Special Boat Section, Service & Squadron

We are intending to list all Allied Special Forces casualties from the 2nd. World War and in the conflicts since. If you wish to add to this detail please contact us! Certain information may be under review and this is noted under the name. This list is not complete and some inaccuracies may occur whilst we are receiving information from many sources.

On Saturday 4th. October 2003 the SAS Roll of Honour was dedicated and some names here may differ as we do not have access to these lists.

The London Gazette of 4th. September 1945 gives the following particulars:

In Italy on the night of 8/9th April 1945, Major Lassen was ordered to take out a patrol and to raid the north shore of Lake Commachio. His task was to cause casualties, capture prisoners and give the impression of a major landing. The patrol was challenged and came under machine gun fire. Major Lassen himself attacked with grenades and silenced two enemy posts, capturing two prisoners and killing several Germans. The patrol had suffered casualties and was still under fire. Major Lassen moved forward and flung more grenades into a third enemy position, calling upon the enemy to surrender. He was then hit and mortally wounded, but whilst falling he flung a grenade, wounding more of the enemy and enabling his patrol to capture this last position. Finally, he refused to be evacuated lest he impede the withdrawal and endanger further lives. His high sense of devotion to duty and the esteem in which he was held by the men he led, added to his own magnificient courage, enabled Major Lassen to carry out with success all the tasks he had been given.