What+were+the+major+Special+Forces+of+Britain+in+WWII?

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//** The SAS **//




 * The Special Air Service (SAS) was dreamed up in a hospital bed. David Stirling, a WWII lieutenant injured during parachute training, came up with an idea for a long-range commando force that could operate behind enemy lines. After presenting this as a fictitious group to the Commander of British Forces in Africa and the Middle east, the Commander realized the need for a group like this. David Sterling was promoted and put in charge of this organization ("SAS Combat Handbook" 3) . The group was named this to deceive the Germans into thinking that they were an airborne operation; however, its real purpose was to get behind enemy lines and blow up the planes and airfields (hence the name “Air Service”). **


 * Bob Bennett, one of the two first non- commissioned soldiers in the SAS, shows that they were good at the operations they performed even in its first stages: **

" // We all rolled along to Kabrit, which was a point on the canal that was picked as a camp site and we were on a three tonne truck, we stopped and there was absolutely nothing, no camp, nothing. And David Stirling said, 'well this is it, your first operation will be to steal a camp' and that night we drove down about two miles to a Kiwi camp and the Kiwi's had gone up the desert so the place was empty so we took everything we wanted." //


 * Johnny Cooper, the other non- commissioned soldier, adds this: **

// "We nicked fourteen tents and a piano, we thought it might come in handy but we could never find anybody to play it." //


 * The SAS and LRDG accompanied each other on missions until the SAS received its own Jeeps. The Jeeps were mounted with two Vickers K machine guns or Browning .50-caliber machine guns, which were used in hit-and-run attacks on airfields **** . About five Jeeps would speed down the air strip, shooting at the planes on either side (SASRogues.com). **


 * After the war, the SAS saw deployment Korea, Oman, Bosnia, and many more places (Elite UK Forces). Today, the SAS is Britain's elite counter-terrorist force **** ("SAS Combat Handbook" 3) **** . **

//** LRDG **//




 * The Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) was a reconnaissance group in Africa During World War II. Much like the SAS, the LRDG was created to drive hundreds of miles around the enemy lines and attack from behind, as well as take out enemy bases. Using only sextants, maps, and compasses, the LRDG navigated the desert the same way that the first Europeans navigated the oceans. With 44 gallon fuel cans, multiple jerrycans, water, bombs, ammunition, and other items, these groups were traveling hundreds of miles into the desert. They even had improvised cooling systems on the trucks they drove. They would later see deployment in India as well (LRDG Uniforms and Equipment). **

//**British 1st Airborne Division**//



 * The British 1st Airborne was a British division that often accompanied the American 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions. The "Red Devils" made a famous last stand at Arnhem during Operation Market Garden. The Division was broken up while trying to seize control of a bridge, but continued fighting with little ammo against elements of two Panzer divisions. But this was not met without casualties ; of the 10,005 men who landed, only 2,163 survived . The British 1st also saw action in Tunisia in similar conditions- they were scattered and had to fend for themselves. They marched 60 miles to regain the front lines after destroying a German airfield, fighting German tanks all the way **** (1stairborne.com Battle History) **** . **

by Spencer Marshall