5 extraordinary World War II missions that shaped the SAS

Here are five daring SAS operations that took place during World War II.

Operation Squatter – North Africa

In November 1941, the fledgling SAS undertook its first major mission, Operation Squatter.

The operation involved parachuting behind Axis lines in North Africa to destroy enemy aircraft on the ground.

However, fierce weather caused many men to land off target or be killed during the jump. Although the mission largely failed, it demonstrated the SAS’s willingness to attempt high-risk operations.

The survivors’ determination helped lay the foundations for the future successes of the special forces unit.

The Sidi Haneish Airfield Raid – Egypt

In July 1942, a force led by David Stirling and Paddy Mayne attacked the heavily defended Sidi Haneish Airfield in Egypt.

The raiders drove specially modified jeeps armed with machine guns directly onto the airfield at night.

They swept through parked aircraft, destroying dozens within minutes. The attack caused significant damage to Axis air power and demonstrated the SAS’s ability to strike deep behind enemy lines using speed and surprise.

The Benghazi Harbour Raids – Libya

Throughout the North African campaign, the SAS carried out dangerous sabotage missions against Axis facilities in and around Benghazi, Libya.

The operations involved infiltrating enemy-held territory and planting explosives on fuel dumps, vehicles and infrastructure.

The raiders then escaped across vast stretches of desert. Their attacks disrupted supply lines that were critical to German and Italian forces.

The missions showed how a small group of highly trained men could inflict damage far beyond their numbers.

Operation Loyton – Vosges, France

In 1944, SAS troops were parachuted into the Vosges region of occupied France as part of Operation Loyton.

Their mission was to harass German forces retreating after the Allied invasion of Normandy and work alongside local Resistance fighters.

Operating deep behind enemy lines for weeks, the SAS carried out ambushes, sabotage attacks and intelligence-gathering missions.

Despite suffering heavy losses and facing relentless German manhunts, the operation tied down thousands of enemy troops who might otherwise have been used against advancing Allied forces.

Operation Archway – Germany

As the Second World War neared its end, the SAS launched Operation Archway.

Small teams in heavily armed jeeps pushed ahead of advancing Allied armies, gathering intelligence, scouting enemy positions and causing confusion among retreating German forces.

The patrols often operated independently, relying on speed, initiative and aggression to survive.

The operation highlighted the SAS’s ability to conduct reconnaissance and launch unexpected strikes while the war’s outcome was still being fiercely contested.