Second World War: 1st Special Service Force
In 1942 a highly specialized joint Canadian-American force was created to undertake special operations in Europe. In order that 500 "all ranks" could be recruited without undue publicity being directed towards their future role, the 2nd Canadian Parachute battalion was raised at the same time as the 1st, coming into order on 10 July 1942. On 25 May 1943 it became the 1st Canadian Special Force Brigade, with its officers and men distributed with the Americans throughout the multi-national unit.
The 1st Special Service Force was trained in Helena, Montana before being deployed in the Aleutians Islands in 1943, where it had valuable training experience. By November it had gone into action in Italy, where it distinguished itself in the successful assaults on Monte Le Difensa and Monte La Remetanea. It also fought at Anzio and in the drive to Rome, where it was the first Allied formation to enter the city. The 1st Special Service Force then advanced as far as the Tiber before being deployed for the invasion of Southern France, where it spearheaded the landing force. After seeing action on the Franco-Italian border, the joint force was disbanded and the Canadian element was separated. It, too, was disbanded in December 1944, having fought well, earning ten battle honours & been given the nickname "the Devil's Brigade".
Read more about this topic: Special Service Force
Famous quotes containing the words world, special, service and/or force:
“Innocence always calls mutely for protection, when we would be much wiser to guard ourselves against it ... innocence is like a dumb leper who has lost his bell, wandering the world meaning no harm.”
—Elizabeth Bowen (18991973)
“A special feature of the structure of our book is the monstrous but perfectly organic part that eavesdropping plays in it.”
—Vladimir Nabokov (18991977)
“His character as one of the fathers of the English language would alone make his works important, even those which have little poetical merit. He was as simple as Wordsworth in preferring his homely but vigorous Saxon tongue, when it was neglected by the court, and had not yet attained to the dignity of a literature, and rendered a similar service to his country to that which Dante rendered to Italy.”
—Henry David Thoreau (18171862)
“Like a kick in the butt, the force of events wakes slumberous talents.”
—Edward Hoagland (b. 1932)