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1st Special Air Service
1st Special Air Service was formed in July 1941 in North Africa as L Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade by David Stirling who commanded 4 officers and 60 men, being renamed 1st SAS in September 1942. In April 1943, the 1st SAS was split into the Special Raiding Squadron and the Special Boat Squadron. They saw action in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and North Western Europe before being disbanded in October 1945.
10th Nov 1941 Orders
10th Nov 1941 Orders
17th Nov 1941 Prisoners
18th Nov 1941 Prisoners
19th Nov 1941 Prisoners
9th Nov 1941 Orders
12th Dec 1941 Raid
1st Jan 1942 Raid
2nd Feb 1942 Captured
Feb 1942 Raid
14th Sep 1942 Prisoner
14th Sep 1942 Raid
10th July 1943 Under Fire
10th July 1943 Enemy Overcome
If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.
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Want to know more about 1st Special Air Service? There are:15 items tagged 1st Special Air Service available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Joe Masson 1st Rgt. SAS My granddad Joe Masson was born in Arbroath and I think he was in the 1st SAS Regiment during WW2.
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Pte. Alexander McLeod B Squadron 1st SAS Regiment (d.7th July 1944) Alexander McLeod was one of thirty members of the B Squadron, 1st SAS Regiment, all 20 year olds and all killed on a special mission, though details not known. They were buried together in the village cemetery at Rom in Deux-Severs 5km west of Couhe-Verac on the D14 road.
Would love to know more of the details surrounding their deaths.
Update
From June to August 1944, B Squadron, 1st SAS was working behind the lines in German-occupied France. They were tasked (Operation Bulbasket) with blocking the Paris-Bourdeaux rail line near Poitiers. This was to hold up any German reinforcements which were needed near the D-day beach heads. The 2nd SS Panzer Group (Das Reich) was a unit which, it was believed, was heading to Normandy and a train carrying fuel intended for them was spotted by the SAS men. This was reported by the SAS and an RAF bombing mission later destroyed the train. B Squadron's base was near Verrieres. It was here that they were betrayed and the camp attacked. Some 33 men were taken prisoner and murdered. Another three wounded SAS men were later murdered in hospital. These murders were carried out in accordance with Hitler's order of 18 October 1942, usually referred to as the `Commando Order', whereby Allied commandos or saboteurs were to be killed without trial. After the war, this was designated a war crime and some Germans were brought to justice.
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Pte. George Gemmell Queens Own Cameron Highlanders My Grandfather George Gemmell enlisted 27.6.1940 in the 5 Bn Cameron Highlanders (TA). On the 24th April 1942 he joined L Det SAS, transferring to
1 SAS (A Squadron) 21.9.1942 to 1.2.1943. On the 10th of March 1943 he rejoined 5 Bn Cameron Highlanders then served with
11 Infantry Holding Bn (attached 9 Bn Seaforth Highlanders) from 1.12.1944 to 1.5.1946. He was released to Army Reserve 15.1.1947 I am interested in the specific battles in which he may have fought.
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