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Special Air Service Troops
The Special Air Service Troops was a brigade sized formation of the Special Air Service, which was founded on 7 January 1944 in the United Kingdom during the Second World War. The formation was also known as the SAS Brigade. The brigade was a multi-national force of British, French, and Belgian units. On formation, the brigade commanded the 1st and 2nd Special Air Service regiments, the French 2nd and 3rd Parachute Battalions (also known as the 3rd and 4th SAS Regiments), and the Belgian Parachute Company. In March 1944, F Squadron, GHQ Liaison Regiment was added to the brigade. In 1945, the Belgian parachute company was redesignated as 5th Special Air Service. The French units were also redesignated as the 2nd Parachute Chasseur Regiment and the 3rd Parachute Chasseur Regiment (abbreviated as 2 RCP and 3 RCP). The brigade was initially commanded by Brigadier Roderick McLeod, until 14 March 1945 when Brigadier Mike Calvert took command. The brigade was stationed in the United ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flag Of The British Army
A flag is a piece of fabric (most often rectangular or quadrilateral) with a distinctive design and colours. It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. The term ''flag'' is also used to refer to the graphic design employed, and flags have evolved into a general tool for rudimentary signalling and identification, especially in environments where communication is challenging (such as the maritime environment, where semaphore is used). Many flags fall into groups of similar designs called flag families. The study of flags is known as "vexillology" from the Latin , meaning "flag" or "banner". National flags are patriotic symbols with widely varied interpretations that often include strong military associations because of their original and ongoing use for that purpose. Flags are also used in messaging, advertising, or for decorative purposes. Some military units are called "flags" after their use of flags. A ''flag'' (Arabic: ) is equivalent to a brigade ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Calvert
Brigadier James Michael Calvert, (6 March 1913 – 26 November 1998) was a British Army officer who was involved in special operations in Burma during the Second World War. He participated in both Chindit operations and was instrumental in popularizing the unorthodox ideas of Orde Wingate. He frequently led attacks from the front, a practice that earned him the nickname amongst the men under his command of "Mad Mike." Early life Calvert was born at Rohtak in India, son of a member of the Indian Civil Service. He was educated at Bradfield College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, from which was commissioned as a subaltern into the British Army's Royal Engineers as a professional soldier. Military career Calvert was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1933, and for a time was the Army's middleweight boxing champion. He spent a year reading for the Mechanical Engineering Tripos at St. John's College, Cambridge. In 1934 he returned to active service and was posted to t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1944 Establishments In The United Kingdom
Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in North Africa. ** Landing at Saidor: 13,000 US and Australian troops land on Papua New Guinea, in an attempt to cut off a Japanese retreat. * January 8 – WWII: Philippine Commonwealth troops enter the province of Ilocos Sur in northern Luzon and attack Japanese forces. * January 11 ** President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt proposes a Second Bill of Rights for social and economic security, in his State of the Union address. ** The Nazi German administration expands Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp into the larger standalone ''Konzentrationslager Plaszow bei Krakau'' in occupied Poland. * January 12 – WWII: Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle begin a 2-day conference in Marrakech. * January 14 – W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Special Service Brigades Of The British Army
Special or specials may refer to: Policing * Specials, Ulster Special Constabulary, the Northern Ireland police force * Specials, Special Constable, an auxiliary, volunteer, or temporary; police worker or police officer Literature * ''Specials'' (novel), a novel by Scott Westerfeld * ''Specials'', the comic book heroes, see ''Rising Stars'' (comic) Film and television * Special (lighting), a stage light that is used for a single, specific purpose * ''Special'' (film), a 2006 scifi dramedy * ''The Specials'' (2000 film), a comedy film about a group of superheroes * ''The Specials'' (2019 film), a film by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano * Television special, television programming that temporarily replaces scheduled programming * ''Special'' (TV series), a 2019 Netflix Original TV series * ''Specials'' (TV series), a 1991 TV series about British Special Constables * ''The Specials'' (TV series), an internet documentary series about 5 friends with learning disabilities ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Operation Tombola
During the World War II, Second World War, Operation Tombola was a major raid conducted by the 2 Special Air Service, under the command of SAS Major Roy Farran, and Special Operations Executive's Captain Mike Lees, Michael Lees. The operation was launched prematurely against orders from the Allied 15th Army Group. Planning Fifty men parachuted to the Monte Cusna area (Reggio Emilia) between 4 and 24 March 1945, under command of Major Roy Farran to link up with the Special Operations Executive, SOE mission "Envelope" under the command of Michael Lees. The force liaised Italian resistance movement, Italian Partisans, whose force also included 70 escaped Soviet POWs. On 19 March, two German defectors brought Envelope mission information regarding the location of a German Headquarters (they believed 14th Army (Wehrmacht), 14th Army, but it may have been LI Mountain Corps (Wehrmacht), LI Gebirgs (Mountain) Corps). The German HQ was located in two villas in Botteghe d'A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Operation Samwest
During World War II, Operation Samwest (5–12 June 1944) was a large raid conducted by 116 Free French paratroops of the 4th Special Air Service Regiment. Their objective was to hinder movement of German troops from west Brittany to the Normandy beaches via ambush and sabotage attempts. The first phase of the mission was to establish a secure base on the Breton Peninsula, near St. Brieuc in Duault in the Bretagne Region. Their base was heavily attacked by German troops on 12 June and they were forced to disperse. See also * Operation Dingson * Operation Cooney * Operation Lost During the Second World War, Operation Lost was a reactive seven-man Special Air Service operation inserted into Brittany alongside Operation Dingson on 22–23 June 1944. The team, drawn from officers and men of 37 Military Mission and the SA ... References Airborne operations of World War II Special Air Service Operation Overlord World War II British Commando raids {{World-Wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Operation Loyton
Operation Loyton was the codename given to a Special Air Service (SAS) mission in the Vosges department of France during the Second World War. The mission, between 12 August and 9 October 1944, had the misfortune to be parachuted into the Vosges Mountains, at a time when the German Army was reinforcing the area, against General George Patton's Third Army. As a result, the Germans quickly became aware of their presence and conducted operations to destroy the SAS team. With their supplies running out and under pressure from the German army, the SAS were ordered to form smaller groups to return to Allied lines. During the fighting and breakout operations 31 men were captured and later executed by the Germans. Background The Vosges is a region in north-eastern France close to the German border. In 1944 it was sparsely populated and consisted of wooded hills, valley pastures and small isolated villages, an ideal area for a small mobile raiding force to operate. In late 1944 i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Operation Lost
During the Second World War, Operation Lost was a reactive seven-man Special Air Service operation inserted into Brittany alongside Operation Dingson on 22–23 June 1944. The team, drawn from officers and men of 37 Military Mission and the SAS Brigade, was originally inserted to discover what had happened to the Dingson base after it had been attacked and dispersed by German led rear area security troops. These SAS operations trained and armed local fighters and harassed the defenders as they tried to react to the Overlord landings. The Lost team was active from 23 June to 18 July. The team was commanded by Major Oswald A. J. Cary-Elwes, (a career soldier who subsequently rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel) who was asked to join the SAS by its first Commanding Officer David Stirling. Stirling and Cary-Elwes were friends. The Lost team was given instructions to search for and re-organise irregular French resistance forces formerly in touch with the French SAS, but which ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Operation Houndsworth
Operation Houndsworth was the codename for a British Special Air Service operation during the Second World War. The operation carried out by 'A' Squadron, 1st Special Air Service between 6 June and 6 September 1944, was centred on Dijon in the Burgundy region of France. Their objective was to disrupt German lines of communication, coordinate the activities of the French Resistance and prevent German reinforcements moving to the Normandy beachheads, especially the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich. Background The men involved in Operation Houndsworth were part of the Special Air Service Brigade. The Special Air Service (SAS) was a unit of the British Army during the Second World War, formed in July 1941 by David Stirling and originally called "L" Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade"L" being an attempt at deception implying the existence of numerous such units.Molinari, p.22Haskew, p.39 It was conceived as a commando type force to operate behind enemy lines in the North Afri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Operation Dingson
Operation Dingson (5–18 June 1944) was an operation in the Second World War, conducted by 178 Free French paratroops of the 4th Special Air Service (SAS), commanded by Colonel Pierre-Louis Bourgoin, who jumped into German occupied France near Vannes, Morbihan, Southern Brittany, in Plumelec, on the night of 5 June 1944 (11 h 30) with Captain Pierre Marienne and 17 men, then advanced to Saint-Marcel (8–18 June). At this time there were approximately 100,000 German troops, and artillery, preparing to move to the Normandy landing areas. Immediately upon landing in Brittany, on the night of 5 June 1944 (11 h 30), the Free French SAS who jumped in near Plumelec went into action fighting against German troops (actually, Georgians and Ukrainians). One hour later (0 h 40), the first victim of the liberation of his country, Corporal Émile Bouétard (born 1915 in Brittany) was killed near Plumelec. The Free French SAS established a base (Saint-Marcel) and began to arm and eq ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Operation Cooney
Operation Cooney was the deployment of elements of the 4ème Bataillon d'Infanterie de l'Air - the 4th Free French Parachute Battalion (later renamed ''2ème Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes'') - also known as 4th Special Air Service. On 7 June 1944, the 9 aircraft of 38 Group (including two from No. 297 Squadron RAF), dropped the parachutists. These men were to disrupt enemy communications between West Brittany and the remainder of France, and in all 58 Free French soldiers were dropped on no fewer than 18 undefended drop zones between St. Malo and Vannes. Their goal was to impair the German Army's response to the unfolding invasion of Normandy, Operation Overlord. Breaking into 18 three-man or five-man SAS teams, the commandos scattered throughout Brittany destroying railroad targets. As a sign they had passed through they tied railroad ties around trees. Some raiders then joined the base established by the Dingson team in Saint-Marcel, Morbihan or the base establish ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Operation Bulbasket
Operation Bulbasket was an operation by 'B' Squadron, 1st Special Air Service (SAS), behind the German lines in German occupied France, between June and August 1944. The operation was located to the east of Poitiers in the Vienne department of south west France; its objective was to block the Paris to Bordeaux railway line near Poitiers and to hamper German reinforcements heading towards the Normandy beachheads, especially the 2nd SS Panzer Division – ''Das Reich''. During the course of the operation amongst other things, the SAS men discovered the whereabouts of a petrol supply train, which was destined for the 2nd SS Panzer Division. The supply train was destroyed by Royal Air Force bombers the same night. The Special Air Service team had made their base near Verrieres, the location of which was betrayed to the Germans. In the follow-up attack on their camp, 33 men from the Special Air Service were captured and later executed together with a United States Army Air Force ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
