![]() ![]() This was followed up in March by a raid on Benghazi harbour with limited success although the raiding party did damage 15 aircraft at Al-Berka. Transported by the LRDG, they caused severe damage to the harbour, petrol tanks and storage facilities. Their first mission in 1942 was an attack on Bouerat. The wings, Stirling noted, "Were treated as medals in their own right." 1942 Members of the Free French Squadron during the link-up between advanced units of the First and Eighth British armies in Tunisia. ![]() After three missions, they were worn on the left breast above medal ribbons. The wings were to be worn the right shoulder upon completion of parachute training. SAS pattern parachute wings, designed by Lieutenant Jock Lewes and depicted the wings of a scarab beetle with a parachute. Finally, Stirling settled on " Who Dares Wins," which seemed to strike the right balance of valour and confidence. "Descend to Ascend" seemed inappropriate since parachuting was no longer the primary method of transport. In regard to mottoes, "Strike and Destroy" was rejected as being too blunt. This motif would later be misinterpreted as a winged dagger. Bob Tait, who had accompanied Stirling on the first raid, produced the winning entry: the flaming sword of Excalibur, the legendary weapon of King Arthur. In October 1941, David Stirling had asked the men to come up with ideas for insignia designs for the new unit. Their second mission was more successful transported by the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG), they attacked three airfields in Libya, destroying 60 aircraft without loss. Given a second opportunity L Detachment recruited men from Layforce Commando, which was in the process of disbanding. Due to Axis resistance and adverse weather conditions, the mission was a disaster with 22 men killed or captured (one-third of the men). During the night of 16/17 November 1941, L Detachment attacked airfields at Gazala and Timimi. This parachute drop behind Axis lines was launched in support of Operation Crusader. Following extensive training at Kabrit camp, by the River Nile, L Detachment undertook its first operation, Operation Squatter. The force initially consisted of five officers and 60 other ranks. This deception unit was named K Detachment Special Air Service Brigade, and thus Stirling's unit was designated L Detachment Special Air Service Brigade. At that time, there was already a deception organisation in the Middle East area, which wished to create a phantom airborne brigade to act as a threat to enemy planning. Auchinleck liked the plan and it was endorsed by the Army High Command. Following a meeting with Major-General Neil Ritchie, the Deputy Chief of Staff, he was granted an appointment with the new Commander-in-Chief Middle East, General Claude Auchinleck. 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 Special Air Service began life in July 1941, during the Second World War, from an unorthodox idea and plan by Lieutenant David Stirling (of the Scots Guards) who was serving with No. Second World War SAS patrol in North Africa during the Second World War in SAS jeeps. The SAS has taken part in most of the United Kingdom's wars since then. The Special Air Service then returned to the United Kingdom and were formed into a brigade with two British, two French and one Belgian regiment, and went on to conduct operations in France, Italy again, the Low Countries and finally into Germany.Īfter the war, the SAS were disbanded only to be reformed as a Territorial Army regiment, which then led onto the formation of the regular army 22 SAS Regiment. It includes their early operations in North Africa, the Greek Islands, and the Invasion of Italy. The history of the British Army's Special Air Service (SAS) regiment of the British Army begins with its formation during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, and continues to the present day. ![]()
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