Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

[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

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