The following is a list of known Special Air Service (SAS) operations.
Second World War Operations The Special Air Service began life in July 1941, the brainchild of Lieutenant David Stirling of No. 8 (Guards) Commando. His idea was for small teams of parachute trained soldiers to operate behind enemy lines to gain intelligence, destroy enemy aircraft and attack their supply and reinforcement routes. The SAS carried out this role until the end of the war serving in a number of theatres and campaigns.
By the end of the Second World War on 8 May 1945, the SAS had suffered 330 casualties, but had killed or wounded 7,733 and captured 23,000 of their enemies.
North Africa
Operation Squatter, 16/17 November 1941, unsuccessful raid on forward Axis airfields in North Africa, in support of Operation Crusader Operation Green Room Operation Bigamy, September 1942, diversionary raid on the Port of Benghazi in support of Operation Agreement 13/14 September 1942 Operation Palmyra
Mediterranean Operation Albumen, 7/8 June 1942, 4/5 July 1943, raids on Axis airfields in Crete Operation Chestnut, July 1943, raids supporting the Allied invasion of Sicily (also known as the Battle of Sicily and Operation Husky) Operation Narcissus, July 1943, capture of lighthouse in Sicily Operation Avalanche, Allied invasion of Italy Begonia/Jonquil, October 1943, rescue of POWs in Italy Operation Candytuft, October 1943, raid on railway targets in Italy Operation Maple Driftwood 1944, raid on railway targets in Italy Operation Baobab, January 1944, raid on rail targets serving Anzio, Italy Operation Galia, December 1944 – February 1945, 34 men from 3 Squadron, 2 SAS parachuted into northern Italy, conducted operations alongside local resistance fighters
Northwest Europe
The below operations were overseen by the brigade formation known as Special Air Service Troops: Operations in support of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of German-occupied France: Operation Titanic, 6 June 1944. Operation Nelson, June 1944, operation in the Orleans Gap. Operation Samwest, 6 June 1944, 4th SAS Battalion (Free French) dropped in Côtes-du-Nord (Brittany) to hinder German troop movements Operation Grog /Grog, 4 SAS in conjunction with Operations Dingson and Samwest 5 June 1944. Operation Dingson, 6 June 1944, 4th SAS Battalion (Free French) dropped to Morbihan (Brittany). Operation Bulbasket, 1st SAS mission, although partly successful operation 6 June 1944. Operation Cooney, 8 June 1944, 18 teams of the 4th SAS Battalion (58 Free French) dropped to Brittany to break communications ways. Operation Haft, 8 July to 11 August 1944 Operation Houndsworth, June 1944. Operation Lost, 23 June – July 1944, British and Free French operation in Brittany. Operation Swan II, 1944. Operation Gain, 1944 (originally issued as Operation Cain but corrupted in transmission and the latter adopted). Operation Defoe, July 1944, patrols in Normandy. Operation Barker, 1944, (originally issued as Operation Barkers as it is named for a famous London department store, but subsequently truncated). Operation Derry, 5/18 August 1944. Operation Gaff, July 1944, attempt to kill or capture Erwin Rommel. Operation Hardy I, 27 July to 19 August 1944, Raids near Dijon, France. Amalgamated into Operation Wallace. Operation Wallace, 19 August to 19 September 1944, Raids near Dijon, France. Operation Kipling, 13 August to 26 September 1944, conducted ambushes on German forces in the Orléans Gap. Operation Dunhill, August 1944, raid in support of the breakout of American forces from the Normandy beachhead. Operation Loyton, August 1944, operations near the Belfort Gap. Operation Pistol, September 1944, operations to blow railways south of Metz and east of Dieuze. Operation Moses, September 1944, Take over from the Bulbasket mission and aid the local French resistance forces. Operation Haggard, (part of a series of randomly allocated cryptonyms derived from famous writers). Operation Newton, August 1944, attacks on German rear areas. Operation Noah II 16 August/13 September 1944, attack on retreating Germans in Belgium. Operation Canuck, January 1945 operation in Northern Italy. Operation Cold Comfort, February 1945 failed SAS raid on railway targets near Verona. Operation Brake, (part of a series of operations named after parts of aircraft). Operation Tombola, March 1945, major operation around Bologna. Operation Archway, March 1945, reconnaissance in support of the crossing of the Rhine. Operation Amherst, In the night of 7 April 1945, more than 700 Free French SAS of the 3rd and 4th SAS were dropped in the Netherlands between Hoogeveen and Groningen. Operation Keystone, April 1945, operation near IJsselmeer. Operation Howard, April–May 1945, B and C Squadrons of 1 SAS, provided reconnaissance ahead of the Canadian 4th Armoured Division's drive towards northern Germany.
Known Post war Operations Immediately following the conclusion of the Second World War the SAS was disbanded; however the continued necessity for a commando unit was recognised and they were reformed again in 1947. In 1950 an SAS squadron trained to be deployed in the Korean War, however they were eventually transferred to Southeast Asia to serve in the ongoing Malayan Emergency.
The SAS continued to serve successfully in a variety of theatres and roles throughout the Cold War, and following the September 11 attacks the SAS deployed in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, it has continued its diverse selection of roles to the present day.
1950s–1970s – the Cold War
Malayan Emergency Operation Helsby, February 1952, series of deep penetration operations in Malaya. Operation Hive Jebel Akhdar War In 1958 two squadrons of 22 SAS were deployed to Oman to put down a rebellion. In January 1959 the SAS carried out a successful assault on a large guerrilla force on the Sabrina plateau.de B. Taillon, p. 30 Dhofar rebellion Operation Jaguar in 1971 Battle of Mirbat in 1972 Indonesian Confrontation Operation Claret, June 1964 – 1966, series of high risk cross-border patrols into Indonesia. Aden Emergency "Keeni-Meeni Operations", 10 December 1963 – 1967, the search for Yemeni-trained assassins. Lufthansa Flight 181 Operation Feuerzauber (Fire Magic), 18 October 1977, supplemented German GSG9 commando operation.
1980s–1990s Iranian Embassy Siege Operation Nimrod, 5 May 1980, successful rescue of hostages from the Iranian embassy in London. Falklands War Operation Corporate, 2 April–14 June 1982, the overall British operation to recover the Falkland Islands. The SAS alongside the SBS carried out numerous reconnaissance missions and diversionary raids in East and West Falkland to support the campaign. SAS forward observers also directed British artillery and aircraft. Operation Paraquet, 25 April 1982, successful recapture of the Island of South Georgia. Pebble Island Raid, 14–15 May 1982, successful attack on Argentinian-held airbase in West Falkland. Operation Sutton, 21–23 May 1982, landings in East Falkland. Operation Mikado, May 1982, abortive operation to destroy the three remaining Exocet missiles in Argentine possession. Mount Kent, 29–31 May 1982, D Squadron of 22 SAS seized and then held the vital Mount Kent high ground for three nights against repeated Argentine assaults until being reinforced by 42 Commando.
The Troubles Operation Banner, 1969–1997, deployment of the British army in Northern Ireland, the official SAS deployment from 1976. See also: Timeline of British undercover forces in Operation Banner Forkhill, 1976, senior IRA member Peter Cleary killed in struggle after capture by SAS. Coagh, 1978. Maghera, 1978, IRA members and an SAS unit exchange fire near Maghera, County Londonderry. One British soldier shot dead. A prominent IRA member, Francis Hughes, was wounded and captured following the shootout. Derry, 1978, ambush of IRA member in Derry. Belfast, 1978, ambush of three IRA members, one civilian also killed Dunloy, 1978, ambush of teenage civilian mistaken for IRA member. M60 gang, 1980, eight IRA members arrested, SAS Captain Herbert Westmacott killed.Bowyer Bell, J. (1997). The Secret Army: The IRA. Transaction Publishers, pp. 487–488. Kesh ambush, 1984, ambush of four IRA members, two IRA members and one SAS soldier killed. Strabane ambush, 1985, ambush of three IRA members Roslea, 1986, ambush of two IRA members. Operation Judy, 1987, ambush of eight IRA members.Ten cases of special forces in action – BBC News, 5 May 2011.Neville, Leigh, The SAS 1983–2014 (Elite), Osprey Publishing, 2016, , p. 16, Flavious, 1988, operation against three IRA members in Gibraltar.Three IRA members shot dead in Gibraltar – BBC. Belfast, 1988, ambush of IRA unit as it attacked an RUC Station in Belfast, passing taxi driver killed.McKittrick, p. 1131 Drumnakilly, 1988, military confrontation that took place at Drumnakilly in County Tyrone. Loughgall, 1990, ambush of two IRA members.McKittrick, pp. 1210–1211 Strabane, 1990, ambush of INLA members, one killed. Coagh, 1991, ambush of three IRA members.'The SAS broke the rules of war' – BBC, 28 January 2009. Clonoe, 1992, ambush of six IRA members.Community 'demands truth' about Clonoe SAS ambush – Molloy – tyronetimes, 3 February 2012. Coalisland, 1997, one alleged IRA member shot and wounded after a grenade attack on RUC barracks."How Elite Squad Pounced" by Conor Hanna. Daily Mirror, 28 March 1997 South Armagh Sniper, 1997, the SAS captured one of two IRA sniper teams employing .50 BMG calibre Barrett M82 and M90 rifles. Persian Gulf War
Operation Granby, January 1991, the deployment British forces during the Persian Gulf War. The SAS adopted its classic deep penetration role behind enemy lines, being deployed in numerous reconnaissance missions and raids on Scud launchers and communications sites. They also acted as observers for Coalition artillery and aircraft. Bravo Two Zero, the task was to find and destroy Iraqi Scud missile launchers along a 250 km stretch of the MSR. The patrol was compromised which lead to contact with Iraqi Forces, eventually the 8 man SAS patrol withdrew and began trying to escape and evade the Iraqi forces. Unfortunately 3 members died, 4 were captured and 1 successfully managed to escape alone. Operation Victor Two, February 1991, a successful assault on a Scud communications installation.
Bosnian War Operation Joint Endeavor, 16 July 1992 – 2 December 2004, NATO intervention in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Operation Tango, 10 July 1997, the arrest of two suspected war criminals in Prijedor. The men were wanted for involvement in the ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Muslims. Operation Ensue, November 1998, the arrest of a Serbian War criminal.
Japanese embassy hostage crisis Operation Chavín de Huántar, 22 April 1997, supplemented Peruvian Army operation.
Sierra Leone Civil War Operation Palliser, May 2000, deployment of British forces in Sierra Leone. Operation Barras, 10 September 2000, joint SAS/SBS rescue of 6 captured members of the Royal Irish Regiment in Sierra Leone.
2001 insurgency in Macedonia Operation Essential Harvest, 27 August 2001 SAS were assisted by Pathfinder Platoon in marking out National Liberation Army positions.
2000s–2010s – The War on Terror War in Afghanistan Operation Enduring Freedom– Afghanistan , 7 October 2001 – 28 December 2014, NATO deployment in Afghanistan. The SAS were involved in the initial invasion and remained active in the conflict. Operation Determine, October 2001, A and G squadron of 22 SAS, reinforced by members of the Territorial SAS, conducted reconnaissance tasks in north west Afghanistan none of which resulted in enemy contact.Neville, Leigh, Special Forces in the War on Terror (General Military), Osprey Publishing, 2015 , p. 69