Operation Archway
Encyclopedia
Operation Archway was the codename for one of the largest and most diverse operations carried out by the Special Air Service
during the Second World War.
Archway was initially intended to support Operation Plunder
and Operation Varsity
, the crossings of the River Rhine at Rees
, Wesel
, and south of the Lippe River
in North Rhine-Westphalia
by the British Second Army
, under Lieutenant-General Sir Miles Dempsey
. It went on to support the three British Armoured Divisions in their advance into Germany until the end of the war.
The Archway force was under command of Lieutenant Colonel
Brian Franks and comprised two squadrons, one each from the 1st and 2nd Special Air Service regiments.
or SAS were involved in a number of operations in France, to support the Allied
advance, notably Operation Bulbasket
, Operation Houndsworth
and Operation Loyton
. Following these operations both of the Special Air Service regiments were recalled to the United Kingdom
to regroup, both having suffered casualties in the French operations.
parachute landings across the Rhine river. The force from the Special Air Service would be known as Frankforce. Named after the officer selected to command it, the commanding officer
of 2nd Special Air Service, Lieutenant Colonel
Brian Francks. Frankforce was made up of two reinforced Special Air Force squadrons, one each from the 1st and 2nd Special Air Service regiments.
The force would number about 300 all ranks, mounted in 75 armed Jeeps
, some also equipped with 3-inch Mortars
. They were supported by a number of 15-cwt and 3-ton trucks. The 1st Special Air Service squadron was led by Major Poat and consisted of three troops, each consisting of three sections with three Jeeps. They had a 3 in. mortar section at Squadron Headquarters which also kept a reserve of 12 Jeeps. The 2nd SAS squadron under command Major Power had a similar composition but only two troops.
Their first mission in support of the XVIII Airborne Corps consisted of reconnaissance patrols in northern Germany. They crossed the Rhine in amphibious LVT Buffalos
, on the 25 March at Bislich.
Frankforce was then assigned to support the British Guards Armoured Division in the area around the Dortmund–Ems Canal. After this Frankforce until the end of the war worked with the 2nd Welsh Guards
, the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars
and the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars
. Who were the armoured reconnaissance regiments of the Guards, 7th and 11th Armoured Divisions. The Special Air Service Jeeps being a faster and lighter alternative to the Cromwell tank
s used by the armoured regiments.
It was the 1st SAS squadron working with the 11th Armoured Division, who were among the first British troops into Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
. They found between 50,000 and 60,000 inmates in the camp and for several days later SAS patrols assisted the Field Security Police in hunting down war criminals making several arrests. By the end of April 1945 they had reached the Elbe river, where they were joined by the Operation Keystone
team, which was a squadron from 2nd SAS, under command of Major Hibbert.
in the fight against the Japanese Empire. Before any training could start both regiments together with the 1st Airborne Division were sent to disarm the German garrison in Norway Operation Doomsday
. In August 1945 the Special Air Service regiments returned home from Norway, and in October 1945 they were officially disbanded. The British Authorities of the time could see no further use for such a force.
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
during the Second World War.
Archway was initially intended to support Operation Plunder
Operation Plunder
Commencing on the night of 23 March 1945 during World War II, Operation Plunder was the crossing of the River Rhine at Rees, Wesel, and south of the Lippe River by the British 2nd Army, under Lieutenant-General Sir Miles Dempsey , and the U.S. Ninth Army , under Lieutenant General William Simpson...
and Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
, the crossings of the River Rhine at Rees
Rees, Germany
Rees is a town in the district of Cleves in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the right bank of the Rhine, approx. 20 km east of Cleves...
, Wesel
Wesel
Wesel is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Wesel district.-Division of the town:Suburbs of Wesel include Lackhausen, Obrighoven, Ginderich, Feldmark,Fusternberg, Büderich, Flüren and Blumenkamp.-History:...
, and south of the Lippe River
Lippe River
The Lippe is a river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is a right tributary of the Rhine and in length.The source is located at the edge of the Teutoburg Forest in Bad Lippspringe close to the city of Paderborn. It runs westward through Paderborn, Lippstadt and then along the northern edge...
in North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
by the British Second Army
British Second Army
The British Second Army was active during both the First and Second World Wars. During the First World War the army was active on the Western Front and in Italy...
, under Lieutenant-General Sir Miles Dempsey
Miles Dempsey
General Sir Miles Christopher Dempsey, GBE, KCB, DSO, MC was commander of the British Second Army during the D-Day landings in the Second World War...
. It went on to support the three British Armoured Divisions in their advance into Germany until the end of the war.
The Archway force was under command of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Brian Franks and comprised two squadrons, one each from the 1st and 2nd Special Air Service regiments.
Background
After the Normandy Landings the 1st and 2nd Special Air ServiceSpecial Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
or SAS were involved in a number of operations in France, to support the Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
advance, notably Operation Bulbasket
Operation Bulbasket
Operation Bulbasket was an ill-fated operation by 'B' Squadron, 1st Special Air Service, behind German lines in German occupied France, between June and August 1944...
, Operation Houndsworth
Operation Houndsworth
Operation Houndsworth was the codename for a British Special Air Service operation during the Second World War. The operation carried out by 'A' Squadron, 1st Special Air Service between 6 June and 6 September 1944, was centred around Dijon in the Burgundy region of France...
and Operation Loyton
Operation Loyton
Operation Loyton was the codename given to an ill-fated Special Air Service mission in the Vosges department of France during the Second World War....
. Following these operations both of the Special Air Service regiments were recalled to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to regroup, both having suffered casualties in the French operations.
Mission
Operation Archway was planned to support the XVIII Airborne Corps Operation VarsityOperation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
parachute landings across the Rhine river. The force from the Special Air Service would be known as Frankforce. Named after the officer selected to command it, the commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of 2nd Special Air Service, Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Brian Francks. Frankforce was made up of two reinforced Special Air Force squadrons, one each from the 1st and 2nd Special Air Service regiments.
The force would number about 300 all ranks, mounted in 75 armed Jeeps
Willys MB
The Willys MB US Army Jeep and the Ford GPW, were manufactured from 1941 to 1945. These small four-wheel drive utility vehicles are considered the iconic World War II Jeep, and inspired many similar light utility vehicles. Over the years, the World War II Jeep later evolved into the "CJ" civilian...
, some also equipped with 3-inch Mortars
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
. They were supported by a number of 15-cwt and 3-ton trucks. The 1st Special Air Service squadron was led by Major Poat and consisted of three troops, each consisting of three sections with three Jeeps. They had a 3 in. mortar section at Squadron Headquarters which also kept a reserve of 12 Jeeps. The 2nd SAS squadron under command Major Power had a similar composition but only two troops.
Their first mission in support of the XVIII Airborne Corps consisted of reconnaissance patrols in northern Germany. They crossed the Rhine in amphibious LVT Buffalos
Landing Vehicle Tracked
The Landing Vehicle Tracked was a class of amphibious vehicles introduced by the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Army during World War II. Originally intended solely as cargo carriers for ship to shore operations, they rapidly evolved into assault troop and fire support vehicles as well...
, on the 25 March at Bislich.
Frankforce was then assigned to support the British Guards Armoured Division in the area around the Dortmund–Ems Canal. After this Frankforce until the end of the war worked with the 2nd Welsh Guards
Welsh Guards
The Welsh Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division.-Creation :The Welsh Guards came into existence on 26 February 1915 by Royal Warrant of His Majesty King George V in order to include Wales in the national component to the Foot Guards, "..though the order...
, the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars
8th King's Royal Irish Hussars
The 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1693. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars in 1958....
and the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars
15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars
The 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was created as part of the reduction in the cavalry in the aftermath of World War I. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 15th The King's Hussars and the 19th Royal Hussars on 11 April 1922, becoming the...
. Who were the armoured reconnaissance regiments of the Guards, 7th and 11th Armoured Divisions. The Special Air Service Jeeps being a faster and lighter alternative to the Cromwell tank
Cromwell tank
Tank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Cromwell ,The designation as the eighth Cruiser tank design, its name given for ease of reference and its General Staff specification number respectively and the related Centaur tank, were one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in the Second...
s used by the armoured regiments.
It was the 1st SAS squadron working with the 11th Armoured Division, who were among the first British troops into Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
Bergen-Belsen was a Nazi concentration camp in Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany, southwest of the town of Bergen near Celle...
. They found between 50,000 and 60,000 inmates in the camp and for several days later SAS patrols assisted the Field Security Police in hunting down war criminals making several arrests. By the end of April 1945 they had reached the Elbe river, where they were joined by the Operation Keystone
Operation Keystone
During World War II, Operation Keystone was a Special Air Service patrol consisting of a number of jeep-mounted and airborne teams that operated south of IJsselmeer in the central Netherlands in early April, 1945....
team, which was a squadron from 2nd SAS, under command of Major Hibbert.
Aftermath
At the end of the war in Europe both the 1st and 2nd Special Air Service regiments had returned to the United Kingdom in preparation to be re-deployed to the Far EastFar East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
in the fight against the Japanese Empire. Before any training could start both regiments together with the 1st Airborne Division were sent to disarm the German garrison in Norway Operation Doomsday
Operation Doomsday
In Operation Doomsday, the British 1st Airborne Division acted as a police and military force during the Allied occupation of Norway in May 1945, immediately after the victory in Europe during the Second World War. The division maintained law and order until the arrival of the remainder of Force...
. In August 1945 the Special Air Service regiments returned home from Norway, and in October 1945 they were officially disbanded. The British Authorities of the time could see no further use for such a force.