The last of the " Originals ", Mike Sadler, who specialism was navigation, passed away on the 4th January this year, at the age of 103 ... he ended the war a Major ..
Yes ship compasses are affected by the metal hull of the ship. Ship compasses are "corrected" by adding metal or magnets to the binnacle (the place where the ships compass is installed). They are arranged to counteract the effect of the metal hull.
Nobody else was doing it because we had the LRDG (Long Range Desert Group) a multi-national scout and recon group operating deep in the Sahara, they were instrumental in helping the first SAS Group find their way through the desert, it was like nautical navigation in an ocean of sand. LRDG was comprised of British, Indian, Polish and Free French, as well as receiving help from locals like Bedouin travelers.
One of the reasons nobody else was doing this kind of stuff was that it was bloody difficult - and extremely dangerous. Navigating over the desert was almost an art form, and most militaries relied on the limited road network (and still got lost all the time). Modern ships compasses had to be properly calibrated, and de-gausing was also necessary - not easy with handheld compansses and small jeeps - compasses worked, but.... tiny inaccuraccies did add up over distance. It was very much nautical navigation, sextons included, in the ocean of rock and sand.
Remember these attacks are hundreds of miles behind enemy lines in one of the most hostile environments on earth! Not anyone can do that! You have to be highly trained totally nuts and you have to make peace with the idea that your chances of ever seeing your home again is ridiculously small. You should also check out the LRDG or the long range desert group.
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair Mayne is my mums 3rd cousin. There's a statue of him outside the town hall. He was proper. Even after WW2. (nobody knew what he did or his capabilities). He oozed it from his very being. Bar staff would call "last orders" (of course that was little more than a red rag to a bull & challenge excepted in his eyes) peace time didn't serve him well. So when the police were told by the pub that it's Bobby (Paddy). They would be reluctant to show up 😂😂. The police were scared of him. Rightly so. But we always laughed that didn't even know truly what he was capable of & they would still avoid him 😅
Although not in the SAS, my uncle fought with the King's Dragoon Guards C Squadron, using armoured cars to attack and harry the Germand and Italians. He was involved in Tobruk and El Alamein.
You may have been thinking of the "Desert Rats" there was a good film with Richard Burton called "The Desert Rats " 1953 with James Mason playing Rommel again .
There's an excellent 3 part documentary telling the full story of the origins of the SAS in North Africa called 'SAS Rogue Warriors' which interviews several of the founding members still alive at the time including David Stirling the founder himself, when they started out they literally had nothing, not even a camp, so they noticed a nearby brigade from New Zealand had a very well stocked camp, waited for them to go out on a march and stole their whole camp, including a grand piano! 🤣 There's also a dramatisation of the same story called 'SAS Rogue Heroes' but the documentary is the one to watch.
I do not think it was a grand, but a piano was definitely acquired and relocated. I would welcome evidence and references if, indeed, a grand piano was the instrument involved.
It was a reasonable effort, but ignored the contribution made by David Stirling's older brother, Peter, who in fact presented the memo to Gen. Auchineck, and was very much involved in the setting up of the regiment. David Stirling was not even still an officer (nicknamed the 'giant sloth') in the Scots Guards when Peter set up the first commando school. The whole sneaking into HQ story was, as was much of David Stirling's recollections, done with more than a hint of imagination. Blair Mayne was never in prison, and was very far from the homicidal drunken maniac portrayed in the series. He, Jock Lewes, and Mike Calvert were much more influential than any were given credit for.
Ben MacIntyre's three-part documentary "Rogue Warriors" gives a good insight into the birth of the SAS, including interviews of the officers and men themselves. Unfortunately, the TV dramatisation "Rogue Heroes" misrepresents them as almost cartoonish characters.
The sas train your delta force. One of the guys I know says "we teach them everything they know, not everything we know" 😂 very typical of the dry British humour. My grandad was sas and passed his beret down to my son because he was the oldest Great grandchild.
You are thinking of the disastrous 1915-16 Gallipoli campaign in WW1 where Australian and New Zealand troops (ANZACS) were landed as part of a force to attack Ottoman Turkey, which was allied with Germany at that time.
The raid infuriated Hitler so much he decreed that all commandos were to be treated as spies and executed. After that raid those who took part in soe, commando or sas actions faced certain death if captured and horrible torture beforehand, so it made them fight even harder and less likely to surrender. Some of the soe operatives are still not fully known today.
With 68 guns fired at “upto” 1200rpm, that’s over 1300rps, but obviously not all fired at the same time at a single target, but if 1/10 were in your direction you wouldn’t want any part of you in the way.
This tactic is an ancient British formation. The design is, there is no centre of the arrow. The others fight left, right and the center rush forward and destroy the king or objective
Also it was vital for the survival of the British army in the region. The more destroyed the better, and the more demoralising it would be on the enemy, especially the Italians who were viewed as rather weak compared with the Germans.
Conner, you vastly underestimate this mission. Traversing through the desert throughout the day is hard enough even now. But these guys did it *AT NIGHT* If you vere off course slightly. It's certain ⚰️. The SAS read a lot of what Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) did in WW1. To pick up tips. But no western power was/is as adapt as Britain in all terrains
What separates the British army is they make audacious moves which any other defence force with a brain would think....'noooooo, they'd never do that.....thats a suicidal move' 😂
That is not rounds per gun - they had two, three or four on each jeep. The Axis forces would be busy running around after the attack looking for some one or thing to shoot at. And, probably, screaming orders incoherently. The SAS had a plan for the action - the baddies did not have a plan for a reaction because they thought they did not need one. After all, who would imagine that such an audacious action would come out of the desert at night? Incidentally, the Germans suffered terribly in North Africa, not being used to the dryness and the heat. There was not much sunscreen about and the SPF rating would be single digit. At one point, at a meeting of senior British officers in the North African action, someone suggested that the SAS should be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. This was met with mirth generally and indignant apoplexy from the RAF. The reply was that the SAS had destroyed significantly more German planes than the RAF had. I think I read that in a book called "The Phantom Major" by Virginia Cowles (fine British name). Worth keeping an eye out for and buying IMMEDIATELY if located. GREAT yarn.
The lybian desert was not a good place to drive and work in. I spent 3 years and 5 months in lybya and drove all over except near the border with Egypt, this was in 1959 to late 1962.
The last of the " Originals ", Mike Sadler, who specialism was navigation, passed away on the 4th January this year, at the age of 103 ... he ended the war a Major ..
Yes ship compasses are affected by the metal hull of the ship. Ship compasses are "corrected" by adding metal or magnets to the binnacle (the place where the ships compass is installed).
They are arranged to counteract the effect of the metal hull.
Nobody else was doing it because we had the LRDG (Long Range Desert Group) a multi-national scout and recon group operating deep in the Sahara, they were instrumental in helping the first SAS Group find their way through the desert, it was like nautical navigation in an ocean of sand. LRDG was comprised of British, Indian, Polish and Free French, as well as receiving help from locals like Bedouin travelers.
😂😂😂😂😂 french
One of the reasons nobody else was doing this kind of stuff was that it was bloody difficult - and extremely dangerous. Navigating over the desert was almost an art form, and most militaries relied on the limited road network (and still got lost all the time). Modern ships compasses had to be properly calibrated, and de-gausing was also necessary - not easy with handheld compansses and small jeeps - compasses worked, but.... tiny inaccuraccies did add up over distance. It was very much nautical navigation, sextons included, in the ocean of rock and sand.
Remember these attacks are hundreds of miles behind enemy lines in one of the most hostile environments on earth! Not anyone can do that!
You have to be highly trained totally nuts and you have to make peace with the idea that your chances of ever seeing your home again is ridiculously small.
You should also check out the LRDG or the long range desert group.
And Popski's Private Army! (More formally No. 1 Demolition Squadron.)
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair Mayne is my mums 3rd cousin. There's a statue of him outside the town hall. He was proper. Even after WW2. (nobody knew what he did or his capabilities). He oozed it from his very being. Bar staff would call "last orders" (of course that was little more than a red rag to a bull & challenge excepted in his eyes) peace time didn't serve him well. So when the police were told by the pub that it's Bobby (Paddy). They would be reluctant to show up 😂😂. The police were scared of him. Rightly so. But we always laughed that didn't even know truly what he was capable of & they would still avoid him 😅
Although not in the SAS, my uncle fought with the King's Dragoon Guards C Squadron, using armoured cars to attack and harry the Germand and Italians. He was involved in Tobruk and El Alamein.
"How did they run, with the massive weight in their pants?!" ... dude I love watching your videos!
@McJibbin you need to check out Paddy Blair Mayne , the bravest man never to win the VC , the ultimate soldier
You may have been thinking of the "Desert Rats" there was a good film with Richard Burton called "The Desert Rats " 1953 with James Mason playing Rommel again .
You should watch OBI ONE Nairobi.
British Australians and kiwis held out at fortified tobruk germans later captured it after allies ran out of supplies
There's an excellent 3 part documentary telling the full story of the origins of the SAS in North Africa called 'SAS Rogue Warriors' which interviews several of the founding members still alive at the time including David Stirling the founder himself, when they started out they literally had nothing, not even a camp, so they noticed a nearby brigade from New Zealand had a very well stocked camp, waited for them to go out on a march and stole their whole camp, including a grand piano! 🤣 There's also a dramatisation of the same story called 'SAS Rogue Heroes' but the documentary is the one to watch.
I do not think it was a grand, but a piano was definitely acquired and relocated. I would welcome evidence and references if, indeed, a grand piano was the instrument involved.
It was a reasonable effort, but ignored the contribution made by David Stirling's older brother, Peter, who in fact presented the memo to Gen. Auchineck, and was very much involved in the setting up of the regiment. David Stirling was not even still an officer (nicknamed the 'giant sloth') in the Scots Guards when Peter set up the first commando school. The whole sneaking into HQ story was, as was much of David Stirling's recollections, done with more than a hint of imagination. Blair Mayne was never in prison, and was very far from the homicidal drunken maniac portrayed in the series. He, Jock Lewes, and Mike Calvert were much more influential than any were given credit for.
Ben MacIntyre's three-part documentary "Rogue Warriors" gives a good insight into the birth of the SAS, including interviews of the officers and men themselves.
Unfortunately, the TV dramatisation "Rogue Heroes" misrepresents them as almost cartoonish characters.
The sas train your delta force. One of the guys I know says "we teach them everything they know, not everything we know" 😂 very typical of the dry British humour.
My grandad was sas and passed his beret down to my son because he was the oldest Great grandchild.
You are thinking of the disastrous 1915-16 Gallipoli campaign in WW1 where Australian and New Zealand troops (ANZACS) were landed as part of a force to attack Ottoman Turkey, which was allied with Germany at that time.
👏 was about to comment that.
tobruk is the place you were thinking of.
IF you want more SAS missions. Looking into the Raid on St Nazzaire, widely considered to be the greatest special forces mission of all time.
The raid on St Nazaire pre dates the SAS and was carried out by army commandos, but still caught the Germans by surprise.
@@petersone6172 Forgot that part. But thank you for reminding me.
The raid infuriated Hitler so much he decreed that all commandos were to be treated as spies and executed. After that raid those who took part in soe, commando or sas actions faced certain death if captured and horrible torture beforehand, so it made them fight even harder and less likely to surrender. Some of the soe operatives are still not fully known today.
@@petersone6172 a great video well worth watching several VC won
@@christinephipps8236 I’ve probably seen it, as I’ve seen many over the years and heard stories that are less widely known.
With 68 guns fired at “upto” 1200rpm, that’s over 1300rps, but obviously not all fired at the same time at a single target, but if 1/10 were in your direction you wouldn’t want any part of you in the way.
I would like to suggest you read the books by Damien Lewis on the history of the SAS. He has access to the Blair Mayne war chest.
This tactic is an ancient British formation. The design is, there is no centre of the arrow. The others fight left, right and the center rush forward and destroy the king or objective
Yea going back in to destroy the remaining planes is "really risky"; "Is it worth it?" Absolutely, because _Who Dares Wins_ !
Also it was vital for the survival of the British army in the region. The more destroyed the better, and the more demoralising it would be on the enemy, especially the Italians who were viewed as rather weak compared with the Germans.
Paddy Mayne is a legend.
Conner, you vastly underestimate this mission. Traversing through the desert throughout the day is hard enough even now. But these guys did it *AT NIGHT* If you vere off course slightly. It's certain ⚰️. The SAS read a lot of what Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) did in WW1. To pick up tips. But no western power was/is as adapt as Britain in all terrains
Connor check out SAS , battle for Murbat , in Yemen
What separates the British army is they make audacious moves which any other defence force with a brain would think....'noooooo, they'd never do that.....thats a suicidal move' 😂
More operations room
That is not rounds per gun - they had two, three or four on each jeep.
The Axis forces would be busy running around after the attack looking for some one or thing to shoot at. And, probably, screaming orders incoherently. The SAS had a plan for the action - the baddies did not have a plan for a reaction because they thought they did not need one. After all, who would imagine that such an audacious action would come out of the desert at night? Incidentally, the Germans suffered terribly in North Africa, not being used to the dryness and the heat. There was not much sunscreen about and the SPF rating would be single digit.
At one point, at a meeting of senior British officers in the North African action, someone suggested that the SAS should be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. This was met with mirth generally and indignant apoplexy from the RAF. The reply was that the SAS had destroyed significantly more German planes than the RAF had.
I think I read that in a book called "The Phantom Major" by Virginia Cowles (fine British name). Worth keeping an eye out for and buying IMMEDIATELY if located. GREAT yarn.
Don't forget these guys were not American! 🤣
Tobruk
Yes, anyone can do it, the the Brits invented the tactic, and perfected it.
Sas rogue hero’s on Amazon prime
Who do you think trains the US special forces?
The lybian desert was not a good place to drive and work in. I spent 3 years and 5 months in lybya and drove all over except near the border with Egypt, this was in 1959 to late 1962.
Tobruk