From navigating SAS patrols across the Sahara to daring escapes from captivity, the regiment's wartime history is filled with extraordinary stories.
Some names are famous while others are far less familiar, but the exploits of the men behind them helped shape the reputation of the SAS.
Here are five remarkable figures whose stories deserve to be better known.
Paddy Mayne
Blair “Paddy” Mayne was a former rugby international from Northern Ireland who played a crucial role in developing the SAS’s hit-and-run tactics during the Second World War.
He led daring raids against Axis airfields across North Africa and Europe. His courage became legendary among comrades, and he is widely regarded as one of the most decorated soldiers never to receive the Victoria Cross.
Mike Sadler
Mike Sadler was a navigator who guided SAS patrols across vast stretches of the Sahara using stars, maps and instinct.
His ability to move small teams hundreds of miles through hostile desert terrain helped make many SAS raids possible and laid foundations for modern long-range reconnaissance operations.
Bob Bennett
Bob Bennett was among the original SAS volunteers and took part in some of the unit’s earliest and most dangerous missions.
Operating behind enemy lines in North Africa, he helped carry out sabotage attacks against German and Italian aircraft and military installations. Despite his contribution, his name remains less familiar than many better-known SAS figures.
Tony Deane-Drummond
Tony Deane-Drummond served with distinction in the SAS during the Second World War and later became known for his escape stories.
Captured during Operation Market Garden in 1944, he repeatedly attempted to evade captivity and eventually returned to Allied lines.
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Anders Lassen
Anders Frederik Emil Victor Schau Lassen was a Danish volunteer who served with British special forces.
He participated in special operations across Europe and the Mediterranean and became the only non-Commonwealth soldier to receive the Victoria Cross during the Second World War.
His bravery in leading small-scale raids made him one of the regiment’s most admired combat leaders.
Together, these five figures represent the courage, skill and determination associated with the wartime SAS.
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