Belgium Special Air Service
Extrait du livre: BELGIAN FORCES IN UNITED KINGDOM du COMITE 44-94
THE BELGIAN PARACHUTE REGIMENT S.A.S.
Created on May 8, 1942 by Henri Rolin, under-secretary of the Ministry of Defence, the unit first trained as an independent parachute company, then within the Brigade of the Special Air Service.
The text hereafter was written in 1945 by the Intelligence Section of the Parachute Regiment.
PHASE I - PARACHUTED OPERATIONS
A. - FRANCE
1. Hills of Perche: Operations CHAUCER, BUNYAN, SHAKESPEARE.
The unit was parachuted behind enemy lines as of July 27 1944, successively in the Sarthe, the L'Eure-et-Loire and up to the estuary of the Seine. The first group included three teams of six men, in possession of a T.S.F. station, with the mission to reconnoitre the ground and send information. On August 8, on their instructions, they were joined by three groups of fifteen men each, which were parachuted into the area of the "Collines du Perche", with the mission to provide information on the movements and the positions of the enemy, and to hunt down the enemy non-stop. Lance-Corporal Carette was killed in the course of one of these operations.
2. Normandie (Pocket between Seine-et-Eure): Operation TRUEFORM.
On August 16, eighty men, including six officers, were parachuted by night (in groups of approximately ten) into the enemy lines to the East of the pocket of Falaise, with the mission to hunt down the retreating enemy armoured columns and of preventing them, by all means, to cross the Seine. They were also to try their best to identify and to signal by radio the direction of the retreating German units. An officer who landed by bad luck on a S.S. patrol was captured.
3. Picardie: Operation BENSON.
On August 27, a reconnaissance group parachuted to the East of Beauvais, discovers a document giving the complete battle orders of the German Divisions on the front of the Somme.
During these operations, these groups:
Inflicted heavy losses in men and hardware to the enemy;
Signalled to the aviation the location of many military objectives which were attacked successfully;
Effectively contributed to sow confusion within the enemy lines, driven back in the pocket of Falaise and in retreat towards the East;
- About two hundred aviators, downed over the occupied territories, were freed and brought back to allied lines.
B. - BELGIUM
On August 15, a reconnaissance group of eight men and an officer was parachuted into the French Ardennes with mission to cross into Belgium to prepare the arrival of a new contingent. They were the first allies to enter Belgium.
As of August 27, the groups from the operations in France, joined by the allies, had returned to their base in England. In successive waves, they were again parachuted behind enemy lines onto a territory spreading from Geninne (in the Ardennes) to Peer (Limbourg). They stayed there until the arrival of the advancing allied troops. (Operations NOAH, BRUTUS, BERGBANG and CALIBAN)
1. Ardennes
By mistake, a group (an officer and ten men) was parachuted on the Siegfried line. They were thus the first allies to penetrate into Germany. By forced marches, they returned into Belgium where they achieved their mission. In Sart, they attacked a German Staff Headquarters (killing a senior officer) and forced this Staff Headquarters to leave hastily in the direction of Germany. Certain groups in the Ardennes operated with parachuted jeeps, armed with Vickers machine-guns, in particular in Bois-Saint-Jean (Luxembourg) where on September 10, after furious combat, they pushed back an enemy armoured vehicles attack. Parachutist Lox was killed there; officer cadet Tinchant seriously wounded. During these operations, they gave significant information on the movements and positions of the enemy to the Allied High Command, collaborating closely with the local maquis (organized particularly well in the areas of Gedinne and Buissonville). They inflicted losses to the enemy of more than 300 killed and destroyed 100 vehicles as well as important stocks of ammunition.
2. Limbourg
In Peer a section of the group CALIBAN attacked and forced a retreat of an enemy artillery battery after a brief and violent engagement, having killed fifty two men and put out of combat an unspecified number. The 1st sergeant Melsens died there.
The group send extremely important information by T.S.F. to the High Command. On several occasions they send information through the German lines, giving information relating to the defence systems and position of the enemy forces close to the bridgehead of the Albert canal. It is during these operations, while trying to cross the enemy lines, that Lieutenant Limbosch was killed.
C. - THE NETHERLANDS
Within the framework of the operations at Arnhem, on September 15, an officer and three men were parachuted into the province of Utrecht. On September 25, another group made up of one officer and four men was parachuted into the province of Drenthe. After the setback of the operations in Arnhem, these Belgian groups organized, together with the Dutch resistance, a service of repatriation for English parachutists scattered behind enemy lines as well as a service of information on the movements and defence systems of the enemy forces. These groups known as REGAN and GOBBO re-entered into Belgium after having re-passed the lines again in March 1945.
On October 9, a warrant officer and three sergeants were parachuted into Friesland to train the Dutch maquis. The warrant officer remained there until April 25. The Corporal-signaller Holvoet, sent as reinforcement in October to complete the transmission network, was wounded, captured and imprisoned by the enemy. Subjected to questioning, he persisted during long months in his refusal to reveal anything to his gaolers. On April 10 1945, in ZWOLLE, he was shot and his body was thrown into the river YSSEL.
PHASE II - NON-PARACHUTED OPERATIONS SQUADRON ON RECONNAISSANCE MISSION
1. Ardennes
Reorganized in November 1944 into a reconnaissance squadron, equipped with armoured jeeps, the unit adapted quickly to its new task and was attached to the 6th Airborne Division. During counter-attacks made by this unit to stop the progression of the enemy forces in the Ardennes (Offensive von Rundstedt) the unit's role during the operation REGENT was:
To carry out offensive patrols on the main road of progression of the 61e Reconnaissance Regiment: Halma-Chanly-Tellin-Bure-St Hubert. Engagements in Wavreilles - Bure - Han - Mirwart - Awenne - Champlon - Smuid.
To protect the right flank of the British Army and to establish the liaison with the French S.A.S. who were protecting the left flank of the American Army. In spite of the extreme climatic conditions, and the need to operate on difficult ground, which was abundantly mined, all these missions were accomplished.
During these engagements, Lieutenant Renkin, Corporal Lorphevre and parachutist de Villermont were killed and the Warrant Officer De Jonghe severely wounded. Ten experts in German and English language were detached to the British troops to operate mainly as interrogators: among them Sergeant Rycx. He was seriously wounded during the course of a patrol towards St-Hubert.
2. Antwerp
The unit was withdrawn from the Ardennes on January 16 to be directed to Antwerp were it was put at the disposal of the 7 B.S.A., as mobile reserve and reconnaissance troop for the defence of the port of Antwerp. An enemy paratrooper attack appeared imminent. After fifteen days of intensive patrols in the South-East, the East and the North-East of Antwerp (up to the Dutch border) the unit returned to Brussels (on February 2, 1945).
During the months of February and March, the unit, reorganized into a regiment, saw its manpower doubled. The unit trained:
- In the role of reconnaissance and assault; the second-lieutenant Mathijs died at the head of his troop during a live fire exercise
- In the role of counter-intelligence in order to be able to be used for specialised tasks in collaboration with Field Security Service.
PHASE III - REGIMENT IN RECONNAISSANCE AND ASSAULT MISSION
1. The Netherlands
On April 4, the entirely motorized unit departs for Huize-Zelle to place itself at the disposal of the 2nd Canadian Corps. It includes a Squadron Head Quarters, (T.S.; 3" mortars; engineering-bridge-builders; mechanical workshop) and two squadrons in possession of some hundred vehicles, including fifty armoured jeeps; two hundred fast-action Vickers machine-guns; 50 Bren-guns; six heavy Browning machine-guns (12.5 mm).
On April 7, the unit was sent to Coevorden, to hold the city, forming a strategic point on the left flank of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division which advanced towards the East (Germany). The unit had the role of making forward offensive reconnaissance patrols for 4th Canadian Division. Moreover, it was to protect its lines of communication, especially to Hardenberg (South-west of Coevorden): towards the West of Vechte, were an enemy concentration was trying hopelessly to cross the river and to cut our communications with the South.
During the nights of 7 April to 13 April, two French S.A.S. regiments were parachuted into the area between Coevorden and Assen. The unit had as a mission to make contact with them, across the enemy lines and to bring back their casualties to our lines. Our patrols penetrated beyond the Oranje Kanal and Dedemsvaart and brought back to our lines the French casualties being in the sector.
On April 10, we came under the command of the 1st Polish Armoured Division. After having captured and having reinforced the bridge of Oosterhesselen from an off guard enemy, which saved invaluable hours to the Division, we advance as an offensive reconnaissance unit on the Division's main road towards Winschoten and the sea. During this progression, on April 12, at the destroyed bridge of Veele, we meet a strong enemy opposition (Company of Kriegsmarine). After four hours of combat during which the Company of Kriegsmarine lost 60 percent of its manpower, by swimming across the canal, we were able to establish a bridgehead.
During the night, our detachment of engineers/bridge-builders built a bridge which allowed the unit twelve hours later, to pass with all its equipment and to continue its advance. We arrived at Blyham in the south of Winschoten after having eliminated the enemy pockets of resistance one after the other. Taking advantage of the flat ground, along the Pekel-Aa canal, the enemy organized a strong resistance supported by artillery and mortars. They also strongly defended the intact bridge-road, leading to Winschoten.
We asked for an attack of Rocket-Typhoons which was obtained due to the intervention of Brigadier Calvert, the Commander of the S.A.S., who had arrived at the scene. Under the cover of a smoke screen established by the artillery, the air raid was followed by an attack of a section of jeeps. The enemy was pushed back beyond the bridge. They withdrew during the night which allowed us to take Winschoten in the early hours of the morning of April 15. Our patrols launched into an attack towards the North, their objective being the sea.
After a combat against strong enemy rear guards, the First Squadron took the village of Beerta. The main body of the unit was stopped by a Battery attack on their flank, one of our patrols managed to reach the sea the same day, which ended its task. Five of our men died during this operation: Second-lieutenant Devignez, 1st sergeant Rolin, elite parachutists Breuer, Hazard, Wathelet. Also, there were eleven serious casualties (including an officer and two warrant officers) who had to be evacuated. On April 17, the unit leaves for a rest and reorganizes in Tinnen (Germany), where it receives a first reinforcement of men from the base in Tervueren.
2. Germany
Westerscheps-Godensholt: On April 23 1945, we leave for Lorup, passing under the command of the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade. We have the role of cleaning the area in the North of the Kusten-Kanaal between a Polish Division (with objective Emden) and a Canadian Division (with objective Wilhemshafen). The advance on the road leading from Westerscheps to Godensholt was very slow because of the demolitions carried out by the enemy and a fanatic resistance of young Kriegsmarine and parachutists.
An attack was mounted against the village of Godensholt and two Squadrons took it by assault. In spite of intense artillery bombardment which causes us severe losses, the village was held jointly with elements of 1st British S.A.S. Regiment. Because the number of craters made the advance of the tanks extremely difficult in this sector, the Canadian commandment decided to attack on another axis, an armoured unit held Godensholt and we were sent to Rostrup with the 2nd Canadian Brigade.
Rostrup-Grabstede: From Rostrup we resumed the advance on the left flank of the Canadian Division; our objective was Varel. On May 5 1945, with the capitulation of the German troops towards the North-West, our advanced patrols got into contact with the enemy at the entrance of Grabstede. The Germany operation cost two lives (elite parachutists Bechet and Ruscart) and six serious casualties (including one officer).
PHASE IV - COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE
On May 9 1945, the unit, having been reinforced by forty men and two officers coming from the base of Tervueren, left in three groups to place themselves at the disposal of the 83rd, 12th and 30th British Corps, for counter-intelligence missions with Field Security Service. Very mobile, because it was entirely motorized, and in possession of cross-country vehicles (jeeps) which were fast and heavily armed, it extended its activity from Emden and Wilhemshafen in the West, towards Tonder (Denmark) and Flensburg (Schleswig) in the North, Wismar and Schwerin (line of Russo-British demarcation) in the East, Gottingen, Goslar and Hildesheim in the South. It contribute to the arrest of Admiral Doenitz (and his government) in Flensburg, of Rosenberg, of Von Ribbentrop (who had been denounce by a German civilian to one of our sergeant), several S.S. Generals, many concentration camp guards, some S.S. and members of the Nazi party. They were also involved with the search for documents and interrogation of prisoners.
PHASE V - THE UNIT RETURNS TO BASE
On July 4 1945, the unit returns to base in Tervueren.
Losses sustained by the unit during operations:
- Killed: 3 officers, 2 warrant officers, 10 men
- Seriously wounded: 19
- Wounded lightly: 39
- Prisoners: 2 (of which one was executed)
Extrait du livre: BELGIAN FORCES IN UNITED KINGDOM du COMITE 44-94
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