Editing Special Air Service (section)

===Second World War===
The Special Air Service was a unit of the [[British Army during the Second World War]] that was formed in July 1941 by [[David Stirling]] and originally called "L" Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade{{snd}}the "L" designation and Air Service name being a tie-in to a British disinformation campaign, trying to deceive the Axis into thinking there was a paratrooper regiment with numerous units operating in the area (the real SAS would "prove" to the Axis that the fake one existed).<ref name=m22>Molinari, p. 22</ref><ref name=ha39>Haskew, p. 39</ref> It was conceived as a [[Commandos (United Kingdom)|commando]] force to operate behind enemy lines in the [[North African Campaign]]<ref>Thompson, p. 7</ref> and initially consisted of five officers and 60 [[Other ranks (UK)|other ranks]].<ref>Thompson, p. 48</ref> Its first mission, in November 1941, was a parachute drop in support of the [[Operation Crusader]] offensive, codenamed Operation Squatter.<ref name=ha39/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Lewis |first=Damien |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1338681927 |title=SAS brothers in arms : Churchill's desperadoes : blood-and-guts defiance at Britain's darkest hour |date=2022 |isbn=978-1-5294-1378-6 |location=London |pages=231 |oclc=1338681927}}</ref> Due to German resistance and adverse weather conditions, the mission was a disaster; with only 22 men, a third of the unit making back to base. The rest were either killed or captured. Its second mission was a major success. Transported by the [[Long Range Desert Group]], it attacked three airfields in [[Libya]], destroying 60 aircraft without loss.<ref name=ha40>Haskew, p. 40</ref> In September 1942, it was renamed 1st SAS, consisting at that time of four British squadrons, [[1st Marine Infantry Paratroopers Regiment#World War II|one Free French]], [[Sacred Band (World War II)#SAS Squadron|one Greek]], and the [[Special Boat Service#Origin: Second World War|Folboat Section]].<ref>Molinari, p. 25</ref>

[[File:Special Air Service in North Africa E 21337.jpg|thumb|SAS patrol in North Africa during WWII (1943)]]

In January 1943, Colonel David Stirling was captured in [[Tunisia]] and [[Paddy Mayne]] replaced him as commander.<ref>Haskew, p. 42</ref> In April 1943, the 1st SAS was reorganised into the Special Raiding Squadron under Mayne's command and the [[Special Boat Service|Special Boat Squadron]] was placed under the command of [[George Jellicoe, 2nd Earl Jellicoe|George Jellicoe]].<ref>Morgan, p. 15</ref> The Special Raiding Squadron fought in Sicily and Italy along with the 2nd SAS, which had been formed in North Africa in 1943 in part by the renaming of the [[Small Scale Raiding Force]] under the command of [[Bill Stirling (British Army officer)|Bill Stirling]] (brother of David).<ref>{{cite news|access-date=28 March 2010|work=The Times |location=London |title=Obituary:Lieutenant-Colonel David Danger: SAS radio operator|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article6004732.ece |date=31 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523092230/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article6004732.ece |archive-date=23 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|work=The Times |location=London |title=Obituary: Major Roy Farran|access-date=28 March 2010|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article671935.ece |date=6 June 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531185558/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article671935.ece |archive-date=31 May 2010}}</ref> The Special Boat Squadron fought in the [[Aegean Islands]] and [[Dodecanese]] until the end of the war.<ref>Haskew, pp. 52–54</ref> In 1944 the [[Special Air Service Troops|SAS Brigade]] was formed. The unit was formed from:<ref name=sb15/>
* 1st Special Air Service
* 2nd Special Air Service
* [[3rd Parachute Chasseur Regiment|3rd Special Air Service]] – 3e Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes
* [[2nd Parachute Chasseur Regiment|4th Special Air Service]] – 2e Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes
* [[5 SAS|5th Special Air Service]] – lineage continued by Belgian [[Special Forces Group (Belgium)|Special Forces Group]]
* [[GHQ Liaison Regiment|F Squadron]] – responsible for signals and communications

It was tasked with parachute operations behind the German lines in France<ref name=sb16>Shortt & McBride, p. 16</ref> and carried out operations supporting the Allied advance through France (Operations [[Operation Houndsworth|Houndsworth]], [[Operation Bulbasket|Bulbasket]], [[Operation Loyton|Loyton]], [[Operation Kipling|Kipling]] and [[Operation Wallace-Hardy|Wallace-Hardy]]), Belgium, the Netherlands ([[Operation Pegasus]]), and eventually into Germany ([[Operation Archway]] and [[Operation Howard]]).<ref name=sb15>Shortt & McBride, p. 15</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=3 November 2010|publisher=Airborne Museum Oosterbeek|url=http://www.vriendenairbornemuseum.nl/stolen_medals.htm|title=Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum Oosterbeek|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425132933/http://www.vriendenairbornemuseum.nl/stolen_medals.htm|archive-date=25 April 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> As a result of Hitler's issuing of the [[Commando Order]] on 18 October 1942, the members of the unit faced the additional danger that they would be summarily executed if captured by the Germans. In July 1944, following Operation Bulbasket, 34 captured SAS commandos were indeed summarily executed by the Germans. In October 1944, in the aftermath of Operation Loyton, another 31 captured SAS commandos were summarily executed by the Germans.<ref>Schorley, Pete; Forsyth, Frederick (2008). ''Who Dares Wins: Special Forces Heroes of the SAS''. Osprey Publishing, p. 50 {{ISBN?}}</ref>

The last original member of the Special Air Service and the last survivor of the Long Range Desert Group, [[Mike Sadler]], died on 4 January 2024, at the age of 103.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2024/01/04/major-mike-sadler-last-wartime-sas-originals-rogue-heroes/ |title=Mike Sadler, last of the wartime SAS 'Originals' and their principal navigator – obituary |date=4 January 2024 |access-date=4 January 2024 |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}} {{subscription required}}</ref>