During World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, Operation Dunhill was a Special Air Service

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...

 operation which began on 3 August 1944. Five teams, totalling 59 men, were to disrupt German activity in advance of Operation Cobra

Operation Cobra

Operation Cobra was the codename for an offensive launched by the First United States Army seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Normandy Campaign of World War II...

 the American breakout from Normandy

Operation Cobra

Operation Cobra was the codename for an offensive launched by the First United States Army seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Normandy Campaign of World War II...

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In the event, four of the teams were relieved by the advancing Americans within twenty-four hours.

The fifth team reported on German movements and secured about 200 Allied airmen before they linked up with the ground forces on 24 August.