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Operation Keystone Dutch SAS untold story
Hi Chaps,
In December a new book was published Operation Keystone (in Dutch) on a Dutch attachment to 2ndSAS. In December 1944 a number of Dutch recruits were recruted by the SAS and 15 men successfully completed the SAS training course. The participated in Operation Keystone in April 1945 to capture war criminals including an attempt to cath the much hated Seyss-Inquart. Theafter the joined operation Archway in Germany. British SAS insignia were worn together with Dutch insignia. Cheers, JB |
Dutch SAS
hi JB,
Indeed a piece of untold SAS history. I will get that book ASAP! Thanks for informing us! Cheers, Johan |
Who is the author and publisher? Thank you.
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Author is Rende van der Kamp, published by QV Uitgeverij:
https://geschiedenis-winkel.nl/opera...n-de-kamp.html |
The author is Rende van de Kamp and Jeoffrey van Woensel and book called Operatie Keystone don’t know the publisher but you can find the book on internet.
Cheers, JB |
Thanks for the info. I'd never heard of the Operation until now. Too bad the book's only in Dutch, though - and no Google Translate!
David |
Thank you ,I had no idea about this unit , any pictures with mixed insignia ??
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Thank you Luc and JB.
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Interview with one of the Dutch SAS in English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=899sVt_CLn8
Rgds, Thomas |
Thanks Thomas!
On the movie you can see Arie Noot wore a 2ndSAS shoulder title and the Dutch nationality lion patch. He wears the standard British para wings on right arm and has a maroon beret with a white metal Army Air Corps badge. The SAS was part of the AAC. As to webbing he also has the twin pouch for the m1911 colt 45 magazines. Arie was very thankful to the RAF pilot who noticed the reception committee with the Eureka beacon used the wrong letter signal. When the plane turned back to England the Germans started firing! That coolness has saved his life! Cheers JB Quote:
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Has anyone seen other wartime SAS members wearing the AAC badge?
Rgds, Thomas |
Operation Keystone
1 Attachment(s)
Friends,
I received the book. Cheers, Johan |
I got the book as well It looks like Dutch detachment 2ndSAS all wore 2ndSAS shoulder titles. On the maroon beret all seem to wear the AAC badge. On the pics all wear the standard British parawing although on one pic I saw an SAS wing.
Cheers JB |
Op Keystone
Fascinating to see a Dutch SAS connection. One of the photos shown in the video shows small metal British type para wings being worn above the left pocket but they are not the Irvin or GQ type. Anyone have any information on them?
Quite a few of the photos of the SAS in Germany in 1945 show the AAC badge being worn instead of the “winged dagger”. This may have been a precaution against Hitler’s notorious Commando Order, which was known to the SAS by then, and could be part of a desire to appear as just an advance recce unit of the regular airborne forces rather than special forces? Also, the video shows the airborne version of Battledress trousers but with large pocket on the right leg. I checked but it is not the usual case of the negative being reversed and you can see the normal left leg map pocket, so it must have been a personal modification. |
Hi Colin,
Fascinating indeed this is published 74 years after the war. I agree that especially in Germany in 1945 SAS is also seen wearing AAC badges and suspect this has to do with the infamous kommando befehl. SAS were also ordered to wear RTR berets and badges for that reason. No info on the parawing metal badge pinned on BD. Cheerio, JB Quote:
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