The Special Air Service, or SAS was founded during WW2 by Captain David Stirling. The idea was taken to his commanding officer at the time by Captain Stirling but he was not allowed to pass the guard at the gate. So instead, he jumped the fence and walked into the office.
The CO accepted his idea and set Stirling up as a desert raiding force, designed to weaken Rommel's North African logistics and attack air force bases deep in the desert. The first raid took place in December 1941, when two specially trained groups of men assaulted two airfields, destroying 61 aircraft. Another assault was launched shortly after the successful raids, this time destroying 27 planes. Apart from North Africa, the SAS operated in other theatres of conflict, such as eastern Europe. One operation codenamed Houndsmith deployed 144 men with jeeps, by parachute in a Nazi occupied area near Dijon in France. Altogether, the SAS inflicted 7 733 Garman casualties, captures 4 784 prisoners and destroyed or immobilised 700 vehicles. 7 trains were destroyed and 33 derailed. The SAS were also used after the war to capture man wanted by the war crimes tribunal, members of the Gestapo and SS.
COURTESY OF BBC HEREFORD - THE GROWTH OF THE SAS (Real Player required)
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