SAS TOUGHEST MISSIONS
THE LIBERATION OF FRANCE 1944
In the build up to and aftermath of the Normandy landings, several SAS squadrons entered German territory and caused mayhem for the enemy, destroying weapons, supplies and communication and transport lines
In March 1944, SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force) issued the SAS its operational instructions for D-Day. The brigade (now made up of 1SAS, 2SAS, two French regiments, 3 & 4, and a company of Belgian soldiers) would parachute into Normandy between the landing beaches and the German reserves 36 hours ahead of the main invasion. Their mission was to stop three Panzer divisions of reserves from reaching the beaches after the landings began. Recognising this was an impossible mission, Lieutenant Colonel Bill Stirling demanded that the SAS should operate in occupied France similar to their methods in North Africa, attacking the lines of communication, liaising with the French resistance and hampering German reinforcements.
On 28 May, 21 Army Group issued an amended order for the brigade to replace the original order two months earlier. The SAS would carry out 43 missions in France, all but one entailing the insertion of SAS units deep behind enemy lines.
“THEIR MISSION WAS TO STOP THREE PANZER DIVISIONS OF RESERVES FROM REACHING THE BEACHES”
01 OPERATION HOUNDSWORTH
The first major mission into Occupied France was codenamed Houndsworth, and involved A Squadron. Its aim was to cut the railway lines between Lyon and Paris, train groups of Maquis in the area, and generally disrupt enemy activity as much as possible. As the Allied invasion fleet prepared to sail for the Normandy beaches on the night of 5 June, a small number of A Squadron landed in the countryside of the Massif
