SPECIAL
AIR SERVICE (S.A.S.) OPERATIONS WORLD WAR 2
[Source:
Wikipedia - List of SAS Operations]
The Special
Air Service began life in July 1941, the brainchild of Lieutenant David
Stirling of No. 8 (Guards) Commando. His idea was for small teams of
parachute trained soldiers to operate behind enemy lines to gain intelligence,
destroy enemy aircraft and attack their supply and reinforcement routes.
The SAS carried out this role until the end of the war serving in a
number of theatres and campaigns. By the end of the Second World War
on 8 May 1945, the SAS had suffered 330 casualties, but had killed or
wounded 7,733 and captured 23,000 of their enemies.
North
Africa
- Operation
Crusader, initial unsuccessful raid.
-
Operation Squatter, 16/17 November 1941, raid on forward Axis airfields
in North Africa.
-
Operation Green Room
-
Operation Agreement - Tobruk 13 to 14 September 1942
-
Operation Bigamy, September 1942, raid on the Port of Benghazi.
-
Operation Palmyra
Mediterranean
- Operation
Albumen, 7/8 June 1942, 4/5 July 1943, raids on Axis airfields in
Crete.
- Operation
Husky, July 1943, Allied invasion of Sicily.
- Operation
Chestnut, July 1943, raids supporting Sicily invasion.
- Operation
Narcissus, July 1943, capture of lighthouse in Sicily.
- Operation
Avalanche, Allied invasion of Italy.
- Begonia/Jonquil,
October 1943, rescue of POW's in Italy.
- Operation
Candytuft, October 1943, raid on railroad targets in Italy.
- Operation
Maple Driftwood 1944, raid of railroad targets in Italy.
- Operation
Baobab, January 1944, raid on rail targets serving Anzio, Italy.
- Operation
Galia, December 1944 - February 1945, 34 men from 3 Squadron, 2 SAS,
parachuted into northern Italy, conducted operations alongside local
resistance fighters.
North-West Europe
- Operation
Overlord, June 6, 1944, Allied invasion of North-West Europe.
- Operation
Titanic, June 6, 1944.
- Operation
Nelson, June 1944, operation in the Orleans Gap.
- Operation
Samwest, 6 June 1944, 4th SAS Battalion (Free French) dropped in Côtes-du-Nord
(Brittany).
- Operation
Grog /Grog, 4 SAS in conjunction with Operations Dingson and Samwest
June 5, 1944.
- Operation
Dingson, 6 June 1944, 4th SAS Battalion (Free French) dropped to Morbihan
(Brittany).
- Operation
Bulbasket, 2nd SAS failed operation 6 June 1944.
- Operation
Cooney, 8 June 1944, 18 teams of the 4th SAS Battalion (58 Free French)
dropped to Brittany to break communications ways.
- Operation
Houndsworth, June 1944.
- Operation
Lost, 23 June - July 1944, British and Free French operation in Brittany
- Operation
Swan, 1944.
- Operation
Gain, 1944 (Originally issued as Operation Cain but corrupted in transmission
and the latter adopted).
- Operation
Defoe, July 1944, patrols in Normandy.
- Operation
Barker, 1944, (originally issued as Operation Barkers as it is named
for a famous London department store, but subsequently truncated).
- Operation
Derry, 1944.
- Operation
Gaff, July 1944, attempt to kill or capture Erwin Rommel.
- Operation
Dunhill, August 1944, raid in support of the breakout from the Normandy
beachhead.
- Operation
Loyton, August 1944, operations near the Belfort Gap.
- Operation
Haggard, (Part of a series of randomly allocated cryptonyms derived
from famous writers).
- Operation
Newton, August 1944, attacks on German rear areas.
- Operation
Noah, August 1944, attack on retreating Germans in Belgium.
- Operation
Canuck, January 1945 operation in Northern Italy.
- Operation
Cold Comfort, February 1945 failed SAS raid on railroad targets near
Verona.
- Operation
Brake, (part of a series of operations named after parts of aircraft).
- Operation
Tombola, March 1945, major operation around Bologna.
- Operation
Archway, March 1945, reconnaissance in support of the crossing of
the Rhine.
- Operation
Amherst, In the night of 7 April 1945, more than 700 Free French SAS
of the 3rd and 4th SAS were dropped in the Netherlands between Hoogeveen
and Groningen.
- Operation
Keystone, April 1945, operation near IJsselmeer.
- Operation
Howard, April–May 1945, B and C Squadrons of 1 SAS, provided
reconnaissance ahead of the Canadian 4th Armoured Division's drive
towards northern Germany.
Chronological
Order
Arena |
Operation |
North
Africa |
Operation
Squatter, 16/17 November 1941, raid on forward Axis airfields in
North Africa. |
North
Africa |
Operation
Green Room |
North
Africa |
Operation
Crusader, initial unsuccessful raid. |
Mediterranean |
Operation
Albumen, 7/8 June 1942, 4/5 July 1943, raids on Axis airfields in
Crete. |
North
Africa |
Operation
Agreement - Tobruk 13 to 14 September 1942 |
North
Africa |
Operation
Bigamy, September 1942, raid on the Port of Benghazi. |
North
Africa |
Operation
Palmyra |
Mediterranean |
Operation
Husky, July 1943, Allied invasion of Sicily. |
Mediterranean |
Operation
Chestnut, July 1943, raids supporting Sicily invasion. |
Mediterranean |
Operation
Narcissus, July 1943, capture of lighthouse in Sicily. |
Mediterranean |
Operation
Avalanche, Allied invasion of Italy. |
Mediterranean |
Begonia/Jonquil,
October 1943, rescue of POW's in Italy. |
Mediterranean |
Operation
Candytuft, October 1943, raid on railroad targets in Italy. |
Mediterranean |
Operation
Maple Driftwood 1944, raid of railroad targets in Italy. |
Mediterranean |
Operation
Baobab, January 1944, raid on rail targets serving Anzio, Italy. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Overlord, June 6, 1944, Allied invasion of North-West Europe. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Titanic, June 6, 1944. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Nelson, June 1944, operation in the Orleans Gap. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Samwest, 6 June 1944, 4th SAS Battalion (Free French) dropped in
Côtes-du-Nord (Brittany). |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Grog /Grog, 4 SAS in conjunction with Operations Dingson and Samwest
June 5, 1944. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Dingson, 6 June 1944, 4th SAS Battalion (Free French) dropped to
Morbihan (Brittany). |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Bulbasket, 2nd SAS failed operation 6 June 1944. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Houndsworth, June 1944. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Lost, 23 June - July 1944, British and Free French operation in
Brittany |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Defoe, July 1944, patrols in Normandy. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Gaff, July 1944, attempt to kill or capture Erwin Rommel. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Cooney, 8 June 1944, 18 teams of the 4th SAS Battalion (58 Free
French) dropped to Brittany to break communications ways. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Dunhill, August 1944, raid in support of the breakout from the Normandy
beachhead. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Loyton, August 1944, operations near the Belfort Gap. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Haggard, (Part of a series of randomly allocated cryptonyms derived
from famous writers). |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Newton, August 1944, attacks on German rear areas. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Noah, August 1944, attack on retreating Germans in Belgium. |
Mediterranean |
Operation
Galia, December 1944 - February 1945, 34 men from 3 Squadron, 2
SAS, parachuted into northern Italy, conducted operations alongside
local resistance fighters. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Swan, 1944. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Gain, 1944 (Originally issued as Operation Cain but corrupted in
transmission and the latter adopted). |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Barker, 1944, (originally issued as Operation Barkers as it is named
for a famous London department store, but subsequently truncated). |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Derry, 1944. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Canuck, January 1945 operation in Northern Italy. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Cold Comfort, February 1945 failed SAS raid on railroad targets
near Verona. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Brake, (part of a series of operations named after parts of aircraft). |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Tombola, March 1945, major operation around Bologna. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Archway, March 1945, reconnaissance in support of the crossing of
the Rhine. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Amherst, In the night of 7 April 1945, more than 700 Free French
SAS of the 3rd and 4th SAS were dropped in the Netherlands between
Hoogeveen and Groningen. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Keystone, April 1945, operation near IJsselmeer. |
North-West
Europe |
Operation
Howard, April–May 1945, B and C Squadrons of 1 SAS, provided reconnaissance
ahead of the Canadian 4th Armoured Division's drive towards northern
Germany. |
Last updated:
16 February, 2022
|