My Dad was in the 2nd SAS and served in Italy, he never spoke much about his missions but did say he was a part of a group sent to pick up Mussolini. when they got to the hotel it was surrounded by Germans.

@alexgaras1573

5 ай бұрын

What was the name of the operation?

@RobsSierraCosworth

5 ай бұрын

@@alexgaras1573 I am sorry I do not know, my dad died 30 years ago but he did say that he had seen a TV program about it, and it was so accurate that it must have been someone from his group that gave the info?

@DSAK55

4 ай бұрын

@@alexgaras1573 Lasagna

@roberthodges3646

4 ай бұрын

Look into the Rainbow Div my grandfather was a sgt he was in northern italy why after the war when asked if you were italian were you in northern or southern italy easier to get in if you were from northern because the italians killed ra.ped their own people. He came upon italian soldiers tied them up cut off their... privates let them bleed out what they did to women in northern italy was horrible he did not hate the germans after the war he hated italians he always said never trust this government. Meaning the american one for what he said they can do the same to its citizens and have we are part of one of the oldiest tribes in america.@@RobsSierraCosworth

@Berlitz81

4 ай бұрын

Did your dad ever mention Colonel Blair (Paddy) Mayne?

This story reminds me so much of the old 1965 film Von Ryan's Express, starring Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard. Although it's a very different story, it does involve the escape of Allied prisoners of war from a detention camp in Italy using a commandeered train running through Nazi-controlled territory. I wonder if someone involved in this raid worked on the script or whispered some secrets to one of the writers.

@GLYDR

5 ай бұрын

Great movie

@andrewlongcake6446

5 ай бұрын

all stories have an elimante of truth in them. Its very possible that the writers of the dilm had heard of the raid and thought that would make a good plot

@jimmorrish6771

5 ай бұрын

thought the very same thing

@keithprinn720

5 ай бұрын

often the movie makers made US involved in so many events and ops not involved.

@sanctifiedandsaved5298

5 ай бұрын

Yes, this account sounded like Von Ryan's express in reverse😃

SAS above any other unit. Intelligence with action gave incredible success!!!

All credit to Damien Lewis for his research and writing this story which needs to be told, I am ordering my copy, Damien's book are excellent

If one takes into consideration the insanely disproportionate ratio of unit size to range of missions - achievements - impact on enemy morale and how Stirling's 'baby' essentially became a role model for all the special forces that followed in many countries, I think it's safe to say that the SAS is the most iconic, legendary and impactful unit not only of WWII but of warfare since the dawn of time...

@nedkelly9688

4 ай бұрын

Might want to study Australia Sparrow Force and Special Z Force.. most daring of rowing fold out canoes in to Singapore and sinking Japanese ships was more daring. Sparrow Force most successful longest behind enemy lines of WW2 special Forces had to eat off the land as supplies were barely able to reach them Even today out of 120 Special Z Force missions are top secret classified. Sparrow Force so successful Japanese said needed 10 times the men to defeat them and sent whole Divisions to Timor that were meant for the Aussies on New Guinea. Vietnam Australia SASR were most feared even being named Ma Rung Phantoms of the Jungles and can see why by their missions. their tactics were trained to Navy seals and famous MACV GROM and even members of it who to this day none have publicly gone on interviews and many have tried. British SAS leaders even came to Nui Dat SASR HQ and studied their tactics.. Was a report Stirling came to Australia and studied Sparrow Force tactics.. not all is British SAS lol British SAS changed a tactic of shoot and scoot.. meaning fire and run away once in contact after a investigation of them leaving one dead SAS member behind and leaving a Aussie SASR soldier behind because SASR did not have a tactic or run away and stayed and fought.. he had to evade Indonesians for 2 days and lucky made it to the extraction zone.

@kourtourafi

Ай бұрын

@@highcountrydelatite Why not say toddlers? They are younger and more clueless than kids...

They were the Greatest Generation... we stand on the shoulders of giants. 🇬🇧

This is another in the list of distinguished acts of inventive heroism in the history of The SAS. In re not getting even the famous 'little oak leaf badge' for the effort, at least my old dad, being a staff sergeant in a less glamorous outfit but the same Italian show, got his, for nagging his world-weary captain into letting him drag a Bren gun in a canvas bag a distance forward by night, digging himself in and, with the aid of an improvised (premeditated) blind periscope, shooting up a square encampment of white tents containing some 50 or so each Hitler Youth & Waffen SS officers.. Interestingly, I've seen a photo of the world weary captain, who was my dad's good friend and he looked a lot like E. Blackadder 😅.. Thanks for posting this. I bet those lads, had it been possible, would've been pleased with a Mention In Dispatches, these were highly prized. The gallantry of The SAS is conspicuous, even if the gongs aren't. To all present serving members and all, a belated Happy New Year. ⭐👍

I think the reason this was kept secret is that if you broadcast the success of the mission, then the enemy will take precautions to prevent similar missions in the future. Unfortunately they kept this one so secret that they forgot about it.

Incredible that this remained buried for so long. I was a voracious reader when I was young and I used to get a carefully chosen hardcover book from my father on every birthday. For my 12th (just looked at the inscription - Oct, 1962) he gave me "The Phantom Major", by Virginia Cowles. It tells the story of David Stirling and the formation of the SAS. I almost never reread a book, but I did for that one.

@klackon1

5 ай бұрын

Cracking book, which I read years ago.

@user-jl7wn5nn7p

4 ай бұрын

May. God. Save. The. King& Queen. And. America. Bob13

@nedkelly9688

4 ай бұрын

@@highcountrydelatite Even Stirling came to Australia and studied Sparrow Force and Special Z Force tactics in late 1950's. Sparrow Force was longest behind enemy lines and most successful of all special forces in WW2. Australia SASR still to this day are most elite at jungle warfare and long recon units in the world those tactics what made them most feared in Vietnam also. And even in Afghanistan held record for longest out on patrol special forces of 50 days straight, Have to wonder if SASR did what Bravo Two Zero did in Iraq if would of succeeded in the mission. They did similar in Iraq 2003 inside Iraq on 18th 2 days before invasion with no losses or any incidents..

@nedkelly9688

4 ай бұрын

@@highcountrydelatite Nice need more telling Australia stories as even today most think USA did more in South Pacific then Australia. Yes Navy and Airforce but ground troops Australia outnumbered USA until Germany war was over and then they flooded in

@e.chambers2973

6 күн бұрын

A hagiography and a David Stirling puff piece (The Virginia Cowles' effort) according to Gavin Mortimer. He convincingly dissects Stirling in his book, David Stirling The Phoney Major: the Life, Times and Truth about the Founder of the SAS. Claims David Stirling, a charming idea man short on execution abilities, mischeviously elevated his role in SAS history by minimizing and in some cases ignoring the efforts and importance of his own brother, Bill, and Blair (Paddy) Mayne.

Not British, but I've always had massive respect for the SAS.

My father was in the Desert and he said the Higher ups had no time for the SAS and listening to this I think he was correct If this had been the paras or the Commandos the story would have been told long before now

@charlieyerrell9146

5 ай бұрын

The higher ups in the British army were an ignorant bunch of armchair officers. After the wars end we now know that some of them were the most useless officers in the British army.

@abody499

5 ай бұрын

nonsense. it was behind enemy lines raids that won north africa and let them move on to sicily. if any higher ups "had no time" for them, it was through jealousy of losing good soldiers to other units.

@Jeffybonbon

5 ай бұрын

I think your answer is infront of you the SAS was just about disbanded after WW2 why was that who cut them back and why I quote this as factAt the end of the war the British government saw no further need for the force and disbanded it on 8 October 1945 @@abody499

@sugarkane4830

5 ай бұрын

Of course they had no time for them. Because they were mavericks and didn’t have a lot of time for authority. And thank goodness for them.

@Jeffybonbon

5 ай бұрын

They were different from any other unit and thats why they were so special the staff at the time were old school guardsmen ect who did not understand the work they would carry out and i think envy was at the bottom of the issues @@sugarkane4830

Keeping the SAS, SBS, reconnaissance or any other special forces group secretive is pretty important and the British seemed to have sussed this. Nobody had really heard of the SAS until the Iranian hostage seige for instance

@abody499

5 ай бұрын

I knew about them before that. It's not "nobody".

@plebius

5 ай бұрын

Their exploits were widely published. Raids were used for propaganda all the time by both sides. They were then widely known, however all their exploits weren't published. There is a big difference. For example Operation Chariot was widely purported to be a failure at the time by the Germans. They ran a broadcast on the radio explaining how it failed and had Soldiers from the SAS being interviewed on it. (There is some murkiness in this, as the soldiers claim that they thought they were being interviewed by the Red Cross for sending messages home and were being recorded secretly.) This whole propaganda by the Germans at the time was a bluff as they had knocked the Docks out of use when the HMS Campbeltown blew up.

@H4CK61

5 ай бұрын

HOW?​@@highcountrydelatite

@seedy80

5 ай бұрын

Meanwhile, every SEAL has a book deal as part of their enlistment.

@midas61

5 ай бұрын

Absolute rubbish. The SAS were well known over here in the UK I was reading about them when I was a kid in the 1960's

Operations are often classified for periods of 50, 80 or 100 years not just for National Security but often for the safety and security of those who took part and their families, children and grandchildren for years after.

@IHZ3185

5 ай бұрын

Almost correct

@cacambo589

5 ай бұрын

...and to avoid prosecutions?!?

@stuartmccall5474

5 ай бұрын

@@cacambo589 : Just be glad there are shadowy people that allow you to sleep soundly in bed at night.

@EeeEee-bm5gx

5 ай бұрын

​@@stuartmccall5474lol. Maybe caca is the one who doesn't sleep soundly knowing that SAS may raid concentration camps he supports

@nedkelly9688

4 ай бұрын

Special Z Force WW2 over 120 missions and only 2 or 3 are public and rest are still classified. google say only operated in Pacific region but they did missions in Malaysia and Phillipines also. Australia SASR are ranked 9th and barely mentioned but even Vietnam were most feared of all and nicknamed Ma Rung by Vietnamese. Iraq 2003 SASR were inside Iraq on 18th 2 days before invasion only made public not long ago and still barely talked about. Afghanistan SASR not talked about and some say are rubbish but heavily awarded by USA with medals of honor and gallantry awards. .Even Australia 2nd Commando unit who recently had 2nd longest sniper record is barely spoken about Australia very secret.

But why was this raid carried out? The SAS were used to attack targets of military value. This raid is very different indeed. There must have been people in this concentration camp who had real value for the war effort. That's the real gem of information and it's missing. What was the purpose of the raid? If it was purely humanitarian, then it would have been publicized.

@tombristowe846

5 ай бұрын

It all sounds a bit over-hyped to me.

@rowanshole

5 ай бұрын

Someone very important they couldn't risk taking out alone and having easily identified if they were recaptured- "oh- who is this person you did all of this to rescue"- so they took the whole crew.

@DanBeech-ht7sw

5 ай бұрын

@@rowanshole but why the secrecy after all this time?

@tombristowe846

5 ай бұрын

Guys; there's a difference between evidence and what might be called "constructing a narrative around known facts". I suspect it was just a small affair in the middle of a huge operation.

@DanBeech-ht7sw

5 ай бұрын

@@tombristowe846 like enough, but it's a very odd mission for the war time SAS who were used to damage the enemy's ability to wage war. I don't doubt that this raid happened, or that it achieved its objectives. But for the life of me I don't see what the military result was.

There have been so many full feature films depicting heroic events during WWII both purely fictional and based on true events but this one was apparently swept under the carpet, or at least into a corner and forgotten about. It's time this was mission is filmed and the true story shown to the whole world. In a world where fascism and authoritoryism is on the uprise it must be shown to be possible that a small unit of heroes can make an enormous impact. The heroic efforts of Ukrainians during this ongoing war with Russia are starting to be filmed now , so someone has to get in quick, verify the mission, collect the history and data, write a script and produce the film. Events like these should never be forgotten.

@JelMain

5 ай бұрын

My friends in the Regiment (I'm an oddity, they asked me to join them, I said no because their political leadership had killed the guy whose job I was to fill) would hate that. The amount of fake macho that surrounds them is not their way.

@scallopohare9431

5 ай бұрын

Ya just had to bring current events into this. Could you not just appreciate the accomplishment?💩

@laurencehastings7473

5 ай бұрын

@@scallopohare9431 It's because I appreciate the accomplishment that I think it should be brought to the attention of everyone now, not lie forgotten somewhere and the best way to do that now would be a film or documentary.

@norbertrossi7925

5 ай бұрын

Ron Munsterman includes a depiction of this event in his fictional WWII “Sgt. Dunn” series.

@beverleyparkey6388

5 ай бұрын

@@norbertrossi7925 looked it up and adding to my list. Thanks for sharing. Saw recent obit for Mike Sadler. Last of SAS died at 103.

Now I need to go watch "Von Ryan's Express" again for about the hundredth time....

Just when you think your sick of Britain and what its become...... you here tale like this..... makes you proud to be british again. It makes me think we can be that proud nation we once was. Regardless of your race we stand united and this tiny island will overcome anything!

@YARROWS9

5 ай бұрын

The SAS, was all British hands to the pumps🇬🇧.🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿☘️🇬🇧🇬🇧

@NiSiochainGanSaoirse

5 ай бұрын

Speak for yourself. The Bradford I knew and loved is as divided as it can get, and yes, race IS a huge dividing factor.

@petermoreton5313

5 ай бұрын

'Once were' - not 'once was' - PLEASE.

@philipprice171

5 ай бұрын

​@@petermoreton5313Oh Peter, stop picking nits and instead concentrate on the sentiment of the post. Regards

@brianpilley3801

5 ай бұрын

Kiwis and Aussies plus others also.

I tried reading the book, and it meanders around so much, that it was difficult to find out what the raid actually was/was about. Gave up. So nice to get this where it is all described succinctly.

Fantastic thanks for the report on this daring operation!

But what about the prisoners liberated? Wouldn't they have spoken out about it beforehand?

Great men of our time!

it's one thing not giving medals at the time - but surely medals should have been awarded at the end of the war?

@user-qx9fy8gu1w

5 ай бұрын

The SAS were disbanded after the war, they weren't like by the top brass. Paddy Mayne was never given a VC when he probably earned the right to 3. They were seen as thieves, pirates, chancers who went against the stiff upper lip Sandhurst tradition. They were appalled that Mayne shot a load a German pilots eating their dinner one night in their mess. Never mind that these same pilots would be shooting down Allied planes and Soldiers the very next morning. They basically embarrassed the officer class in North Africa and Italy with what they achieved in small numbers. They got away with it because Churchill loved their unorthodox tactics and organisations like SOE. The SAS caused more damage on foot in small jeeps then what the RAF did in the air in North Africa.

This needs to be done as a movie. It'll give the chaps involved the recognition that they so thoroughly deserve.

@raypurchase801

5 ай бұрын

Couldn't make the movie today unless Idris Elba played the commander. With a subplot about transgender SAS soldiers seeking acceptance in the face of transphobia.

@j.johnson3520

4 ай бұрын

😅 That's a bit jaded. I can't see the next Bond movie reflecting that. But I get your point.

@robsilvester3068

4 ай бұрын

Impossible it would have include a transgender major, 3 black troopers and a non -binery medic.

@j.johnson3520

4 ай бұрын

So that means that the gay medic in the movie Wild Geese was quite forward thinking for a seventies movie. It hadn't even crossed my mind. But proves it was being done nearly 50 years ago. I think a movie that simply reflects the reality would suffice.

@robsilvester3068

4 ай бұрын

@@j.johnson3520 sas mission was ww2 wild geese was 70s, it was legal then.

More please This was brilliant

Amazing story! Thanks for sharing it.

I would still like to see a film based on Christopher Lee The famous actors involvement was with the SAS during the war and after too. From what i have read, he was the real deal, just incredible story you would never had guessed or knew about.

Absolutely amazing , truly the stuff of legends , and nobody knew about it until now .

I am so glad see this video. Kudos to those brave men. This made my day.

A tale of true heroes.

Needs to be a movie

This should surely be made into a film, depicting the heroic actions of those involved.

@darkmatter6714

4 ай бұрын

SAS Rogue Heroes - mini series on BBC

@liamato1

4 ай бұрын

@@darkmatter6714, I saw that, very enjoyable. I was suggesting a film about that rescue operation, it’s incredible.

A brilliant operation hidden for far too long. Excellent post.

Wow, what a story, what bravery and what a subject for the book and a block buster film.

I have always admired the audacious exploits of the WW2 SAS, and this raid is yet another example, but I take exception to the suggestion that there was "nothing else like it" in WW2. What about the Slovene Partisans, Special Operations Executive (SOE), and MI9 raid at Ožbalt in Aug. 1944? And the Filipino guerrilla and 11th Airborne Division raid on Los Baños in Feb. 1945?

@dravmtp385

5 ай бұрын

Well the guy being interviewed isn't promoting a book he wrote about any of those, so take his hyperbole with a large serving of salt

@nedkelly9688

4 ай бұрын

Also Australia Special Z Force Operation Jaywick rowed little fold out canoes in to Singapore sinking 4 Japanese ships. think weight was 30,000 tonnes. Did over 120 missions throughout Pacific Asia and still most are classified. Australia Sparrow Force said to be most successful longest behind enemy lines of any special forces of WW2 18 men against whole Divisions of Japanese doing jungle warfare. they had to eat off the land even at times sat hiding waiting for Japanese to cook food before killing them all and sitting and eating their food. Australia SASR still train to do long recon missions and eating off the land and became most feared and successful in Vietnam because of this. Europe, Africa special force missions look like normal battle missions compared to Pacific war. Food was not a issue so much in Europe.

@floydisnutz8443

4 ай бұрын

And look what Australians have become. Sad. Just like the British.

Absolutely fabulous

What a terrific video.

Such an utterly amazing feet of heroism and panache! The families of these brave souls should be alerted of their family's significant history, ancestry and pride. When I learned of my great grandfather's deeds, Medal of Honor and then my own father's medal received for saving lives,.. it warms my heart to know I'm from, represent and stand for a family legacy worthy of handing down giving strength to those that follow. Absolutely brilliant story of history!

what a great story

Wow! That really should be made into a movie!

This absolutely needs to be a movie.

Will never know all that they did

I read one of Damian Lewis’s SAS books once. He’s very given to over the top hyperbole, which belittles the actual achievements of the men he’s writing about. Avoid.

@copferthat

5 ай бұрын

Is hyperbole possible when dealing with such men and their exploits?

That is an incredible story. Reminds me of the mission to free. I think it was MacArthur‘s son or nephew, or son-in-law, in the Philippines, which did not go over near as smoothly as this one. Would love to hear more.

@kiwifruit27

5 ай бұрын

Sounds like Pattons mission to rescue his son in law in Europe. It didn’t go so well though

Real life Howling Commandos

I find it curious that the reason claimed for there being no record, decorations etc. is to stop people demonizing the Germans and increasing their resistance, given that at the Casablanca conference, held in January of that year, so many months before, had called for 'unconditional surrender' from the Axis powers. This, combined with the oath of loyalty to Hitler personally that each serviceman had to make, pretty much guaranteed that this was already pretty much guaranteed that same result.

@robbie9629

5 ай бұрын

I agree, his explanation does not ring true.

All involved, should be given the recognition they deserve 🙏🙏🇦🇺👍

This is brilliant what a story great 👍 ❤😂😊

WOW. What a discovery.

This will be a great movie!

Fantastic story!

Amazing story about some amazing people

I remember reading a book called the phamtom magor when i was a young teen i will allways remember paddy mayne and david sterling a lot of old photos in it as well.

RIP Mike Sadler. Til Valhalla.

Rogue Heroes II, Please! Thankyou

Amazing history 🇬🇧🇨🇵

Remarkable!

this needs to be a movie

@marvinc9994

5 ай бұрын

But Hollywood would insist on certain 'changes' - and I'm sure you can picture them with your mind's eye!

What men they were. Such flair and heroism.

Incredible.

Fascinating story. Did anyone see the light anomaliws behind the speaker? There were loads of orbs!

There are missions that will remain unacknowledged in the official record, that is the nature of these operations. And not just special forces. A modern opponent would glean information from the the details of the conduct, so satisfying the curiosity of the public is a balancing act.

@The Operations Room you've got to cover this

That would make a great film.

I would be interested to know how the conditions in the Italian concentration camp at Pisticci compared with those at Ferramonte. The latter, in the "toe" of Italy, was quickly liberated during the Allied invasion of the Italian mainland: conditions there were more benign than in German or Russian concentration camps.

@TheRealNeill

4 ай бұрын

One fact that's little known is that conditions in Italian POW camps were often extremely poor. It wasn't just because the Italians were short of food etc. Former inmates said the guards were particularly cruel and often withheld food. Many Allied POWs were glad when they were transferred to German camps after Italy's surrender.

Reminded me also of Von Ryan's Express, but it would still be a good movie.

Now that needs to be made into a movie..... Rock Solid BALLS

You never tell the enemy how you defeated them, because your next enemy will learn from the mistakes of your last enemy and they will defeat you with that knowledge.

Thanks for this nice report, about a great mission. There is a precedent: The Great Locomotive Raid of 1862, during the American Civil War.

Sounds like a bit like Von Ryan's express in a way.

@patryan1375

5 ай бұрын

@thebooster14. Don't you mean that Von Ryan's Express is like this raid? The movie is fiction.

I used to cook for a gentleman called Angel Garcia but later changed his name to Patino. He was born in Liverpool to spannish parents. He was in the SAS during WW2. His wife told me he was one of the first to join. He used to get a Christmas hamper off the SAS association every year. There would be a card with it with a picture of David Stirling on the front and a message inside of it. I never heard Angel speak until his wife said to him, "Who is this?" He replied, "The boss meaning David Stirling. She said he won an MM, which I did see. He lost his list his lower left leg if I remember rightly but I'm not sure where, though Arnham comes to mind. We got on very well as I am my self an ex Welsh Guardsman. I did see photos of Angel in the SAS, but I could never find his name anywhere. I did show him a photo of Paddy Mayne, and he just let a long breath out and smiled and nodded his head.

What incredible bravery!

The original and the best. The boys from Stirling lines.

Paddy Mayne an Ulsterman to be proud of

I know the sas are like a stealth unit, but can they call in an air strike if need or air support.

@eventingcrazy

5 ай бұрын

Yes. Current SF work in conjunction with the Special Forces Support Group who have forward air controllers as part of their number.

Yes we know now a lot more about Mac Sog in Nam. As books can now be written. Crazy what they did

Goes to show that those 80s action movies weren't that far fetched after all 😅

That guys logic as to why this was kept secret is totally flawed. It was already public knowledge about the concentration camps when this happened. Successes like this would demoralise the enemy which is the opposite of what this guy thinks. Someone needs to dig deeper into this and find the real reason behind it being kept secret for all these years.

@Trebor74

5 ай бұрын

Pretty simple,the only reason the Brits would know would be a leak. That could lead to the Germans searching for a source and that could lead to them finding out about ultra intercepts. It almost happened after Churchill reported the death camps and the amount of deaths that had occurred in them. That's the Reason no more reporting on death camps was allowed.

@Squeamous

5 ай бұрын

Their exploits were supposed to be secret. Nobody was supposed to know who it was coming out of nowhere from the darkness.

@wessexdruid7598

5 ай бұрын

'This guy' - Damien Lewis - is a war correspondent and author, who has had long-term access to SAS archives. He has long-standing and deep knowledge of both historic and current SF operations, has many contacts in SF and many books about the SAS and UK Special Operations to his name. What's your expertise?

@midas61

5 ай бұрын

@@wessexdruid7598 Doesn't change what I said. Read it again.

@wessexdruid7598

5 ай бұрын

'midas61 replied: "Wessex Druid "this guy" that makes the comments I refer to in the video is NOT Damian Lewis. You should probably be quiet as you obviously have NO idea what you are talking about." ' Ah - so you can't spell, either.

I can understand keeping quiet until wars end, for the reasons you mention, but not 80 years.

Great heros, amazing men.

What was the name of the operation?

We need the movie

wow !

I immediately thought of the parallels with the plot for the Frank Sinatra 1965 movie, Von Ryan's Express, which I always was better than critics gave it credit. It even had an evil Italian camp commander and the escape was by train.

God bless them everyone.

Italian guards vs the SAS, that must have been messy.

What an incredible story of real derring do,as they say fact is stranger than fiction.👍

Real heroes ❤

Rogue Heroes season 2 is about the Italian campaign, so I expect a reenactment of this operation

It's actually old news. There was an article about it in World War II magazine about Patty Mayne that referenced it.

@patryan1375

5 ай бұрын

@rightsaidfilm2023 His name was not PATTY. He was from Northern Ireland, hence he was called PADDY

“But who ye in rotten rags, you’re dirty, bearded and blocking the way……we are the pilgrims master….and we will go always a little further”

The MoD owes these men official recognition, through awards, memorials etc...

Fortune favors the bold. Cool story.

Bravissimi eroi 👍👌✌️💯

Wondering which actor they favor to play Sterling in the movie? Damian Lewis? Don't know why that name popped into my mind!

I have never heard this story before. It could have been the plot Von Ryan’s Express was based on. How many other stories like this one are still unknown 80 years on

Sounds like the movie Von Ryan’s Express

Cool.

Not bad ⚡️

The pride and joy of my knife collection is an sas Fairbairn Sykes Dagger that served in North Africa and Italy. Given to me by it’s owner’s granddaughter

Yes, i dont get the reason for it unless there was someone or ones that were important in the camp. SOE or resistance personnel who had been lifted?