The WW2 Hero You've Never Heard Of (WW2 Documentary)
In April 1945 the Second World War in Europe was drawing to an end. In Italy, more than two years of bitter fighting had led the Allies to the gates of the last German stronghold, Bologna. In a bid to outflank that last bastion, British forces would launch an attack through the stoutly defended ‘Argenta Gap’. Supporting those efforts was a legendary figure of the Second World War, Major Anders Lassen. Already holding three Victoria Crosses, he would lead a small team on a raid which would prove to be his last. This is the incredible story of his final mission.
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Written References:
T. Harder, Special Forces Hero - Anders Lassen (2021)
T. Harder, Anders Lassens Krig (2020)
S. Lassen, Anders Lassen VC (1965)
M. Kofod-Hansen, ‘Andy’ (1989)
G. Mortimer, the Special Boat Squadron in WW2 (2013)
Sources:
Lassen Family Collection (courtesy S. Lassen)
Commando Vewterans Archive (www.commandoveterans.org/)
Find My Past (FMP)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Archive (CWGC)
US National Archives (NARA)
The National Archives, Kew (TNA)
GEOlayers 3
Google Earth Pro & Web Versions
- Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-313-1003-16A / Vack / CC-BY-SA 3.0
- Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-316-1161-22A / Vack / CC-BY-SA 3.0
- Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-478-2162-32A / Coernig / CC-BY-SA 3.0
- Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-479-2194-05 / Brünning / CC-BY-SA 3.0
- Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-J15460 / Lüthge / CC-BY-SA 3.0
Credits:
Research: Shane Greer & Dan Hill
Historical Research: Thomas Harder
Script & Narration: Shane Greer & Dan Hill
Editing: Shane Greer
Thumbnail Design: Linus Klassen
Image Optimization: Linus Klassen
Music & Sound Effects: Epidemic Sounds
Voiceovers: Hugo Salter
"The british had lost a special forces legend, but the [parents] lost a son" Very well done - this one line hits particularly hard. Thanks for making another great video :)
Thanks for the kind comment. We are delighted you enjoyed it!
Finally he gets his recognition in a bigger forum. Anders Lassen, one of the two Danes who have received the VC. The second in the First World War, Thomas Dinesen, son of Wilhelm Dinesen, writer, officer, adventurer and politician who took part in the 1st and 2nd Schleswig War as well as the Franco-German War, brother of Karen Blixen, is indeed also worthy of a story.👍👍👍
Thanks for the suggestion! We'll take that into consideration.
@BattleGuideVT Please do!! 🙏 I'd love to see a video (and movie) of the most highly decorated NCO in the Commonwealth: Corporal William Coltman VC DCM* MM* - a contentious objector who was a stretcher bearer in the front lines of WWI. His unbelievable, consistent, acts of gallantry are evidenced by his decorations. 👍
Actually, there are four Danes: Percy Howard Hansen - 1915, Jørgen Christian Jensen 1917, Thomas Dinesen - brother of Karen Blixen and Anders Lassen.
@@mochtegerndane7097The first two were perhaps Danish in origin, Percy Howard Hansen and Jørgen Christian Jensen; but were they also danish citizen?
I'm Danish and this makes me proud.
My Great Uncle was Sgt Sean O'Reilly (MM), one of the Irish Patrol. From what I've read, Lassen and he were quite close. Uncle Sean was shot in the shoulder at Commachio that day and taken out of the war. I only know so much about him because of the books and documentaries about Lassen and the SBS. My Great Uncle was in his early 40's at the time and I read in one book, "Sgt O'Reilly wasn't scared of much, but he was scared of Lassen!" Thanks for posting this BG. It's good to keep reminding ourselves of the sacrifice these men made.
Thanks for the comment and sharing your story!
Hello, my Gt Uncle was Martin 'Gyppo' Conby (MM) and he was great friends with Sean O'Reilly as they were both in the Irish Patrol together for over 2 years. . There is a photo of them together after the raid, with all the injured survivors and another 2 of them together in the book by Gavin Mortimer , The SBS in World War 2. Next week I am visiting Comaccio and this video has been a great help in visualising where the landing took place .
@Doyley1966-ot2vu Hi. Thanks for replying. Good to meet you. Yes, I know your family name well. I'm the proud owner of both books. Among the few possessions I have of Uncle Sean are around 40 photos, including a 3"x2" copy of the hospital photo you refer to. I have seen a number of the others published as well. I imagine several copies were made at the time and distributed. If you don't have it, The Filibusters by John Lodwick would interest you. Several mentions of the Irish Patrol and your Great Uncle by name. It seems they served in Libya together as well as The Aegean. A force to be reckoned with! I hope the Commachio trip goes well. I've only looked at the area on Google Street View, but it's on the bucket list for a visit.
@@polonium13 Hi again ,the trip to Comaccio went well and was fascinating , if somewhat different today as it was then , I got an idea of what and where abouts it all happened. I wonder how it would be possible to contact you as I have had a reply to you removed , regards Adrian
Lucky enough to serve as a very junior NCO with David Sutherland and Ian Lapraik in the early 70's, these men were a breed apart. It breaks my heart to know what they would feel to see the state of our armed forces and indeed our whole country now.
Thanks for the comment and sharing your story!
A couple of decades ago I was on a train from Sophia to Varna onbthe black sea, Bulgaria. We stopped at a station called Thompson. It was written in Cyrillic so I couldn't quite believe it. It's named after a very young special forces leader who wax executed in uniform while working with partisans in the area. Google it... see the honour a town gave him...
Lassen is without question one of the bravest special forces soldiers that ever served. Damien Lewis has written a fantastic book covering his exploits and the early days of the SAS SBS SOE , the ministry of ungentlemanly warfare. Fantastic read for thoae interested
Thanks for the recommendation!
Damien Lewis has written a few great books on the SF boys. Another I would recommend is Band of Brothers 👍. He has also given some great talks/interviews on Paul Woodage’s excellent WW2TV channel. Highly recommended for those with a serious interest in all areas of WW2 history 👍
Being made in to a film by Guy Ritchie staring Henry Cavill
@@BattleGuideVT There is a great biography of Anders Lassen, i have a feeling it had input from his wife, but cannot remember the title. I think it was translated from Danish.
@@nigeh5326yes anything written by Damien Lewis on the SAS is well worth reading. I have a number of books by him and most I've read at least twice, in not three times.
A real bloody Viking this man was
Thank you for your comment!
My grandfather served with Anders and was interviewed and mentioned in his book.
Thank you for telling the story of Anders Lassen. Most people here in Denmark dont know about him
when the film comes out ... they will
I read about this gentleman years ago, one of the SAS's finest. There was a great biography written about him. He was an amazing hunter, could creep up on a deer and kill it with a knife (which at the time i thought how cruel) which had value in combat ironically, could walk on gravel silently with a gas cape on (both very noisy), was expert with a longbow, which he felt could be of value in taking out sentries (he was right, but the authorities though it was too barbaric, or not the done thing, and in the long run an arrow or a cut throat with a Commando knife is equally as nasty but necessary in war imho) I believe the Foreign Legion still has bowmen and crossbowmen trained for sentry removal!! On top of that he was a superb soldier and a supremely brave man who cared about those he commanded. He has had my respect and salute ever since i read about him. Thanks also for this video.
Some of the best productions I've seen. Superbly researched and written, with supportive graphics and expressive and evocative narrations. All at a good pace, too. Outstanding.
Thank you for the kind words.
As an 66yr old Australian SASR retired soldier Btp Water Ops, R.I.P mate. God Bless. It's the original SASR soldiers like you that gave birth to our Australian SASR.🎉
I am involved in welfare with retired service personnel in the UK . I met the widow of a retired serviceman who recieved a regimental pension, they were married for over 70 years and she had no idea that her husband was a member of the long range dessert patrol group . Looking at her photos of this fit healthy young man sitting in his jeep , beard and arab headdress . I was so proud and i did not even know him . These people where all masive heroes back then , anazing people that did way more than we could ever know . Rip sir it was an honour to explain your pictures to your good lady . She loved you very much .
41Cdo RM took part in operations a!ong with other Army units too , Cpl Tom Hunter also won the VC at Commanchio . The campaign in Italy finished almost three weeks later a bitter sweet climax . The Argenta Gap CWGC is immaculately kept to this day .
Told to complete a post-action report, he once wrote. "Landed, killed Germans, fucked off."
one of the only men to have a memorial at both the SAS and SBS bases
Interesting!
I have ex-SAS and ex-SBS friends (the SBS vet died sadly, so I suppose "had"), an acquaintance in the Jægerkorps and a buddy in the Frømandskorpset; all four places revere Lassen
Should do one on Jock Lewes one of the founding members of the SAS who’s life was cut short in Libya
For anybody who can read Danish, I highly recommend Thomas Harders excellent book “ Anders Lassens Krig” (Anders Lassens war). It tells Lassens life story in detail, with many more heroic adventures, including this story at the end. I don´t know if it has been translated into English.
There are English and Greek versions.
These were exceptional soldiers. Thanks for posting I found it fascinating.
My dad, George, had been Andy's commanding officer before David Sutherland took over. He actually knocked my dad out when they were in Haifa one time after some minor disagreement. Like Paddy Mayne, Lassen was too good an officer to let this get in the way. George held Andy in the highest regard till the day he died and did what he could to preserve Andy's memory. The only on commonwealth recipient of the VC in WWII. If Andy's story has been an inspiration I recommend Thomas Harder's biography.
Amazing thanks for that and yes Thomas was a fantastic font of knowledge that we tapped into during the making of this documentary. He is a very nice gentleman!
"The only commonwealth recipient on the VC in WW2" really ? You need to do your homework. "David Sutherland" ? There was no such person, there was David Stirling. All of your inaccuracies put your "my dad...." waffle into doubt.
@@ardshielcomplex8917 Always ready to learn.
I think this is meant to read non-Commonwealth@@ardshielcomplex8917
@@ardshielcomplex8917 David Sutherland took over command of the SBS in Dec 1944 from George Jellicoe. He had been Lassen's commanding officer. Please let me know who were the other non Commonwealth recipients. I cannot immediately find the name/s but maybe you have better sources. I know who David Stirling was (my father was his 2iC), I knew his sister. I know Andy's younger sister and have read most (probably all) of the books on Andy going back to the first one by his mother and the last one by Thomas Harder (whom I also know). As I said I'm happy to be corrected but it would be helpful if you could actually add to historical knowledge by naming the other non Commonwealth recipients/s. I have no idea if there were / were not but some of the earlier literature (Mike Langley?) suggested this was attributable to Lassen. Let me know.
Excellent video. I hadn't heard of Major Anders Lassen and I found this video to be informative, well-made, and moving. You used great photos. I found the maps to be super helpful too. I like the comparison of how Lake Comacchio looks today and how it looked then. You also did a great job in describing Major Lassen's story and courage. I feel heartbroken for his parents. The ending was heartwrenching too and it moved me. Superb narration as always. Great work again and kudos. I hope you have a nice week. Take care.
Thank you for your kind comments. We are delighted you enjoyed it!
@@BattleGuideVT Anytime! You do great work 😊
May I also add a most humble comment, "We will remember them." A very compelling and must watch documentry, thank you so much for putting this together. Arthur AB-11.
Denmark has not much to be proud of during WW2. But we have this bloke 🇩🇰
Mig personlig har stor respekt for at 7000 jøder blev reddet, og flammen og Citronens kamp og alle dem der ligger i deres kolde grav i Ryvangen og mange, mange flere - hvad jeg ikke er stolt af er de unge generationer som med fuldstændig ligegyldighed lader de døde frihedkæmperes offer være uden værdi!! - Den 9 april blev Danmark invaderet og blev frit igen men den fortløbende inversion som er kommet snigende som en tyv om natten siden invandreloven blev ændret i 1984 og orkestreret af Radikale venstre truer Danmarks eksistens.
What a great recollection of this story of bravery against the Nazis. Every time I hear a story like this i wish more had been documented. I also think of the millions of stories that nobody ever had a chance of telling or hearing because all involved were killed. I wish I could've been involved in WWII and am also thankful I was born too late. What a crazy crazy world it was. Imagine seeing hundreds of bombers getting peppered with flack while their escorts engaged in dogfights, men jumping from blazing aircraft, parachutes blooming, while others slam into the ground with huge explosions. Bullets and shrapnel falling all around you, aircraft and men falling all around you, fighting for their lives. Crazy crazy world it was.
Thank you for all who made this video, excellent presentation, just amazing
One of your very best to date -- and they are all outstanding
Thank you, Anders was a legend. I had a mate years ago who was SBS, also worked with his mates when I was in London decades ago...
If it was inbthe 60s you might have met one of his team from the SBS in the Agean... A guy I knew as a kid, called Dougie Wright MM. He was still a Grenadier of indeterminate rank... (usually Sergeant), he kept losing it when officers messed him about... My dad was a Sergeant protégé of his, from the next generation.
Yet another fantastic video. Your channel only gets better. I especially commend the voice actors, who gave real life and humanity to those figures no longer able to speak for themselves.
Wow, thank you!
Great and informative documentary of a lesser known but equally important military action. Thank you 🙏
Fantastic vid ,I must admit I’d never heard of him before but I guarantee he won’t ever be forgotten!
Thanks for this really great video. I didn't know a lot about combats in this area, so keep with this kind of great content for history nerds like us !
Awesome... delighted you enjoyed it!
Great job!! Was aware of him and his story but had never seen the details til now! Thanks!
Dear Sir. Thank you so much for this video, that I have been waiting for for Ages…! As an Old veteran myself Lassen by far is my biggest hero. Lassen (and the SBS) rightfully deserves their own series/movie. All the best from the Old country, take care and stay safe 🇩🇰 🎗️ 🇬🇧
A very moving and informative video - thank you. Even to this day, Lassen is one of the bravest SFs soldiers who has served. Very deserving of his VC. Lassen VC is well worth a read.
I can’t remember which other channel recommended your channel to me, but I’m glad they did. Great videos, well researched and well paced narration with informative maps and photos. Thank you and cheers I look forward to many more 👍
Glad to have you aboard!
Fabulous man, fabulous men. Fine telling.
An excellent video. I’ve been trying to find out where he died in more detail. You have delivered. Well done.
it was certainly about time that Anders Lassen finallly got his place in history The best and finest Danish soldier of ww2 served with SOE awarded 3 military crosses and the VC -Det var på høje tid at Major ASndersen Lassen endeligt fik sin plads i historien - 2 vardenskrig. Desvære glemt i Danmark - hvilken national skandale at man kan glemme ham Han gav sit liv for vores frihed
DET ER SÅ DANSK, SÅ DANSK. DET ER DET SAMME MED DEM, DER SEJLEDE I KONVOJERNE. DENGANG -SOM NU POLITIKERE DER IKKE KAN STAVE TIL LANDSFORRÆDERE
Axel Von Dem Bussche a German army officer was Anders Lassen's cousin. He held the Iron Cross. He, as part of Von Stauffenburg's resistance group, also volunterred in 1943 to suicide bomb Hitler and co, using a mine with a trigger, during his modelling of new uniforms... You couldn't make it up for a movie but... While waiting and preparing himself to kill himself and everyone in the room, the allies destroyed the train carrying the uniforms... This entire family must have been astonishing...
Thanks for the comment and sharing this story!
Hitler certainly was a lucky so and so, unfortunately for the world. He was so nearly killed in more than one assassination attempts. He left a meeting of old Nazis for instance earlier than expected so when the bomb went off he was not there. Famously if the meeting where Stauffenberg made his attempt had been held in the original concrete room even with the Bomb being moved Hitler would have died. But as it was in a wooden building and the bomb was moved he survived. Also if the bombers had used all of the explosives instead of half he would have been killed. I’m always surprised that no one ever just took out a pistol at close range or pulled a pin on a grenade and wrapped their arms around him in a suicide assassination attempt given what the Nazis were doing to Germany in the later stages of the war. Given the senior officers later claims of love for Germany and that they knew he was going to destroy Germany you would think at least one of them would have put Germany above the oath of loyalty to a madman. I know late on even high ranking officers weren’t allowed to be armed around him, but there was surely a point before that where a senior general could have tried.
@@nigeh5326that's what Von Dem Bussche almost did. He was waiting to strap a mine with a hand grenade trigger attached and grab Hitler in s suicide bombing... Waited for days then the allies blew up the uniforms.
Yes, I believe the only family in the war to receive high honours from both sides!
Excellent as always. A fantastic story to share with the afflicted.
Thanks mate... glad you enjoyed it! You need to get out to Italy and tell some stories. :)
Another great job, already have signed up over at Patreon. One suggestion - when you were talking about the line that the Germans had to protect, you mentioned it in km, and most of the other distances you used miles, may I suggest using one with a screen caption for the converted distance? Just an observation :)
A superb video and excellently researched and presented. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
Oh, but I knew about him very well. The most decorated SAS operative ever.
Fantastic video
That was very interesting. An older and a man of whom I was totally unaware. Well done.
We are glad you enjoyed the video!
This video is so well done , I feel like I was there with Anders Lassen. Wonderful story, never heard of him, such a great soldier. He had huge balls. There is so much detail in the video the videographer gets a huge thumbs up from me. I am a WW2 enthusiast.
Thanks for the kind comments!
Great stuff, such an interesting story!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Saw the face on the thumb and said to myself thats Anders Lassen!
Superb tribute to some very brave men and their outstanding leader. It's easy to forget with the western front that men were fighting and dying all over Europe and the Far East right up to the wars end.
Brilliant, glad you enjoyed the video!
It’s not a winged dagger at all it’s Excalibur picked by a competition when they wanted a cap badge for this new unit brave men one and all
Well done.
An absolute fearless and ruthless fighter, according to accounts at the time..
I enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up
I appreciate it
Lassen is well recognised not forgotten, in the 1980's I knew a man my local grocer (Bob Drummond ) who served with him . I asked him about Lassen his reply was that he never took to Lassen as he had no sense of humour only lived for killing Germans because of what they did to his family
Love this channel
Same
Thanks Matt!
@@Ostemikkel Thanks so much!
Yes I have heard of him and have read several books in which he is mentioned.
Thakn you for another exceptional story of incredible bravery. Amazing story of another heroe.
Definitely had heard of him. He features in several VC books.
They didn't have any NVG (night vision goggles) , amazing they were able to navigate so accurately and take out the enemy.
Great story of the special forces
I wouldn't deer to invite this man to Let's dance ... Heaven holds the brave....
The founder of the American Army Rangers, Col. William O’Darby was killed in action on April 30, 1945. He was posthumously promoted to brigadier general. Both legendary special forces warriors, killed so close to the final victory. A stark reminder of the irony and cruelty of war.
My uncle Sgt Ronald Waite DCM was with Anders when he was mortally hit. RIP
Hello, my Great uncle , Martin Conby was there too. there's a photo of your uncle and mine together in Gavin Mortimers book, The SBS in WW2, as i've mentioned above in a comment to Sean O'Reillys nephew.. Amazing that 3 family members of this patrol are on here here watching this video.
Hi. I'm Sean O' Reilly's Great Nephew. According to The Filibusters by John Lodwick, your Great Uncle was also with mine when he was shot, just before Lassen. I like to think our respective uncles would be pleased we'd made contact. They would never have imagined it happened like this though!
Anders Lassen is Well known in Denmark 🇩🇰
05:13 I'm born and raised in the city of Mern and i had never heard of this guy. That's crazy. Høvinggaard - the estate where Anders Lassen was born are very beautifull. His mothers familiy (Raben-Levetzau) have been Danish nobillity since mid 17th century.
Well just make a grown man cry, why don't you? RIP the elite of the elite.
I read a book in the early '80's about the birth of the SAS, SBS, and SOE. I lent this book to a friend and never got it back but I read it several times and the legends like Paddy Mayne and Andy Lassen (and others) are stuck in my mind. They did the impossible, just like they do today. You just don't hear about it because of the Official Secrets Act. Make no mistake, These lads are out there, shaping the next battlefield, doing things you will never hear about.That's the way it needs to be.
The White Mouse too. Nancy Wake.. she is a bloody legend !!! Read the book by Peter Fitzsimmons. she killed an SS guard with her bare hands.
I never have heard of this event. I enjoyed the show.
We are glad you enjoyed the video!
Hi, you need to check your description text. You state that Lassen holds three Victoria Cross’s. I think you mean three MC’s. Just an oversight I expect.
Love 'D-Day Dodger' tales . . .
We are glad you enjoyed the video!
Those eyes...at his age..major ...son of a bitch..thats a soldier..humbles me.
What would these people think now, if they were alive? Shame on us for what we have allowed to happen
Yes
@@MHPloni-kl5ecwhat makes you think they aren't alive?
It makes me weep, what our armed forces sacrificed in both world wars for our freedom, look what we have done with that freedom.
@@orwellboy1958 Not only that. With nary a thought those men _jumped up_ from their comfortable lives to sail overseas _twice_ to end fascism. Now it's here, in our land, and . . .
@@orwellboy1958 Makes me very, very angry the dismissal of those who put their lives on the line so that we could be free from becoming a country where gas chambers would take the vast majority of people away, today. It is all, me, me, me, look at me am I not great, come listen to me, I am worth listening to, etc., etc., etc.
I once heard a story of Lassen was observed walking across a gravel area in hobnailed boots by a high ranking officer and he said that he couldn't hear his footfall
Most of our wonderful citizens have no idea ww1 or WW2 - teachers are telling them and taking them on Plo marches - Real proper bloke 😊
The only soldier in WWII from a non commonwealth territory or country, to receive the Victoria Cross. Out of 181 rewarded.
in 1991 I as part of a group of Danes I visited the Greek island Symi a little north of Rhodos. We had the chance to drink coffee with the Archmandrit at the Monestary and he suggested that we should go down and visit the monument etablished to commemorate the man who liberated Symi from the German occupation in 1944. That man was Anders Lassen, and as a Dane I already knew some about him - but not of his action on Symi.
Bloody insane but, Gordon Bennett dear God what men must I this day loose, chuff
Anders Lassen arrived In Scotland at a place called Oban to start his career in the british forces , in recognition of this his name is well regarded in the area . There is also statue to him in his home country of Denmark
I believe the cap badge is actually a downward pointing 'Excalibur' (sword) wreathed in flames, not a 'Winged dagger'.
Embroidered cap badge to the SAS (Special Air Service), a dark (Cambridge) blue shield on which a white sword (Excalibur), point down, with a pair of light (Oxford) blue wings. An Oxford blue scroll over the lower part of the sword bears the motto WHO DARES WINS in black. Sword, wings and scroll all outlined in red.
He was dane and would hardly have functioned in ordinary life - he was wild!
Why there isn’t a movie or miniseries made on Major Anders Lassen’s exploits are beyond me.
Cpl Thomas Hunter VC Royal Marines was also a recipient of the Victoria Cross at Lake Comacchio a couple of days earlier.
Correct!
Major Lassen SAS was the only SAS soldier to receive the Victoria Cross in the Second World War a true legend from the beginning of the Commandos until the end of the war.
He was the only one to receive it, who wasn't from a Commonwealth country.
Lake Comacchio posed an obstacle to Garibaldi, in his escape from the French and Austrians, who were supporting the Pope , in1848
No I’ve heard oh him…..I read ….
hmmm, I've known about Major Anders Lassen since at least the late 1970s
Very glad to hear it! Sadly very many haven't
Lest we forget, and I never will.
Thank you for your comment!
At the bottom of Lassens headstone is a verse in Danish from a psalm that was used as motto by the Danish resistance during WW2. Very loosely translated it reads: Fight for all that you love, die if must be, then life is not so difficult , neither is death.
thank you for this video ,but people in denmark do allready know who ANDERS LASSEN - sailor & soldier is .
Ah yes, major Lassen...killed on the 9th of April 1945 in Italy, same day Königsberg surendered and exact five years after Denmark was occupied. He was a hard fighter....
I didn’t know that the SBS even existed during ww2.
There was 1st SAS which was later split into SRS Special Raiding Squadron and SBS Special Boat Squadron temporarily, after David Stirling was captured. It rejoined later for the D-Day operations. William "Bill" Stirling, David's brother also commanded 2nd SAS. A famous Chindit officer Brigadier Michael Calvert later commanded SAS Brigade and later re formed SAS from Malayan Scouts SAS in Malaya. At a similar time SAS was kept alive after disbanding in 1945 by a cadre of officers and men who managed to get the government (Churchill helped greatly) to allow Artists Rifles as a parent body becoming the Corps Regiment as 21st (Artist's Rifles) SAS Regiment which later led to the formation of 22nd SAS Regiment from the Malayan Scouts SAS in 1952. The first time a Reserve unit had formed a Corps which became 21, 22, 23 SAS In ww2 MI9 was the unit that dealt with escape and evasion of allied personnel (see Airey Neave and Jimmy Langley of Colditz fame) which later became 23 SAS Regiment (V) in 1959. Most of the officers from ww2 SAS SBS service had something to do with the post war SAS. SBS as in SAS circles in ww2 is not the same as the Royal Marine Commando SBS after 1945.
Only the Good die young !
He wasn't solely SAS because of the c9nfused and constant changes being made between SAS and SBS during WW2. Both u it's SAsS and SBS both claim him as a member. He is the only SF soldier of WW2 to be awarded the VC as at the time these heroic actions where considered to be part of your job hence the reason why MCs where awarded
With the all respect x your story; I' m living in that area, you didn' t mention the extra famous P.P.A. ( Popsky Private Army)! They really were the ones that do the real job...... And you forgot also to mention the Italian guerilla fighters.... Aniway.....
Vladimir Peniakoff was largely ignored post 1945 because he went back to Poland, however there is a great book about his ww2 experiences. "Popski's Private Army had PPA as a shoulder title too, and were officially called 1st Demolition Squadron i beleive.
@@robshirewood5060 agree. Thanks!
Thanks for the video - I say it was about time the hole story of esp. SBS and Anders Lassen Metie was made on video or film - - some "peculiare" facts here: - Maj. Anders Lassen died allmost at the same time hes country was liberatet, must have very hard for he`s parents to rekken. - After WWII many boys was bapties with the name`d ANDERS in respect and gradetude to the effort Maj. Anders Lassen have made to removed "the stains" of Denmarks military honour. Best Regards & Thanks - Ret. Capt. Anders Chr. Eriksen (born 1956)
Tak for din velskrevet kommentar
Anders Lassen was the ultimate SOF, but he was not suited for peace.
Ærer være dit minde major Anders Lassen.Hvil i fred.🇩🇰
Høvdinggård, he grew up on.
Special forces are trained "Make sure the Dead are Dead" Anders was the reason the Colonel gave the order. ===one step at a time beat the Clock!!!