Interview with Stirling should be good:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/archivehour/pip/7tgk3/

The Archive Hour: SAS - the Originals

Saturday 3rd Feb 8:00pm - 9:00pm

BBC Radio 4

Out of a fug of cigar smoke and malt whisky comes a story that makes The Dirty Dozen sound like Jackanory. For the first time we hear the origins of the SAS from the lips of its founder, David Stirling (above). It was thought that Stirling, the aristocratic officer who first dreamt up the idea of a small unit of crack commandos in 1941, died without ever being interviewed. Not so. He was filmed for a TV documentary 20 years ago, which failed to make it to the screen, and its producer Gordon Stevens has salvaged the rough-taped reminiscences to make this piece of military history. The problems are that Stevens is not a natural presenter and reads the script quite flatly - and Stirling is a sick and reluctant interviewee, hence the cigars and booze. If you can stick with it, though, the rewards are many.

I thought I remembered the name Gordon Stevens - he's written a raft of books (both factual and fictional) on the Regiment.

As for the fictional ones, I can thoroughly recommend these two:





He's also written a book 'The Originals' too.

I purchased, and have read the book 'One of the Originals" by Johnny Cooper, he was one of our old governers.

But The Originals is a new one for me. regards ferret.

Mick,
Thanks for that link.

That was a Great interview.

Funny how things follow a similar circle,as when one looks at what then Col Beckwith had to do to get Delta off the Ground in the US one sees similar desire,similar fights with higher command.

Thank God for men Like those in the "Originals" and for those who follow a similar path in life.

Major Henry Druce - Obituary

Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 07/02/2007

Major Henry Druce, who has died aged 85, won the DSO and the Croix de Guerre while serving with the SAS behind enemy lines in the Second World War.

In 1944 Druce was serving as a captain in the 2nd Special Air Service Regiment (2 SAS). On August 12, as part of an operation code-named Loyton, he was in command of a small advance party which was dropped into the Vosges.

Their objective was to reconnoitre the area, contact the French Resistance, establish a suitable dropping zone for the main group and select targets for future action.

Druce was not supposed to have gone on the mission at all; but, at the last minute, the troop commander lost his nerve and pulled out. Druce was rushed to the airfield, where he was quickly briefed. His party was dropped 40 miles west of Strasbourg in an area of ravines and deeply wooded mountains.

He set up a base camp, but had to move out quickly when he discovered that the location had been betrayed to the enemy. A week later he reported that 5,000 German troops were combing the area for them. His difficulties increased when the loss of the group's wireless sets cut communications with their base.

For the next two weeks, Druce's party was hunted and harried, and was often short of food and close to exhaustion. Yet it managed to dodge the German patrols and inflicted casualties on the enemy which were out of all proportion to the size of their force.

One morning Druce led his Jeeps into the town of Moussey just as an SS commander was assembling his men. Druce accelerated towards the Germans, opened fire at 40 yards and, having expended several pans of ammunition, took off into the mountains.

He inflicted many casualties and caused so much confusion that 250 troops withdrew from the town in disorder in the belief that a greatly superior force had arrived. On September 29 he and a comrade headed west on foot to the American lines, carrying a Panzer division order of battle which had been passed to them by a Maquis commander. They were challenged by German sentries and passed through the enemy lines three times before handing over the documents.

Druce flew back to England early in October. He was awarded an immediate DSO, and the citation paid tribute to the officer's skill, daring and complete disregard for his own safety.

Henry Carey Druce was born on May 21 1921 in The Hague (his mother was Dutch), and educated at Sherborne and RMC Sandhurst before being commissioned into the Middlesex Regiment. He volunteered for the newly-formed Glider Pilot Regiment and was posted to 21st Independent Parachute Company.

He was fluent in French, Dutch and Flemish and was seconded to MI6 in 1943; but his service in Holland was cut short when his cover was blown by a Dutch agent who turned out to be working for the Germans.

After Operation Loyton, Druce was promoted to major and rejoined 2 SAS in Holland. In April 1945 he was ordered by Brigadier Mike Calvert to lead a column of 10 Jeeps north from Arnhem to penetrate the German lines. Druce protested, saying that the war was almost over, the German positions in that area were still strongly defended and that it was one of the most ridiculous schemes he had ever heard.

"Druce," said Calvert, "are you a regular officer?"

"Yes, sir," replied Druce.

"Well, I think you should be shot," exclaimed the Brigadier.

Druce complied with the instruction, and, operating behind the lines, his troop allowed the retreating Germans no respite. On one occasion his Jeeps, each mounted with four Vickers machine guns, took cover in a wood and ambushed a German column with devastating effect. A comrade said afterwards that Druce was dressed for this action in corduroy trousers and a black silk top hat.

At Deelen, the troop was in a café awaiting the arrival of the Canadians before liberating the airport when a German motorcyclist arrived. In his saddle-bags was a ham that he had stolen from Arnhem. Druce, still in his top hat, ordered the man to get off his bike and, when he did not respond, seized the ham and knocked him off the machine with it.

After the war, Druce rejoined MI6, first in Holland and then in Indonesia until the latter achieved independence in 1949. Having left government service he worked in Anglo-Dutch plantations in Java until 1951 and, after 18 months' travelling, moved with his family to Canada.

There he built up a shipping business on Newfoundland, and later in Quebec and the Cayman Islands, before retiring in 1981 and settling in Victoria, British Columbia, where he remained active in business, enjoyed golf and kept in touch with old comrades' associations.

Druce was awarded the Croix de Guerre with Palm for his services with the French Resistance and was made an Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau for his work in Indonesia.

Henry Druce died on January 4. He married, in 1942, Mary Docker, who survives him with a son and two daughters.

______________________________________________

Interviewer: "Describe yourself in 12 words or less?"

Me: "Lazy."

Here ia another one of the lads stories

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/95/a7875895.shtml

Mick you have started a good thread here, who can tell where it will lead.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=24989






http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=19090

Jack Byrne

Last Updated: 12:15am GMT 18/02/2007

Jack Byrne, who has died aged 85, was one of the SAS "Originals" and won the Di stinguished Conduct Medal for a daring escape from a German PoW camp in 1943.

After being recruited by Captain David Stirling, Byrne joined "L" Detachment, 1st Special Service Brigade, the unit which subsequently became 1st SAS Regiment. After intensive training, in November 1941 he took part in a paratroop raid on enemy fighter bases in the Gazala-Tmimi area, Libya. In the high winds the sticks became separated, weapons and equipment were lost and, of the 64 men who set out, only 22 returned.

A month later the survivors left their base at the Jalo Oasis for a night raid on Agedabia airfield. Each man carried eight Lewis bombs, which they placed high up on the wings of the bombers and the noses of the fighters. They destroyed all 37 aircraft.

After helping to blow up ammunition dumps at Berka airstrip, Byrne missed a rendezvous with his patrol. He set off alone across the desert in an attempt to reach the Allied lines and was captured. Told to surrender his arms, he pulled his revolver from its holster, intending to throw it on the ground. The gesture was misinterpreted and he was shot in the face, but was not badly wounded.

Byrne was sent to Stalag Luft III, Sagan, in Poland. He made two unsuccessful escape attempts before crawling under the perimeter wire directly below a watch tower and walking to Königsberg station. French workmen provided him with civilian clothes, food and money. He then stole a bicycle and made his way to Danzig, evading several road blocks on the way.

Having bluffed his way into the docks, Byrne put on a sailor's cap which he had picked up earlier. When he was challenged by a sentry, he sparred playfully with the man, who then waved him up the companionway and on to a Swedish ship.

Byrne concealed himself under one of the boilers, and, when the vessel was searched before sailing, he raised himself off the floor by clinging to a pipe to escape detection. A friendly sailor hid him in the hold and brought him food. After disembarking at Gothenburg, he took the train to Stockholm and flew to Leuchars in a Mosquito. He was awarded the DCM.

John Vincent Byrne was born on April 1 1921 at Preston, Lancashire, and educated at Army Apprentices College, Chepstow. He enlisted in the Gordon Highlanders and was wounded in France in 1940 while serving with the 1st Battalion.

After the evacuation from Dunkirk, he was transferred to 11 (Scottish) Commando and took part in the landings north of the Litani river during the campaign in Syria against the Vichy French.

After his escape from the PoW camp he retained his rank of corporal and moved to the Commando Depot at Achnacarry, Inverness-shire, for rigorous re-training before being posted to 6 Commando.

Shortly after landing in Normandy, Byrne was wounded in the knee and evacuated, but rejoined 6 Commando in Holland for the final phase of the campaign in north-west Europe.

After the war Byrne went to Greece with 4th Battalion the Royal Norfolk Regiment and was seconded to HQ 179 Infantry Brigade. He was demobilised early in 1947 and served with the Kenya Police for a spell before moving to Kulai Police District, Johor, on internal security duties at the outset of the Malaya "Emergency".

In 1953 a terrorist fired his revolver into Byrne's stomach at point-blank range. After being discharged from hospital he returned to Kenya to work in the prison service before retiring in 1958. He settled in Shropshire, and built up a drapery business until he finally retired in 1986.

Jack Byrne died on January 10. He married, in 1955 (dissolved), Mary Hayes, who predeceased him; he is survived by their three daughters.