SAS Airfield Raids in North Africa - Marine reacts

[@elizabethjohnson9439]

Paddy Maine was the most decorated soldier in the British army. It was robbery that they wouldn't give him the VC.

[@Helenas_little_world]

Just released in the UK, a series called SAS Rogue Heroes. It covers those attacks. Also Mike Sadler is still alive. He's the last remaining survivor of the original SAS.

[@gdok6088]

I've just watched the full six episodes of the BBC series: SAS Rogue Heroes - well worth a watch. It's really well done - apparently it's the highest budget TV series the BBC have ever made.

[@stephenholland132]

It sticks quite faithfully to Ben McIntyre's book too.

[@Elibel77]

Quite good indeed!

[@jonathanball8237]

Yep that's be an excellent watchalong come reaction....

[@jockstrapp21]

Nice one x

[@Silverback0687]

I used to occasionally drink (a good few years ago) with an old boy who was LRDG. He told a story that he was was with his officer doing recce when they spotted a number of Luftwaffe aircraft parked up in neat little rows on a make shift airstrip. His officer decided that they couldn't miss the opportunity so the team did a similar drive through shoot up damaging most of the aircraft. In his words " What we didn't expect was the large contingent of infantry (Afrika Korps) at a nearby encampment, those buggers chased us for near on 7 days". He was a humble guy now sadly passed who saw action in North africa and Normandy and on through France.

[@H4CK61]

My Grandfather was LRDG G patrol North Africa captured December 41 R.I.P Mac.

[@keithshwalbe6981]

God bless them all.

[@amandawright7216]

Robert Blair Mayne an Ulsterman and a hero.

[@TheGreenmangrove]

the long range desert group was the origin of the SAS . Stirilng and Paddy Mayne .

[@tcborg]

Brilliant tv series.. The vickers machine guns mentioned were made by Vickers shipbuilding were i used to work in Barrow in Furness. vickers was a private owned ship building yard now owned by BAE. and make the nuclear subs.Barnes Wallis inventer of the bouncing bomb also worked in the yard.

[@crissamways2808]

In case you weren’t aware the Lewes bomb was named after its inventor - Jock Lewes. Who was mortally wounded when returning from a raid. He was buried in the desert but without a grave marker.

[@declanshanahan3888]

The sticky bomb in saving private ryan looks like the same thing

[@malcolmbriggs4281]

Paddy Mane was born in N Ireland there is a statue of him in Newtownards Co.Down.He was an Irish international rugby player. After the war he was a solicitor but found it hard to adjust.He drank heavily and was killed in a car accident.

[@DeviantDevdog]

You need to do a reaction to Blair Paddy Mayne. SAS legend.

[@stevebagnall1553]

He took them to the next level, like Stirling he led from the front apparently a former Rugby Union International for Ireland, brought up tough a stayed that way.

[@redrb26dett]

He should have had a VC he was one of my all time heroes a living legend among giant’s of the greatest generation

[@jakhaughton1800]

Mayne was amazing.

[@pauldarragh4594]

The man "Paddy" Mayne fired a bren from the shoulder during an ambush in France when a patrols camp was compromised. He was a leader always from the front.

[@MyScotty7]

Paddy loved to kill,he was warned to calm down with his violence!

[@archercolin6339]

One of the taglines from SAS Rogue Heroes is "the most unbelievable stories are the most likely to be true!"

[@stuartwhelan3258]

Good vid mate. Watch "SAS Rogue Warriors" (it charts the beginnings of the SAS and their work in WW2) It's excellent.

[@mrbrand4720]

@N S Yapp that book is really great .

[@FozzyZ28]

A good honest answer with no bullshit!! 👍

[@FozzyZ28]

The world knows what it takes to be a Seal, (courageous as f*CK) the world has no idea what it takes to be SAS...... Something that these guys are the best of the best and should be feared by all!!

[@MrMrgetbad]

It's so good👍🏿

[@kylliankh9280]

those free french men in the sas would become the french army special forces. today the unit is known as the 1st marine infantry paratroopers regiment (1er RPIMa) and it is nick named the french sas to pay tribute to those french dude who fought along side the brits

[@vitigaymer1053]

1erRPIMa also shares the Winged Dagger Insignia and "Who Dares Wins" motto of the SAS

[@michaeloates5804]

The Phantom Major by Virginia Cowles tells the story of the SAS from inception upto Stirlings capture, it's an old book but worth finding if you can.

[@EdwardMedwynOwen]

Sadly, SAS man Mike Sadler passed away recently at the age of 102,still insisting that he was not a hero. Of course he was. Being woken from his sleep with a kick in the ribs by a German soldier, he along with a colleague, managed to escape and trek back to British lines,after 4 days in the boiling desert.

[@tommyxbones5126]

There is a book called 'The Phantom Major' - it's the story of Major Stirling & the beginnings of the SAS

[@johnwilson5743]

Well noted. The author was Virginia Cowles. She related how the SAS was conceived, established. Including how, when they were created, they had no equipment. So, they "stole" heaps of equipment (tents etc) from other British and New Zealand bases! Including a piano for their entertainment room. How they went from being parachuted behind enemy lines which was their original intention and why they were called Special Air Service (as paratroopers) to being assisted by LRDG with land delivery. Then their move to create their own transport with the jeeps. Then covered many of their raids. Also things like David Sterling's capture, escapes, recapture and final imprisonment in Coldix castle. Also weird crazy sessions where the SAS just drove down major roads at night with German troops and trucks parked just off the road, sleeping. Then shooting them up, as per the airstrip situations. Or, the stopping of convoys of German transport trucks to "check papers" then attaching bombs with timers on them on their fuel tanks to explode. It's why Hitler personally stated that any captured SAS solders would be shot as spies. How do I know all this: well, from the books but also, my father was in the SAS. We never believed half the stories he told when we were young. Until the same stories started coming out in other books. Cheers.

[@robbowman8770]

When you invent new tactics ... SAS Major : "Sir, I'm going to bolt machine guns onto jeeps, drive 200 miles across the desert and mess up that airfield" Area Commander : "Say what now?"

[@stevebagnall1553]

More likely to reply O K. just get on with it and stay safe. Let me know when you get back, how it went.

[@nicko9875]

my grandfather was one of those SAS soldiers in North Africa 1942/43

[@nicko9875]

@@johncheetham4607 very. A kind & lovely grandad/man. Mind you, we his family knew, that to be a Commando & SAS soldier he was one tough cookie. As he said to me none of them wanted to be RTU'd. They believed they were the best.

[@DenBlackburn]

My grandad was part of them attacks, I know very little of his time in Africa, I know he was there for 3 nearly 4 years, he only ever told us little bits, and a lot was top secret for a lot of years. He was a very high up in engineering in sivvy street, so when war broke out he was taken to make these ideas work. I think because we were young he didnt want to tell us any of the horrors of war, plus I think he wanted to forget a lot himself. That was a great video to see the things that they came up with and how they would do raid`s.

[@Zooumberg]

My Grandad was at Dunkirk, he was severely shellshocked. He never spoke about the war.

[@serenityflies1462]

@@Zooumberg God bless your Grandfather, I pray his soul is at rest with God. Thankyou for his service. 'They liveth for evermore ' xxx

[@Zooumberg]

@@serenityflies1462 Thank you for that. I'll think of those words when I visit his grave on Sunday.

[@kevinworrall231]

Paddy Manes a true legend up there with Sterling

[@nucleargaz1]

I love this guy, presents a very watchable programme ...keep 'em coming !!

[@mauricestevenson5740]

At a meeting of Allied top brass, a senior British army officer said that he believed the SAS (or a representative thereof) should be awarded the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross). An RAF officer was outraged at the idea that any army personnel should be thus recognised. It was pointed out that the SAS had destroyed more planes in the theatre than the RAF. No DFC was recommended or awarded. But the point was made...

[@madade27]

😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@redrb26dett]

DFC’s have always been awarded to army and naval officers as each arm as there own aviation wing (the RAF was formed from the royal flying corps them soldiers also won lot’s of DFC’s) but it’s awarded to pilots and in some cases flight engineer’s re WW2 heavy bombers only had one pilot if he died the engineer had to try and land the plane

[@catherinewilkins2760]

There were some strange allied troops in North Africa , Popskies Army being another one. The SAS supplied themselves, also had a piano.

[@johnwilson5743]

Yes, that they stole from a New Zealand army camp! LOL

[@BassMatt1972]

Check out "The Rats of Tobruk" (its a real thing and a great movie!) for North Africa war heroics.. The Rats of Tobruk were soldiers of the Australian-led Allied garrison that held the Libyan port of Tobruk against the Afrika Corps, during the Siege of Tobruk in World War II. The siege started on 11 April 1941 and was relieved on 10 December. A 242 day siege that ended with Rommels retreat..

[@Bodgemonkey]

I very much recommend Damien Lewis' SAS Ghost Patrol, I listened to the audiobook version and the story is beyond belief. The SF infiltration of occupied Tobruk with SAS, LRDG and the SIG (Special Interrogation Group, if you thought the SAS were badass these were the guys who smuggled them in pretending to be german soldiers) and they had to cover 2000 miles of the desert just to get there. Why there isn't a hollywood blockbuster about this i have no idea but you need to learn about this mission.

[@SJ-GodofGnomes21]

I agree Ghost Patrol is such a good read!

[@Kraakesolv]

Great listen. Got it a few years back on Audible, love the British narrator too. Just top, top notch.

[@estellemelodimitchell8259]

In one of the raids, the SAS sneaked in to a barrack in a German aerodrome. One of the troopers rolled in a few grenades and muttered: share it amongst yourselves, slipped away before the grenades detonated.

[@terryleddra1973]

Yes I've read that, it's a great book. I'm currently reading "Churchill's secret warriors" by Damien Lewis.

[@1951woodygeo]

I watched his TV program on that brilliantly told .

[@msrkramplee2563]

phoney major ..is a very interesting book shows the real bad ass and how so underrated paddy main was and how Sterling wasnt all he was given credit for

[@andyrainnie1886]

The N Africa campaign was where Sterling created the SAS, (LRDG originally). The story of how they had to test different cars due to sand etc determined what equipment they could take, which determined so much more about the unit is a brilliant one and well worth reading.

[@James-C24]

The SAS and the LRDG were two separate organisations. One did not for. Out of the other. The LRDG was formed after having several name changes. The SAS formed in 1941 as a parachute force that would be recovered by the LRDG after their operations. This changed after the failed first operation. They were then taken in and back out by the LRDG until they aquired their own transport and then the two units worked independently but together on occasions.

[@LordInter]

Yeah the LRDG and SAS aren't the same, on the first raid the SAS parachuted in and was being taken out by the LRDG, the jump was a complete failure so they decided to just drive in instead with the LRDG 😊

[@redrb26dett]

@@LordInter harsh comment the first mission failed because of adverse weather they where very very lucky to land

[@stevet7695]

@@James-C24 I think the LRDG were nicknamed "Stirling's Taxi Service" at one point, much to their chagrin.

[@James-C24]

@@stevet7695 I think it was the lybian taxi service. With the SAS being called the parash*tes 🤣🤣 good old British army humour

[@Skooty68]

I've been to Sir Davids Stirlings monument,just outside Stirling Scotland,many SAS plaques around it of the soldiers thats died on missions

[@Zajuts149]

The Vickers K, or Vickers Gas Operated(VGO) was a machine gun that was put on flexible mounts on RAF aircraft. They were being phased out in favour of the Browning in the RAF, so they were just stockpiled in warehouses, apparently, just for the taking:). Their role as aircraft machine guns was why they had such high rate of fire(1200 rpm). At this time(1942), there were no Panzerfausts or Panzerschrecks in use.

[@welshpete12]

Jeeps attack at 2 mph ! Not what you would expect. I read on one raid , one of the SAS . Found in the dark a nice brand new ME109 in a hanger. Preparing a Lewes bomb he saw a movement on the other side of the aircraft . Only to discover Paddy Mayne who promptly told him to buzz off and go and find his own 109 !

[@Chris_GY1]

The SAS were formed in 1941 in North Africa for hit and run raids, there was also Popski’s Private Army also operating in North Africa. The SAS also operated in France. The desert was mapped before The Second World War.

[@redrb26dett]

The desert was mapped long before WW2 and before WW1 Kitchener had done the Sudan campaign and they had built the Suez Canal plus lot’s of archeology done in the area the most famous one being Col T E Lawrence (better known as Lawrence of Arabia)

[@gerrardwinstanley323]

my uncle was LRDG they were the inspiration for the SAS and british special forces in general . in fact it was the LRDG who transported and navigated for the SAS during these raids

[@gerrardwinstanley323]

@Glyn Harbinson your correct in so far as they later learned from the LRDG (in fact many LRDG became SAS) the parachute jump they initially tried was a disaster with many fatalities ,so they adopted the model used by the LRDG ( inspiration was probably the wrong word) . as for Paddy Mayne i totally agree the man is a legend.

[@Ghoulza]

37 planes for the loss of only two lives, That is a massive success. not to mention the psychological toll it would take on the defenders plus them having to now pull back more front-line troops to protect the airfields. you can see why it was such a great idea, and yet top brass still didnt like it and still thought it a waste of resources and not "british"

[@williamhardes8081]

during world war II a high ranking official in the Luftwaffe was asked what he needed to win the campaign. he said spitfires! when Rommel was asked what he needed to win the desert campaign he said, a few platoons of S.A.S. when the lead up to D-Day was being planned a British general was quoted as having said this would all be so much easier if there were more ANZAC's!

[@markhepworth7822]

Haha great reaction,I was right there with you on this one,what a badass bunch!

[@neobliviscarisa650]

i recommend the battle of Mirbat.. considered the most significant military intervention post ww2. 12 men hold off 700 rebels, indirectly preventing the Russians taking access to the Suez. The SAS Rorke's Drift

[@geofffleming12]

Celestial navigation in the sand dunes. Very cool.

[@WJS774]

No satellites back then. Not much in the way of landmarks either. In that sense it was very similar to the ocean.

[@Kraakesolv]

You definitely should check out SAS: Ghost Patrol. This vid is good but there's so much more to it, even these assaults. The prepping, the trek... It's amazing.

[@ftroop2000]

The original Tier 1 operators😅👌 An FOB behind enemy lines is kind of a mad thing. I only found this out today these vehicles were pink. Apparently it blends in nicely with the desert at dusk and dawn far better than yellow.

[@CrazycoolcruMHDTV]

When I was watching your older videos on the SAS this is the one i was gonna recommend you watch but then i saw some with the operations room and thought you'd find it yourself lol so glad its here

[@seanuk7757]

I don't think it showed it on your vid but on one raid, Paddy Main ran onto the airfield and attacked a plane with his hands (he may have used a hammer too, not sure) but the contravercial bit today is about Paddy again, bursting into the officers mess and shooting all of the pilots dead). Pilots were a lot harder to replace and took a lot longer to get ready.....and...... they were Ruperts. There's actually a modern debate, was Paddy Main a psychopath. His grandson did something a bit similar, raising an airfield with the SAS (could have been the Falklands, not 100% sure)

[@DavidUKesb]

SAS Rogue Heroes. Motorhead charge.

[@jimharrison748]

Looking into that generation, not only the SAS but all the Allied armed forces just fills me with pride, awe, gratitude and a real admiration! I know the worlds a lot different now but thanks to those brave and amazing souls we have a world where we can still protect our freedom and enjoy so much. We are so lucky thanks to them.

[@FLORATOSOTHON]

After Greece fell to the Germans in April 1941 and Crete in May 1941, The Hellenic Navy, Air Force and many Army personnel fled to Egypt were they reformed. The NAVY ships joined the British Mediterranean Fleet, The Air Force formed two Fighter and one Light Bomber squadrons equipped with British planes and the Army formed an infantry Brigade. However because there were far too many army officers available, a special company size unit was formed, maned exclusively by officers willing to fight as privates. This was called Sacred Band (squadron). This unit under the command of Col. Tsigandes became a long range reconnaissance and raiding force under the Free French division of general Leclerc. Later, they joined the British SAS under Col. Sterling and after receiving parachute training, they also fought in the occupied by the Germans Aegean Islands, during the Battle of the Dodecanese (in 1943 after Italy's capitulation, the Germans took over from the Italians). kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4uVnpyYaduUj8k These are videos of the Sacred Band in North Africa: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWeQZYtnZa5me6s kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmfQqH95ha1_fpo (The guy with the beard and the glasses is Col. Tsigandes, the CO of the unit) After WW2 this unit was disbanded and it's personnel formed the basis of the modern day Greek SOFs. This is a video with pictures from the Greek Forces in exile. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioDFfKtqn9h7qas This might be of interest as well. It involves Greek-American WW2 commandos. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXKncqOijbmqjs0

[@ohsosmooth01]

They had to do everything for themselves, if for no other reason than to appease the doubting brass. The military wouldn't even let them use the parachute training school Ringway, which is now Manchester Airport. So they trained themselves by jumping off the back of moving trucks. All the training programs were created by Jock Lewes, as mentioned elsewhere in the comments, he invented the Lewes bomb. Their first base at Kabrit was little more than a flat bit of desert, so they 'raided' a nearby ANZAC base for tents etc... one guy even nicked a piano. I haven't read all the comments, maybe someone else has said it, but Paddy Mayne, on one raid, became so enraged that he'd run out of bombs. There was one aircraft left untouched, so he jumped into the cockpit and ripped the control column out. I used to love reading about this stuff, partly inspired me to join the army, that and my grandad who served under 'Mad Mike' Calvert in Burma.

[@RossNaylor-nh5uv]

As you know perfection is the calling card of a special forces operator.those guys were nuts attacking twice it must have taken some balls but im sure that they loved every second of it 😂

[@leemichael2154]

Gentleman "Jim almonds" is one of the most fascinating member's of the SAS and is well worth looking up if you're into that sort of thing

[@ravendark2422]

Blair Mayne is another.

[@leemichael2154]

@@ravendark2422 indeed, one of the founder's of what we now know as the modern SAS bro

[@neillydun]

Paddy Mayne was a beast of a man. His biography reads like an action movie.

[@philcarus401]

Hey man, had to go back to this video, have you seen the new series called ‘SAS Rogue hero’s’ it’s in the UK on BBC, and it is badass

[@nomdeplume798]

The Phantom Major by Virginia Cowles was the first I'd heard of the SAS. There were at least 2 irregular type formations in the Eastern Mediterranean at the time. Popski's Private Army and Layforce led by a Brigadier Laycock, of which, I think, Sterling was part of. Both came to nothing. There was a lot of resistance from the heads of the major formations in the area and Lt. Sterling struggled to overcome it. He eventually met a General who gave him some leeway, but no funds. He recruited his own men and took on the persona of a fictitious Special Air Service regiment designed to make POWs and spies think there was a para brigade in the area. They stole most of the equipment they needed, including tents, furniture and even a piano from an Australian regiment that was away training. The Lewes bombs were made by Jock Lewes, a member of the Detachment, their tactics were their own and they ended up destroying more Axis planes than the RAF. Sterling was made a Colonel and ended the war a prisoner in Colditz.

[@nomdeplume798]

Er, maybe I should have read the comments before posting myself.

[@lorddaver5729]

Captain Stirling, not Lt. Sterling.

[@nomdeplume798]

Thank you for the correction your Lordship, much appreciated.

[@meadroad]

Proud to be British… Even more proud of our ‘warrior’ forefathers back then in the day…

[@andreww2098]

The Vickers K was an aircraft flexmount/turret gun, it was aircooled and had a high rate of fire to enable it to hit fast moving enemy aircraft, it was largely considered obsolete by this point of the war which is why it was sitting in an warehouse to be liberated by the SAS

[@jamesdeery5377]

Also it was a magazine fed rather than belt fed. The pan type magazine's held either 60 or 100 rounds of ammunition. Later changed for the belt fed Browning machine guns in either 30 or 50 calibre.

[@michaelcraig8860]

Each jeep had practically a spitfires (early model) worth of guns bolted on. Just process the shock and awe effect those jeeps had driving through your airfield and destroying everything. Utterly devastating.

[@WJS774]

Painting jeeps pink doesn't sound like it should work, but if you've ever seen one in the environment it actually does surprisingly well, for a single colour paint job.

[@Shoomer88]

The history of The Long Range Desert Group is fascinating too. Masters of desert navigation and survival behind enemy lines.

[@JaEDLanc]

Night firing GPMG SF is awesome, tracer rounds flying around in strange arcs just as described. I love your reactions to these, and I especially love your respect 🫡

[@grumpyratt2163]

No the jeeps were painted pink and were nicknamed The Pink Panthers. But originally the LRDG ( Long Range Desert Group) who"s role was long range reconnaissance ,were used to transport them close to the target

[@kurtsteiner8384]

The sas was formed out of the long range desert group. They used camels and trucks for sabotage missions. Led by david stirling. Against rommels afrika corps. In 1941 it was renamed the sas. Commando existed in the boer wor of 1912 and used by the dutch in south africa against english setlers.

[@charlieyerrell9146]

When you look at how big the lybyian desert is they did a very good job. I was posted in lybya for over three years and I went over allmost all of it. In armoured vehicles and trucks.

[@bluemoondaren]

Thanks mate, we Brits love working with you yanks. Appreciate the kind words.

[@Ameliorateslifecoaching]

There’s a 6 episode series on the BBC iPlayer called SAS Rogue Hero’s. It’s drama based on the SAS, where the name came from and what it was before it became a maned regiment. It also has some really good actors in it.

[@steviek588]

The British General Staff back in England originally wanted nothing to do with the SAS (originally known as Long Range Desert Group), thinking their tactics were cowardly, attacking an enemy from the shadows and not man to man, they soon changed their tune once they heard of the daring raids they were pulling off in the desert. But yeah they basically had to steal weapons, jeeps, explosives and everything else because the army didn't think they would make a difference out in the field.

[@simontemplar676]

You need to get hold of the book "One of the originals" by Johnny Cooper, you wont regret it. They made it up as they went along and were amazing. Johnny Cooper joined as a private at 18 and ended up a Major.

[@NorthernCoins]

Have you seen the new royal marine commando series, it's very very good

[@dannyoconnor8357]

You should read Colonel Paddy It should still be in print Blair Mayne was truuly bad ass and never got the recognition his heroism deserved.He still won the dso and 5 bars -six awards when he should have got the VC.He was from about 30miles from me

[@lewistaylor1965]

I saw a documentary on Paddy Mayne and the birth of the SAS in Africa...I remember an interview with one of the surviving members telling that often they would stumble across german camps during the night and they would drive into them and open fire and that he felt sorry for the germans that he shot as they emerged from their tents half asleep...I think that attacking elements deep into german territory forced them to remove soldiers from the front line and protect their bases further back...It also made the germans aware that they could be attacked anywhere and not just on the front line...That would have an effect on moral

[@SuperTyrannical1]

The pink panther jeeps are because pink is the hardest colour to see against desert sand at night.

[@jimijames9792]

There's a new Dutch NLMARSOF/DSI Port Defender video online. Love to see you react to that.

[@ethangrubb2857]

You should definitely react to his Desert Storm Series. It's incredible

[@albertwilson7793]

Recommend getting a book on paddy mayne should have got the victoria cross even the king said he should have got it he was a legend in the sas there is a statue of him in newtownards northern ireland where he came from

[@serenityflies1462]

Thankyou for your vids, and your lovely respectful attitude! Love your t shirt btw! Love and blessings from Australia xxx❤✌✌

[@pompeytid1970]

No Panzershreks in 1941 mate - love your show, solidarity and enthusiasm.

[@grahamc9890]

Just to let you no Jarhead their was a good royal marine documentary on BBC last night hope u get it ,I'm X para so I don't see them as anything other than navy infantry not airborne skygods ,David Stirling was Scottish as is most hard folk in the sas and paras and marines it's like the paras in Afghanistan pathfinders doing shoot n scoot missions

[@billyfitzgerald4877]

New BBC TV series SAS Rogue Heroes is loosely based on these missions. Gives another angle of the how the SAS were developed and the crazy nature of their mindset and missions.

[@pzpete]

Several groups operated in the desert. The Long Range Desert Group was first, the experts in desert navigation and inventors of the sun compass. Popski's Private Army (I kid you not) came next, then the SAS. The 'Special Interrogation Group' was a team of native German speakers who dressed in German uniforms to operate behind the lines - this had betrayal problems at the start. I guess the Falklands War was the last time that these commando style raids by the SAS/SBS took place. Check out Christopher Lee's military history, he was in most of these units.

[@leemichael2154]

When Otto Skortzeny was prosecuted after WW2 the most important charge was operating in enemy uniform, his defence lawyer (an American) called up the British war hero Yeo Thomas who testified that the allies wore German uniforms as a matter of course and Skortzeny was spared the death penalty, thought you might appreciate the history bud

[@timranachan3224]

Vive le Pey Pey Ah!

[@urizen7613]

PPA deserves more recognition than it gets. The book is a great read.

[@timranachan3224]

@@urizen7613 Have you read 'Warriors on wheels'? It's a brilliant book, really well written and tells the story of PPA from the point the author joins them. His name was Park (known as Bob) Yunnie. It's a must-read, I read mine so often it literally fell apart.

[@urizen7613]

@@timranachan3224 I wasn't aware of that book, though I recognise Yunnie's name. I'll see if it's in the NZ library system.

[@Rar9866]

i think the most amazing thing about this raid, is the navigation, empty desert no real land marks, using the stars

[@peterriches6733]

Another fantastic video. Read up on 'Anders Lassen' the only non commonwealth recipient of the Victoria Cross. This dude was as hard as nails. 👊

[@felixalbion]

The LRDG ( Long Range Desert Group ) and the SAS carried out raids that could be 100s of miles behind enemy lines. The Vickers K machine gun was designed as an aircraft gun.

[@royferguson2297]

Sterling was captured and ended up in Colditz Paddy Maine took over look into him he was a very brave guy should have gotten the VC.

[@hadesdogs4366]

If the thing wasn’t bolted down or welded in place then don’t be alarmed to wake up the next morning to see half of your stuff nicked during the night

[@KaoretheHalfDemon]

I think these guys are getting a movie soon!

[@alanbstard4]

Stirling briefed his men on the raid and enlisted the Long Range Desert Group to provide vehicles and transport.

[@calumknight9178]

They did this exact thing again during one (or both) of the gulf wars against saddam

[@TreVader1378]

There's a great book about an SAS operation called the nemesis file, I know it's a book, but not sure if there's a documentary about it, but it's a fascinating read if you can find it, pretty disturbing what they had to do, oh it's in northern Ireland during the 70s and early 80s.

[@Mysta_101]

Dude... The SAS... They did something batman couldn't do.

[@davidshattock9522]

Rommel was doing too well and his aircraft were being a real threat to Malta island being supplied so something had to be done

[@LeDiamondDog]

8:29 French SAS participated in raids they are part of the first RPIMA special forces of the French army 🤙🇫🇷🇬🇧

[@britishpatriot7386]

Lol they were never as good as the British though but respect anyway

[@LeDiamondDog]

@@britishpatriot7386 i never said this 😢but trust me they are really good they are legit no joke mate 💪👍

[@LeDiamondDog]

@@britishpatriot7386but i approve the British SAS are the best SAS in the world

[@didierpaya9069]

@@britishpatriot7386 read what french sas did during this war, keyboard hero...

[@jamth118]

The SAS in ww2 wasn’t the SAS today there main objectives was to destroy supply lines and attack enemy command posts with around 20 men and no armoured vehicles just Jeeps

[@ValePlaysGames]

My great grandad was a part of these raids, cool to see it in this format. I’d only ever read a couple of his accounts and some books on it

[@teryd5672n]

I am reading SAS Rogue Heroes at the moment. Fascinated after watching the series on BBC recently.

[@swgillespie4003]

Most of the mounted guns were anti aircraft guns borrowed.

[@Prog4Prog]

Reminds me of Operation Flipper, where a failed raid was conducted to kill Rommel in Libya.

[@RetractedandRedacted]

You might enjoy 'PQ17: An Arctic Convoy disaster' which is an hour long documentary by Jeremy Clarkson on PQ17 and how that particular convoy was heavily attacked after an error of judgement on the part of the admiralty to withdraw the convoys defensive escort. Unfortunately I can only find the documentary on amazon where you have to pay £2.49 to watch it.

[@gurufitness1984]

One of the originals was a man called Johny Cooper. I picked up an old autobiography of his and it was really fascinating as he was still doing covert missions up to the middle of the 1960s. Worth a Google to find a copy.

[@eifionjones8729]

They didn't wear pink, they painted their vehicles pink. Apparently from a distance it would blend into the background. So they would call them the 'pink panthers'

[@macmedman]

The Birth of special forces Little country country ,big balls ,still leading the way

[@davidjackson5837]

Great video as usual 👌 👍, if you can find it there is a 4 part series on BBC at the moment called ' Commando : Britain's Ocean Warriors' which I think will be right up your street as a Marine yourself

[@limitedmark]

Great episode , thanks for sharing it with us.

[@leerobinson4308]

Theirs a doc about the birth of the sas on the bbc. Interviews with sterling and some the others. Top brass never wanted the sas because it didn’t seem the British thing to do.

[@buck2trips906]

You might want to check out a series called "rogue warriors" its a 3 part series, but only part 2 is available on you tube but its still worth watching.

[@timgray5231]

To respond on your comments on the weaponry. Stirling was determined to get the best he could. A stated, regular forces were sceptical and less than helpful truth be told. They got wind that the RAF had a stock of Vickers K GO machine guns. These were pre-war weapons designed for aircraft observers and early basic turrets on the aircraft. As an aircraft gun it was a high rate of fire and was loaded with a 100 Rnd Drum magazine. Stirling being Stirling told the team to help themselves. The vehicle mounts were created locally. Vehicle load outs were to the preference of the crew and availability of the guns; hence you will see differing arrangements on the jeeps. As time progressed, and more modern American equipment's and aircraft arrived in theatre, the SAS scavenged the wrecks etc and the 50 Cal was also incorporated into the weapons load out. Most observed being the aircraft version.