Operation Husky - The invasion of Sicily
Clip from Film: IWM (AYY 502/1/8)
BBC One’s SAS: Rogue Heroes, based on the book by Ben Macintyre, is a “mostly true” take on the origin story of the Special Air Service (SAS), an elite British army regiment, as they formed to take radical action against the north African fascist advance during the Second World War.
While the adrenaline fuelled first season was set in North Africa, the second season moves to Europe, dramatising the Allied invasion of Sicily.
After the capture of David Stirling, command of 1st SAS Regiment passed to Lieutenant-Colonel 'Paddy' Mayne. In July 1943 Mayne led a small force of men - under the new title, Special Raiding Squadron (SRS) - in an amphibious assault on an enemy cliff-top gun emplacement at Capo Murro di Porco in Sicily. They followed this up a few days later with a daylight assault on the port of Augusta.
In the BBC series archival footage licensed from IWM is blended into the action
The clip above depicts men from the SRS in a celebratory mood after capturing the port of Augusta, Sicily, singing around a looted piano.
Interview with founding SAS member Albert 'Reg' Reginald Seekings
Reg Seekings plays a prominent role in series 2. Listen to an audio testimony on IWM Collections.
Find out more
Operation Husky: The largest amphibious invasion of the Second World War
The Italian Campaign 1943-145 - on IWM Collections Online
Explore a curated collection of films/clips related to the SAS
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