rapid redeployment. Their role now shifts to readiness for flank protection, exploitation of breakthroughs, or rapid response to any German counter-attacks along the corps’ axis of advance.

April 1st, 1945

C troop, 1 Special Air Service links up with A Echelon of the 11^th Hussars (Prince Albert’s Own) between Ahaus and Heek. Ahead, the Hussar squadron clears resistance as 7^th Armoured Division drives north through Burgsteinfurt towards Rheine.

By midday, Captain Wellsted’s troop advances along quiet roads. White flags hang from most houses. In untouched villages, civilians wave handkerchiefs as a sign of surrender. At Rheine, on the River Ems, German forces resist firmly. The Hussars swing east to outflank the enemy. Wellsted receives orders to bring his jeeps forward. They pass long columns of parked lorries filled with infantry. At Neuenkirchen, Wellsted turns east into open country. Near Hauenhorst, his troop rejoins the 11^th Hussars. Three troops of the squadron receive orders to reconnoitre towards the River Ems via Mesum. Wellsted attaches one jeep section to each troop.

Upon entering Mesum, they find the 11^th Armoured Division has already taken the town two days before. While awaiting fresh orders, the men drink beer in the local pub. Soon after, the 11^th Hussars and their attached Special Air Service Sections cross the River Ems using a bridge east of Mesum. Johnny Cooper’s section moves north-west towards Rheine. Headquarters and Tony Trower’s sections advance north through Elte to scout the Dortmund-Ems Canal.

Not long after, a jeep arrives with Major Hardwick, liaison officer to 21^st Army Group. Captain Wellsted is told to return to Mesum. He tries to lead Hardwick to his forward elements but finds they have moved on. The two continue to Bevergern. There, they encounter tanks and infantry of 11^th Armoured Division.

An Royal Tank Regiment officer halts them and informs them that they just lost three tanks and he thinks an attack’s underway. Wellsted and Hardwick assume the armoured cars have not passed through Bevergern. They retrace their steps. On the road to Elte, Wellsted notices fresh tyre tracks leading into fields. He follows them and discovers two of his sections stuck. The armoured cars are bogged down and cannot move.

At that moment, three German Me 109’s roar overhead. The trees offer cover. The aircraft strafe the roads near Bevergern, but miss the Special Air Service positions. With no way to free the vehicles, Wellsted contacts the 11^th Hussars and withdraws his remaining jeeps to a nearby farm outside Elte. The men prepare to stay the night.

Later, he searches for Captain Johnny Cooper and finds his troop pinned near Heine. An SS roadblock nearby is covered by snipers in the woods. Cooper handles the engagement. Wellsted returns to Elte.

That evening, padre Captain Fraser McLuskey arrives. He prepares an Easter Communion in the farmhouse’s largest room. The space is dim, lit by a single oil lamp. The farmer’s family sits silently in one corner. A maroon cloth bearing the Special Air Service badge covers the table. As artillery thuds in the distance, the men sing resurrection hymns.

Following the fall of Münste, the 2 Special Air Service remains on the northern flank. The unit enjoys a day of rest in Osterwick and is placed under the command of VIII Corps.

The whole of Frankforce is concentrated north of Minden, with its headquarters established at Greven. This positioning places the Special Air Service in direct support of the continuing Allied advance across north-west Germany.

April 2nd, 1945

During the morning, Major Harry Poat of 1 Special Air Service arrives at Elte. John Tonkin’s D Troop is taking over. Captain Wellsted’s troop is to be withdrawn for rest. He scouts possible billets near Heine with Peter Middleton. To their surprise, they find the farms already occupied by disarmed German soldiers waiting to surrender.

Wellsted sends several prisoners with Peter Middleton to the nearest prisoner-of-war cage. The rest are ordered to march there. Peter Middleton runs a shuttle in the jeep to assist. When the full troop arrives, they occupy the farm buildings without issue.

Soon after, Captain Muirhead’s A Squadron joins them. They are also rotating out for rest. Reports of SS activity in woods near Rheine prompt a decision. The two squadrons will move west of the River Ems. Alex Muirhead and Johnny Cooper reconnoitre safe harbour locations between Elte and Mesum.

There, the units settle. Jeeps are hidden in barns. Each man has a proper bed. Wireless links are maintained with Major Harry Poat and Captain Alex Muirhead.

April 3rd, 1945

During the morning, one of Johnny Cooper’s men of 1 Special Air Service finds a hidden supply of wine and spirits buried behind a Nazi official’s house. The men are allowed to enjoy the find. Later that day, Wellsted and Peter Middleton take displaced persons to Neuenkirchen, but take a wrong turn and nearly stray into contested Rheine before returning by dusk.

April 4th, 1945

The Allied advance continues. American forces encircle the Ruhr, the 6^th Airborne Divission takes Münster and the Commandos approach Osnabrück. The Special Air Service enjoys a brief rest but prepares to move out.

That afternoon, orders arrive. With VIII Corps reaching the River Weser, a new operational role is assigned to 1 Special Air Service. Their previous task, reconnoitring ahead of 6^th Airborne Division, is brought to an end. In its place, 1 Special Air Service is attached to 11^th Armoured Division, under the expectation that the division will advance more rapidly through the more open and favourable terrain east of the Weser. The reassignment reflects a shift in strategic priorities as the British forces push deeper into northern Germany during the final phase of the campaign. They are to drive south-east to Frotheim near Minden. A Troop leads, followed by D Troop and C troop in the rear.

Due to delays with vehicle repairs, Wellsted leaves Johnny Cooper behind to bring up stragglers. The march is muddy, cold, and slow. Roads are clogged. Jeeps suffer breakdowns and skids. Near Osnabrück, a German fighter strafes the column. D Troop, unable to take cover, suffers casualties but shoots the aircraft down.

Wellsted reforms his troop and proceeds to Frotheim. Finding no other Special Air Service units, he sends Tony to arrange billets and leaves a guard to await Johnny’s section. He continues alone and locates Frankforce Headquarters at Hille. He is told to return to Frotheim and report the next morning for wireless repair.

That night, the troop settles in. Lieutenant Trower relieves Captain Wellsted at the crossroads. Around midnight, the watch ends and the men sleep in one of the farms.

April 5th, 1945

Wellsted rises early, drives to Hille, gets his wireless repaired, and returns to Frotheim. Soon, Captain Cooper and his section, including Sergeant Rennie, arrive and settle into another farm nearby. Waffen SS activity is reported in the area following a lorry ambush, keeping the troop on alert all day, though no attack materialises.

Sergeant McGinn’s jeep develops clutch trouble, and Sergeant Terry’s jeep remains damaged. Both are sent to a Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers workshop in Hille. That evening, Wellsted is summoned to Frankforce Headquarters for a major planning conference. Frankforce Headqquarters is established at Eistrup, near Osnabrück. The Commandos have crossed the Weser at Stolzenau, and bridging is hoped for by dawn. The plan is for the Special Air Service to operate with the Inns of Court, the reconnaissance regiment of 11^th Armoured Division. Once across the bridge, Alex is to support an Inns of Court troop working north up the east bank, and Major John Tonkin is to support a troop moving east. Wellsted is in reserve for a possible coup de main to prevent the destruction of a bridge over the Leine or Aller.

Lieutenant Colonel Franks, Major Poat, and Captain Wellsted discuss the possibilities late into the night. Swimming downriver to remove demolition charges is dismissed. The preferred plan is to reach the bridge via woodland tracks, cross the river, and capture the demolition team as Allied armour approaches. Alternatively, they consider using an abandoned German staff car to infiltrate across the bridge under disguise. Success will depend on a mix of initiative, luck, and enemy demoralisation.

April 6th, 1945

At 06:30 the next morning, the troop assembles. Jack and Sergeant McGinn remain in the workshops. The rest move up to Hille for final resupply and preparation for the operation. C troop sets out for Uchte, west of Stolzenau. En route, Captain Wellsted crashes into an ambulance, damaging his radiator. Geordie Cunningham’s jeep is later wrecked in a crash; the crew suffers minor injuries. Owen, a former German gunner, replaces Geordie in Major Wellsted’s jeep. At 16:30, Wellsted rejoins Frankforce at Stolzenau, where the Commandos remain pinned. An alternate crossing is chosen at Petershagen. Frankforce Headqquarters is set up at Melle.

Crossing the pontoon bridge at dusk, Wellsted’s troop moves north and harbours near Windheim. Orders remain unclear.

April 7th, 1945

At first light, Wellsted attends Harry Poat’s order group. Inns of Court will push northeast through Windheim and Rehburg. John Tonkin’s Troop is to support the advance guard; Alex Muirhead’s Troop will cover the left flank. Wellsted’s Troop remains in reserve, his “coup de main” role still on standby. He returns to his farm and briefly rests in the hayloft. Later, Lieutenant Colonel Brian Franks arrives and reaffirms the likelihood of the bridge seizure. Wellsted, still unkempt with straw in his hair, scrambles to meet him.

He tours the sections, chats with Davies, Backhouse, Murray, and Brown, each teasing him about his habit of mixing up their names. But just before lunch, Mike McNaught arrives with sudden new orders. The bridge plan is cancelled. Wellsted’s troop is now urgently needed elsewhere.

April 8th, 1945

Captain Wellsted attends an orders group at 07:30. The Inns of Court squadron is to push northeast through Windheim and Rehburg. Major John Tonkin’s squadron is to support their advance. Captain Alex Muirhead’s covers the left flank. Wellsted’s troop remains in reserve for a possible strike on the bridge over the Aller.

With no immediate task, he returns to his loft to sleep. An hour later, Lieutenant Colonel Brian Franks appears, confirming that the bridge assault is still a real possibility. Major Wellsted scrambles out to meet him, hay still clinging to his hair. Slightly embarrassed, he tidies himself up and begins inspecting his sections, speaking to the men. He chats with Davies, Backhouse, Murray and Brown, long-serving troopers who tease him gently for never being able to tell them apart.

Just as they are preparing lunch, Lieutenant Mike McNaught arrives from the front with new orders. The men are to load up at once. A new task has been assigned. The anticipated capture of the bridge has slipped away again, vanishing like mist at dawn.

Captain Johnny Cooper is ordered to get the Special Air Service troop loaded and ready to move. At the same time, Lieutenant Mike McNaught brings Major Ian Wellsted to Rehburg. There, Major Harry Poat and an officer from the Inns of Court Regiment deliver a briefing.

Major John Tonkin’s D Squadron is already advancing towards Nienburg. Further west, Captain Alex Muirhead’s A Squadron meets resistance in wooded ground. Wellsted’s troop is tasked with supporting a reconnaissance unit from the Inns of Court. Their objective is to probe north-east, towards the road linking Nienburg and Neustadt. It is thought that Neustadt is held by the 15^th (Scottish) Infantry Division, but confirmation is lacking.

The Special Air Service troop advances through Schneeren, overtaking quiet lines of paratroopers moving through hedgerows. Leaving the road, the jeeps turn onto wooded tracks leading north-east. At the junction with the Nienburg–Neustadt road, a Dingo scout car from the Inns of Court waits. The main armoured car and two other Dingoes have already turned left towards Nienburg. The Staghound armoured vehicles withdraw, believing their mission complete.

In the distance, the reconnaissance group is visible. Suddenly, smoke and a flash signal contact. The Dingo operator confirms enemy presence in woods to the left. Major Wellsted gives the order to follow. Fire is to be opened upon a green Verey light, and stopped upon a white. The troop moves into action.

The jeeps exit the trees into open ground bordered by young forest. No enemy is seen. A green flare is fired. Vickers machine guns open up at once, firing tracer and incendiary rounds into the brush. Still, there is no return fire. A white flare is sent up. Wellsted, carrying his Thompson, leads a charge into the trees.

In the first ditch, a German soldier lies prone with a Panzerfaust aimed at the column. A sergeant from the Inns of Court stands over him with revolver drawn, saying the man is dead. A kick proves otherwise. The young German is alive and trembling. He surrenders and is handed over. The troop pushes further into the brush.

Major Wellsted shouts surrender commands in German while firing into cover. Lieutenant Trower follows with a Bren gun. On the left, Corporal Jack Terry advances through the trees. A cache of bicycles camouflaged with gas capes is found and disabled. Suddenly, fire erupts from behind. A Panzerfaust launches.

Captain Cooper arrives at the road in his jeep. C troop has walked into an ambush. German infantry are dug in along the ditch lines. Corporal Jack Corbett’s jeep is destroyed. Lieutenant Tom Rennie’s crew are thrown clear from their vehicle. Sergeant Jeff Du Vivier’s Vickers kills a Panzerfaust operator mid-shot.

Fire from an MG 42 rakes the rear. Major Wellsted orders Cooper to prepare for withdrawal. He informs the armoured car commander of the plan. The armoured car will lead, with the Dingoes covering the rear. Trooper Peter Middleton is assigned to recover Wellsted during the retreat.

Lieutenant Denis Wainman and Sergeant Du Vivier deal with two German prisoners. They are placed on jeep bonnets at gunpoint. The column begins to withdraw. As the armoured car roars ahead, the jeeps follow. Peter Middleton stops for Wellsted, who takes the .50 Browning and fires into the woods.

Jeep No. 7 does not return. It burns at the roadside. Trooper “Taffy” Glyde lies face down. He is killed in action.

At a road junction, the surviving vehicles regroup. The force now consists of ten jeeps, two Dingoes, and one armoured car. Sectors are assigned. Casualties are counted. Glyde is confirmed dead. Rennie is wounded in the hip. Trooper Backhouse is hit in the ankle but can still walk. Two prisoners remain secured.

Peter Middleton points to blood on Wellsted’s left hand. The injury is new.

Corporal Reg Seekings spots two enemy soldiers approaching from Neustadt. McNaught reports further movement in woods only 100 metres away. The troop is surrounded.

Wellsted orders Swag Jemson to ready the 2-inch mortar. He checks three times. Jemson asks for more time each time. At last, the barrage begins. Mortar rounds land. Brens and Vickers blaze. No return fire comes.

Captain Wellsted calls for surrender in German. Silence follows. Then heavy firing breaks out to the south-west. It might be 6^th Airborne Division, but this is unconfirmed. The armoured car tries to reach friendly units by wireless. No contact is made.

Corporal Alec Hay arrives with a message from Wainman. Two armoured vehicles have entered the woods from Schneeren. Wellsted informs Major Poat. Poat believes they are British.

Then, two German armoured vehicles appear. They move towards Jeep No. 5 and open fire. Wainman’s, Du Vivier’s, and Rennie’s jeeps respond. Major Wellsted runs to the armoured car and orders it forward. Its first 37-millimetre shell hits the lead German vehicle. Poat cheers. The second shell destroys it. The crew bail out.

The second German vehicle advances. Trower’s jeep is in the way. Driver Dixie jumps in. Wellsted climbs aboard to cover him. A second shell knocks it out. The German crew flee into the forest.

Wellsted walks down the line of jeeps, calling for surrender. At Rennie’s jeep, he finds Trooper Davies gravely wounded. He gives morphine. Davies jokes that Wellsted still gets his name wrong. It is his last sentence.

At Jeff Du Vivier’s jeep, more Germans appear. These are no stragglers. They are assault troops. Rifles are raised. Helmets glint through the brush.

Another surrender call is given. No response. A round hits Wellsted’s left leg. He drops. He fires back and wounds one German. More Germans close in. Wellsted calls for covering fire. No answer comes. The others cannot hear him.

Two Germans run across the track. Major Wellsted’s magazine is empty. He cannot reload due to his jerkin. He gets to his feet. The leg holds. He limps into the trees and collapses in a hollow.

Another shot hits his right leg. He falls again. He drops his Thompson. Crawling through undergrowth, he escapes the clearing.

Trooper “Dixie” Deane appears and drags him back. Wellsted clings to him. Ahead, Lieutenant Trower fires his Bren. One German falls. Together, they crawl to safety under fire.

Trooper “Swag” Jemson and Trooper “Dougie” Ferguson, Major Poat’s batman, try to recover Davies. Ferguson is shot. Jemson returns alone.

Major Wellsted is loaded into McNaught’s jeep. Reyes operates the Vickers. Owen, wounded in both arms, is placed in another jeep. Major Poat prepares the breakout.

Trower recovers his damaged jeep under fire. Wainman salvages another. Men climb on wherever possible. The armoured car leads. The jeeps follow, firing constantly.

On the hilltop, the armoured car halts, then reverses. A wrecked German lorry blocks the way. Once cleared, the convoy presses on.

After two kilometres, the column halts. Major Poat checks the map. Wellsted asks for morphine. The convoy turns onto a deeply rutted track.

At some point, Wellsted loses consciousness. He wakes on a stretcher beside a British half-track. A medical officer removes his boot and treats the wound. Middleton slips four bottles of “Chateau Blotto” under the blanket.

Owen, Du Vivier, and Backhouse travel with him to an Advanced Dressing Station. Tea and injections are given. Major Muirhead visits.

That night, the wounded are moved to a Casualty Clearing Station near Elte. It is close to the farm where Reverend Captain Fraser McLuskey recently held Easter service.

The engagement is costly. Two Special Air Service men are dead. Two are mortally wounded. Five others are injured. Four jeeps are lost. The armoured car destroys two German Armoured Personel Carriers. The next day, eleven German dead are buried in a nearby cemetery. Captain Johnny Copper Takes over C Troop.

During this event, Frankforce Headquarters moves to a farm South-west of Loccum. Following the rapid Allied advance through north-west Germany, 2 Special Air Service is reassigned by VIII Corps to support the Military Government. The focus now moves from mobile combat operations to civil-military tasks, particularly the identification and detention of Nazi officials and collaborators.

April 9th, 1945

2 Special Air Service enters Nienburg alongside the leading Allied elements. Operating ahead of the main force, the Special Air Service detains several political figures, including the Ortsgruppenführer, the local Nazi Party political officer.

April 11th, 1945

Frankforce Headquarters relocates again, setting up just south of Esperke, positioning the command structure for operations deeper into central Germany.

April 12th, 1945

2 Special Air Service enters Celle, north of Hanover at 05:00, ahead of the 15^th (Scottish) Division. Their objective is to secure key personnel and release prisoners of war. This is likely linked to recent atrocities involving escaped concentration camp prisoners who had fled from a bombed train and were murdered by local civilians.

Upon arrival, the unit’s medical officer, Captain Joe Patterson, is approached by a local civilian who informs him of serious casualties at a concentration camp in the area. The man explains that those inside are without medical attention. At this stage of the campaign, the term Konzentrationslager holds little meaning for the British officer.

The Special Air Service successfully locate the Nazi headquarters and assumes full control of the town. For the next three days, they act as the primary occupying force until the arrival of the main British formation.

At 09:00 hours, No. 1 Troop crosses the River Aller by way of the main bridge, which has been partially destroyed. Though the bridge is impassable to regular vehicles, it remains just usable for jeeps. The girder bridge has been blown, but a damaged walkway survives. Jo believes the gap can be jumped at speed, and attempts it.

Against all odds, the jeep clears the breach. On the far side, they secure the bridge approach and are rewarded with the discovery of a wine cellar. Declaring it under Allied control with a length of tape, they load their jeep and distribute the contents generously. When Royal Engineers arrive to construct a temporary bridge, a sergeant, reportedly enjoying some of the brandy, guides the operation using erratic hand signals. Nonetheless, the bridge is successfully lowered onto its pre-marked landing points.

Once across, No. 1 Troop secures the immediate area, including the German gas warfare school on the east bank. A reconnaissance is launched along the Boye–Winsen road.

No resistance is encountered in the town. The Special Air Service detains five members of the Kriminalpolizei (KRIPO), the Nazi regime’s criminal investigation branch, along with several prominent National Socialist officials. These individuals are held pending the arrival of Corps Infantry Brigade authorities.

Later that morning, Medical Officer Patterson and a small detachment from 2 Special Air Service arrive at the gates of the camp on the outskirts of Celle. A tall screen of woven matting around the perimeter fencing blocks their view, but the stench emanating from within is already overwhelming.

Upon entering, Patterson is immediately struck by the horror of the scene. Straw has been scattered over layers of compacted manure, and lying half-submerged in the filth are emaciated figures barely alive. The inmates are skeletal, their faces expressionless, their eyes fixed and vacant. The scale of neglect and suffering defies description.

The patrol, sends a message to Brigade Headquarters in Britain. The signal reads: “Tell England that Nazi concentration camp to be seen to be believed. 200 French Maquisards dead or dying from starvation, beating, etc.” They have run into a sub-camp near Celle of Concentration Camp Bergen Belsen.

That evening, north of Celle, the troop engages in a brief firefight with SS troops, confirming that the area remains contested and dangerous despite the town’s formal surrender.

April 13th, 1945

2 Special Air Service rests in Celle following the town’s rapid occupation and the previous day’s reconnaissance and skirmish north of the River Aller. While formally a pause in operations, the day is not without interest.

In the garage of a recently detained Nazi Party official, they discover a Porsche sports car. The temptation proves irresistible. With fuel in short supply, some of the brandy from the previously “secured” wine cellar is used to coax the engine into life. After locating petrol, the Special Air Service take the car for a celebratory drive around the town before the Military Government authorities arrive.

An infantry officer takes a keen interest in the Porsche, and, true to Special Air Service tradition, a deal is struck that proves financially rewarding for the men involved. The vehicle changes hands in typically unorthodox fashion.

Despite the light-hearted interlude, the situation remains unstable. That evening, enemy armour, including tanks and half-tracks, is reported in the area south of Altencelle, approximately five kilometres south-east of the Celle town centre. These vehicles are believed to be remnants of German units cut off during the Allied advance.

Complicating matters, Celle sits near the boundary between American and British operational sectors. The report notes that American forces had made contact with these German elements the previous night. However, this information had not been passed to British VIII Corps headquarters, leading to uncertainty and a risk of friendly fire or surprise encounters with enemy units thought to have been contained.

April 14th, 1945

2 Special Air Service resumes operations following the previous day’s rest in Celle. The focus is a continued search for German Artillerie-Fernsprech Units (artillery signals units) or forward support elements, previously reported in the area south-east of Altencelle.

Patrols sweep through the villages of Bockelskamp and Flarkenhorst, both of which are confirmed clear of enemy forces. However, the squadron makes an unusual discovery: in the nearby river, several German half-tracks are found abandoned, along with a fully intact American armoured car.

The armoured car, equipped with a 37-millimtere gun, is quickly salvaged and put into service by the Special Air Service. The vehicle offers a welcome boost in firepower, particularly useful against enemy strongpoints or light vehicles. Coming only a day after the joyful acquisition of a Porsche sports car, the find is both practical and morale-lifting.

April 15th, 1945

Major Harry Poat, commanding officer of 1 Special Air Service during Operation Archway, receives orders to send a patrol to reconnoitre a reported prison camp named Bergen-Belsen. German troops in the area inform advancing British forces that a typhus outbreak is spreading rapidly through the camp. They claim that the guards are willing to co-operate with the Allies in its handover.

Major Poat delegates the mission to one of his most experienced officers, Major John Tonkin, who commands A Troop. Among those selected are Captain Cecil “Jock” Riding and Sergeant Duncan Ridler. Ridler is fluent in German.

The patrol advances along a sandy track cutting through pine forest. Sergeant Ridler later recalls the scene. The jeeps move forward without stopping. After a short distance, the road opens into a well-maintained junction. Gravel is clean, kerbs are concrete, and military signposts stand upright. Several German soldiers are present, waiting calmly.

One of the Germans directs the patrol to Bergen-Belsen’s main entrance. As the Jeeps approach the camp perimeter, the patrol expects to find a small, enclosed compound. The vehicles are left at the gate under guard. The entrance compound appears largely deserted, flanked by several low buildings. Wide dirt tracks and shallow concrete drains stretch into the interior. The atmosphere is silent and foreboding. Watchtowers above are manned with visible machine guns. Ridler initially believes they are approaching a military sanatorium. That illusion is quickly broken. Once inside the gate, the true nature of the camp becomes clear.

The patrol splits into smaller groups and proceeds on foot. Scattered bodies of prisoners lie in the drains and against bundles of clothing. Behind three-metre wire fences, surviving inmates move slowly and silently. Gates are padlocked. A crowd gathers near one of the entrances. The soldiers are confronted by an appalling sight: skeletal figures with vacant expressions, seemingly incapable of emotion, exhaustion etched into every face. No signs of joy or relief appear, only mute incomprehension.

Ridler communicates to the prisoners in English, French and German, identifying the patrol as British and informing them that liberation is imminent. In response, one inmate reveals a camp tattoo marked on his wrist. The Special Air Service soldiers distribute their rations, primarily biscuits, through the wire. The crowd begins to press forward, some individuals collapsing in the struggle for food.

Moments later, a column of approximately 50 or 60 young women approaches, each carrying a bucket and wearing the Star of David. They are under escort by an SS female guard. These prisoners appear in slightly better condition and more adequately clothed, possibly members of the original hostage population of the camp. The patrol halts the column, deposits the remainder of their rations into a bucket, and sends them back to their compound. The SS guard is instructed to return to her quarters, and the patrol formally declares the camp under British control.

Even with years of combat experience, the Special Air Service men are unprepared for what they see. Sergeant Vic Long walks to the edge of a large pit. He stops and looks down. “It was about twelve feet wide,” he says. “I don’t know how deep it was. The bodies were a couple of feet from the top.” He continues through the camp. The stench is overpowering. “The guards didn’t cause any problems,” he adds. “None of them spoke English and they didn’t look ashamed.”

Shortly afterwards, elements of the 63^rd Anti-Tank Regiment, 11^th Armoured Division, arrive at Bergen Belsen under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Taylor. As the Special Air Service patrol pushes further into the camp, Sergeant Ridler remains at the entrance to act as interpreter. Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor engages the camp commandant, SS-Hauptsturmführer Josef Kramer, and demands his identity and formal surrender. Ridler facilitates the exchange, confirming the absence of British prisoners of war.

A delousing unit, already operational in one of the huts, conducts decontamination procedures. Each member of the patrol is processed and dusted with anti-lice powder. With their reconnaissance task complete, the Special Air Service return to their vehicles and depart.

During these events, Frankforce Headquarters, relocates to Scharnhorst. From this forward position, Special Air Service troops fan out in all directions, pushing north and east in a wide arc, probing German defences, seizing roads, and establishing control of key villages and routes.

April 16th, 1945

North-east of Bargfeld, a troop on reconnaissance patrol of 2 Special Air Service comes under fire from German light machine guns near Gerdau. The jeeps return fire, but quickly identify that Gerdau is held by a larger force, including 88-millimetre guns, indicating a well-prepared defensive position. The troop prudently withdraws to Bahnsen, where both the entire unit and Force Headquarters spend the night.

April 17th, 1945

2 Special Air Service makes contact with the forward elements of the British 11^th Armoured Division at Eimke, marking a key point of coordination between light reconnaissance forces and heavier British armoured units during the eastward push towards the Elbe.

As part of the continuing reconnaissance sweep, Gerdau and Gresseliesestedtare reported clear of enemy forces. The route remains under constant observation as the squadron maintains pressure on retreating German elements.

Later in the afternoon, the village of Barnsen is secured in a joint operation with infantry from the 15^th (Scottish) Division supported by Churchill tanks. The combined force captures a large number of German troops, further breaking organised resistance in the area.

During the operation, two Special Air Service jeeps become bogged down near the village, an ongoing risk when operating off-road in spring conditions. The jeeps are recovered by L.A.D. (Light Aid Detachment) Shermans.

April 18th, 1945

1 Special Air Service, still operating alongside the 11^th Armoured Division, enters the town of Lüneburg. Their task is to search for senior SS officers believed to be in hiding. During this time, Lieutenant Denis Wainman drops off a roll of camera film at a local chemist. Among the negatives are photographs he took days earlier inside Bergen-Belsen.

A few days later, British military policemen approach Lieutenant Wainman. They inform him that the chemist who developed the film is deeply disturbed by the images. Lieutenant Wainman returns to the shop and, in the chemist’s presence, explains what he witnessed at Belsen. He describes the camp’s function and the suffering endured by the prisoners.

The chemist listens but cannot accept the truth. He shakes his head and insists it cannot be real. Such crimes, he says, are impossible. No German, he argues, would ever commit such acts against humanity.

One of the most notable incidents for C Troop occurs on the outskirts of Lüneburg, where they are held up awaiting the conclusion of a tank engagement taking place within the town. While the vehicles are halted, Warrant Officer Reg Seekings surveys the surrounding ground and identifies a suspicious position that appears suitable for a Panzerfaust team.

Investigating on foot, he confirms it to be a prepared anti-tank site. Further inspection leads to the discovery of a group of very young members of the Hitler Youth concealed in shallow trenches nearby. The Special Air Service Troop proceeds to disarm and round them up without resistance. The prisoners, visibly frightened and poorly equipped, are taken into custody as the advance resumes.

2 Special Air Service is redeployed north-east of Uelzen as the advance towards the Elbe accelerates. Operating in familiar fashion ahead of the main force, the unit captures numerous prisoners of war and eliminates pockets of German resistance.

In the course of a forward reconnaissance, Lieutenant Laws is wounded while riding a captured motorcycle, yet another instance of the Special Air Service philosophy: if it can move, it can be used.

April 19th, 1945

Frankforce Headquarters moves to Bruchtorf, further east, as the focus of operations tightens along the final approach to the Elbe.

1 Special Air Service is still in Lüneburg, assigned to operate alongside Field Security Sections in order to monitor the civilian population and identify suspected Nazi personnel attempting to conceal themselves among the local inhabitants. These operations include a series of coordinated pre-dawn searches targeting known or suspected locations.

During one such operation, Trooper Peter Middleton engages in an exchange of fire with an unidentified individual. He succeeds in wounding the assailant and secures the area.

In parallel, the Troop is involved in a number of raids on establishments believed to be harbouring fugitives. During a sweep of several brothels, the men encounter more British non-commissioned officers, sergeants and staff sergeant majors, than enemy personnel. Those found in violation of military discipline are expelled with stern warnings regarding the consequences of continued misconduct.

That same day, the 2 Special Air Service, working alongside the 15^th (Scottish) Division Reconnaissance Regiment, spearheads the advance from Bevensen towards the river. The drive is carried out along two axes, one directed toward Breetz, the other toward Neetze. Contact is again established with the 11^th Armoured Division at Neetze, marking a key point of convergence in the Allied lines.

A reconnaissance patrol pushes eastward to Bleckede, on the Elbe, where it discovers that German forces are still holding a bridgehead across the river. With the enemy in a defensive posture, the Special Air Service patrol prudently withdraws with 15^th (Scottish) Division Reconnaissance Regiment to Neetze, where they regroup and bivouac for the night.

The terrain around Breetz is particularly difficult, thick woodland, restricted sight lines, and poor ground underfoot complicate vehicle movement and reconnaissance. These environmental challenges underscore the persistent value of the Special Air Service jeeps and small patrol tactics in terrain where armoured formations risk bogging down or being ambushed.

April 20th, 1945 – April 28th, 1945

Following the reconnaissance to Bleckede and the withdrawal to Neetze one day earlier, 1 and 2 Special Air Service enter a period of rest in preparation for the crossing of the River Elbe. Frankforce Headquarters remains at Bruchtorf, marking a pause in forward movement while larger strategic considerations take precedence.

During this interval, Major Hibbert’s 2 Special Air Service Troops, which had advanced separately through the Netherlands as part of Operation Keystone, joins Frankforce. His unit takes up position at Eddelstorf. Meanwhile, Major P.L.J. Le Poer Power’s original squadron, already battle-tested from the Wesel–Münster drive, rests nearby at Bohndorf. This reorganisation brings both active squadrons of the 2 Special Air Service together under a single operational command for the first time in this final phase.

The German bridgehead at Bleckede supposedly withdraws across the Elbe, during this period, abandoning the west bank entirely in the face of the advancing Allies. Whether they withdrew under fire or were allowed to slip back under cover is not recorded.

The ten-day pause is not merely logistical but likely also political. The Allies are reaching the outer limits of their agreed zones of occupation, and the Elbe, particularly in the north, is a critical line. With the Soviet advance pressing from the east, final agreements on the delineation of zones, particularly concerning access to northern ports and cities near the river’s mouth, may still be under discussion.

April 29th, 1945

At 15:00 hours, Major Hibbert’s troop of 2 Special Air Service crosses the River Elbe near Schnakenbeck, under fire, as part of Operation Enterprise. Forming a critical part of the British bridgehead on the east bank. As they reach the far bank, German forces open up. Private Robert Boxall, who had celebrated his twenty-third birthday earlier that month, is killed during the crossing.

Once across, the 2 Special Air Service comes under enemy shellfire directed at the bridgehead from the vicinity of Schnakenbeck. Fortunately, there are no casualties. Captain Mackie’s troop, having rejoined Major Hibbert’s squadron, is ordered to reconnoitre the area eastward towards Gülzow, assessing the presence of enemy forces.

Simultaneously, other sections are deployed to Juliusberg and Krukow. Both sections enter Gülzow from different directions and report no opposition, indicating that German resistance in this immediate sector is disintegrating.

A further patrol sent towards Wangelau encounters a light Flak gun positioned just outside Gülzow. The Special Air Service jeeps open fire immediately, prompting the gun crew to abandon their position and flee. To the right of the road, three 105-millimetre field guns are spotted. The squadron brings these under coordinated mortar and Vickers K fire. The German gunners retreat, and the Special Air Service destroys the guns, removing a significant local threat to the bridgehead.

However, the day is marked by tragedy. Captain Morris’s troop, advancing towards Leutow, is ambushed by determined SS resistance. As the stick of three or four jeeps approaches a bridge near Leutow, they come under artillery fire from a position on high ground overlooking the river. Taking cover, one of the jeeps moves up a wooded track to challenge the position. It is struck directly by a shell, either from a well-camouflaged 75-millimetre or 105-millimetre, killing all aboard among them Captain Morris. The remaining troops respond with mortar fire, gradually correcting their range until the position falls silent. When the Special Air Service reaches the gun site, they find the enemy crew either killed or having fled. The Germans had carefully trained their gun on the only visible track through the woods, where the jeeps were briefly exposed.

After crossing the River Elbe, 1 Special Air Service links up with 6^th Airborne Division in a rapid advance towards Lübeck. The objective is to reach the city before Soviet forces, thereby securing the liberation of Denmark under British control. As German military resistance collapses across the northern front, increasing numbers of enemy troops attempt to surrender to the Western Allies, hoping to avoid capture by the Red Army.

Improvised prisoner-of-war cages are established in parks and open spaces. The situation becomes so chaotic that captured German personnel are witnessed forcing their way into the compounds rather than waiting at the entrances, such is the desperation to avoid Soviet custody. The Troop assists in maintaining order amid the mass surrenders and continues patrolling the surrounding area as the war in Europe nears its conclusion.

April 30th, 1945

Frankforce Headquarters crosses the Elbe with Major Le Poer Power’s squadron. The force moves first to Juliusberg, then establishes a forward base at Kollow, deepening the Allied presence east of the river.

Operationally, the 2 Special Air Service continues rapid reconnaissance work in advance of the main formations. Major Druce’s troop takes over from Captain Mackie and pushes forward towards Schwarzenbek. Meanwhile, Captain Mackie’s troop shifts its attention northward, conducting reconnaissance of Hamwarde and Worth. Despite the rapid pace of the advance, rearguard actions from scattered German units continue to pose intermittent threats, forcing the Special Air Service to remain alert.

By the afternoon, however, the tactical situation begins to shift dramatically, reflecting the wider political collapse of Nazi Germany. In Schwarzenbek, two German officers are captured by the Special Air Service. One reveals that he has come to negotiate the surrender of an SS battalion. This unexpected development illustrates how quickly German military cohesion is disintegrating.

Major Barkworth, Intelligence Officer of the 2 Special Air Service, accompanies the captured officer to the SS battalion headquarters at Wangelau. There, he finds the unit in a state of indecision. The battalion commander refuses to surrender, clinging to orders or ideology despite the hopelessness of the situation.

Major Barkworth then proceeds to the German divisional headquarters at Pötrau to seek a formal surrender directive, but the staff there provide no clear order. The confusion at both command levels reflects the total disintegration of the German military chain of command, amplified by events in Berlin.

Indeed, this day is also the day Adolf Hitler commits suicide in his bunker, a fact likely unknown to most combatants but already beginning to influence the morale and cohesion of German forces in the field.

Following Barkworth’s return, the stalemate is broken by a direct assault on Wangelau by a British Marine Commando unit, supported by artillery. Faced with overwhelming force and lacking coherent leadership, the SS battalion surrenders. Eight officers and 56 other ranks are taken prisoner.

May 1st, 1945

With a firm bridgehead established on the eastern bank of the Elbe and crossings secured, the 11^th Armoured Division begins its night crossing, pushing northwards towards Hamburg. 2 Special Air Service continues its mission of flank protection, moving in advance of and alongside the main formations.

Captain McGregor and Lieutenant Robertson lead reconnaissance patrols west of Schwarzenbek, operating along the fringes of the Sachsenwald, a large, wooded area south-east of Hamburg. These patrols mark the final phase of active Special Air Service operations in Germany, with the regiment probing for enemy pockets and maintaining pressure on remaining units.

May 2nd, 1945

The advance continues with reconnaissance patrols pushing westward to Bargteheide, edging closer to the outskirts of Hamburg

May 3rd, 1945

Frankforce Headquarters moves forward to Lütjensee, and later the same day to Großhansdorf, setting up in anticipation of any further orders as the final pieces of German resistance collapse. Meanwhile, Major Poat’s 1 Special Air Service reaches Lübeck, and soon after advances with No. 30 Commando to Kiel, securing key ports as part of the broader Allied occupation effort.

1 Special Air Service’s final operation takes place in Kiel, where they advance at such speed that they arrive before formal surrender terms have been agreed. Their presence in the city precedes the official timetable for occupation and risks breaching the terms under negotiation. As a result, they promptly withdrawn to avoid jeopardising the armistice arrangements.

Unconditional Surrender

On May 4^th, 1945, 2 Special Air Service receives news of the armistice while resting at Große Hansdorf, a northeastern suburb of Hamburg. All fighting in north-west Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark is to cease at 08:00 hours on May 5^th, 1945. 1 Special Air Service is in Kiel when they recieve the news.

Though German forces in the north have ceased organised resistance, full unconditional surrender is not formalised until May 7^th, 1945 at Rheims. It is signed again in Berlin on May 8^th, 1945, marking the official end of the Second World War in Europe.

On May 8^th, 1945, 1 Special Air Service celebrates Victory in Europe Day in Belgium. Lieutenant-Colonel Paddy Mayne and B and C Squadrons are in Brussels, en route to a prearranged rendezvous with A and D Squadrons at Poperinghe, approximately 110 kilometres to the west.

On May 9^th, 1945, the regiment reunites in full, marking the occasion with drink and song. During the evening’s celebrations, local Belgian civilians gather around the Special Air Service men. Spontaneously, singing begins, first from the locals, then from the soldiers. Soon both groups are sharing songs, including several familiar from the First World War.

One day later, both 1 Special Air Service and 2 Special Air Service are repatriated to Great Britain.

Frankforce suffers seven fatal casualties during Operation Archway. Trooper Fields, Trooper Blakeney, Trooper Glyde and Trooper Davies from 1 Special Air Service and Captain Morris, Sergeant Thorpe and Private Boxall from 2 Special Air Service. Both regiments also suffer 11 wounded each.

Multimedia