During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, Operation Dunhill was a
Special Air Service operation which began on 3 August 1944. Five teams, totalling 59 men, were to disrupt German activity in advance of
Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra was the codename for an offensive launched by the United States First Army under Lieutenant General Omar Bradley seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Normandy campaign of World War II. The intention was to take adv ...
the American breakout from
Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
.
In the event, four of the teams were relieved by the advancing Americans within twenty-four hours.
The fifth team reported on German movements and secured about 200 Allied airmen before they linked up with the ground forces on 24 August.
Operation Overlord
Special Air Service
World War II British Commando raids
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