BEHIND ENEMY LINES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 284, 28 August 1944, Page 5

BEHIND ENEMY LINES

British Parachutists Aid Break-Through (British Official Wireless.) (Received August 27, 7.30 p.m.) RUGBY, August 26. Light lias at last been thrown on the surprising lack of effective German resistance in France once the lines were breached. It is disclosed in London that this is in part the result of a comprehensive British and French campaign waged behind' the German lines long before the break-through of the main army occurred. In great measure the success of the breakthrough was the result of this campaign which wrought havoc, to the Germans from one end of France to the other. Great credit is duo to the Maquis, but there has been another body at work independently inside France whoso identity till recently was kept secret, namely, a, British' unit of parachutists called Special Air Service. It was largely because of tho panic and chaos which these small groups of specialists wrought deep behind the enemy lines that tho triumphant advance of the United States Third Army to Paris was made possible. The Special Air Service was conceived and created by two young officers, Lieutenant David SG-ling, of the Scots Guards and Commandos, and Lieutenant Jock Lewis, of the Welsh Guards and Commandos. Thfe S.A.S. operated effectively in North Africa and other theatres, but its existence was kept secret and never mentioned in communiques. Lewis, who became a major, was killed by .a chance shot from a German plane in North Africa and Stirling, who became a colonel, was taken prisoner in southern Tunisia in an operation effecting the link between and the First Armies there. The S.A.S. was given the. honour of starting the invasion of Sicily and. played an important part in the invasion of Italy. Colonel Mayne took command when. Stirling was taken prisoner.