Tag Archives: 1st Special Service Brigade

Devil’s Brigade Loadout

Posted on by Leave a comment

How about this great photo spread from 80 years ago.

Forcemen of the “Devil’s Brigade,” the U.S.-Canadian First Special Service Force— Sergeant Charles Shepard (6-2), Lieutenant Henry H. Rayner (5-2 &1-2), Private First Class James A. Jones (5-2 & 6-2)– preparing to go on an evening patrol in the Anzio beachhead, Italy, ca. 20-27 April 1944. Note the boot-blacked faces and hands and M1 Thompsons with lots of mags, always useful in breaking contact on a night patrol.

Photo by Lieut. C.E. Nye / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-183862 (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3378968)

Most of these men were also captured in the below image from the same photographer, including a very rare M1941 Johnson Light Machine Gun (LMG). Also note the propensity of rubber helmet bands, sans camo netting, and the use of what is often termed hand-painted “OSS camouflage” on the shells.

(L-R): Pvt Dan Lemaire (5-2 & 6-2), Pfc Richard Stealey (6-2), Sgt Charles Shepard (6-2), Lt H.H. Raynor (5-2 & 1-2), Pfc James A. Jones (5-2 & 6-2), Forcemen of 5-2, First Special Service Force, preparing to go on an evening patrol in the Anzio beachhead, Operation Shingle, (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3378967)

A third image from this group, showing a platoon brief before setting off, has had the Devil’s Brigade arrowhead patches scrubbed by a censor.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3396066)

More LAC FSSF images are here.

1 SSB on D-Day, and the piper of the Pegasus Bridge

Posted on by Leave a comment

Note the Bren guns and covers on the Enfield .303s

The 1st Special Service Brigade (1 SSB) goes ashore at Sword Beach, 1944. The Lord Lovat Simon Fraser is visible to the right of the column wading ashore in the first photo, and is the one standing and addressing the brigade. After losing several men to sniper fire the unit switched from their distinctive berets to helmets shortly after coming ashore. Also visible in the first photo, closest to the camera, is the “Mad Piper” Bill Millin, who famously piped the unit across Pegasus Bridge.

Bill is interviewed below in 1991, which was demolished in 1994:

The airborne operation to seize Pegasus with just 90 glider-borne infantry of 6 Airborne Div with orders to “hold until relieved” (Operation Deadstick) is detailed below.