Operation Samwest Explained

Partof:Normandy Landings
Date:5 to 12 June 1944
Place:Côtes-d'Armor, Northern Brittany, France
Result:German victory
Combatant1: 4th Special Air Service Regiment
Commander1: Lieutenant Charles Deschamps
Lieutenant André Botella[1]
Commander2:unknown
Strength1:18 paratroops
Strength2:Unknown
Casualties1:Unknown
Casualties2:Unknown

During World War II, Operation Samwest (5–12 June 1944) was a large raid conducted by 116 Free French paratroops of the 4th Special Air Service Regiment.[2] [3] Their objective was to hinder movement of German troops from west Brittany to the Normandy beaches via ambush and sabotage attempts.

The first phase of the mission was to establish a secure base on the Breton Peninsula, near St. Brieuc in Duault in the Bretagne Region. Their base was heavily attacked by German troops on 12 June and they were forced to disperse.[4]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Operation Samwest – French resistance during the Battle of Normandy . www.dday-overlord.com . 19 February 2016 . 16 January 2021.
  2. Web site: Chant . Christopher . Samwest | Operations & Codenames of WWII . codenames.info . 15 January 2021 . 16 January 2021.
  3. Book: Special Operations in World War II: British and American Irregular Warfare . 39 . Campaigns and Commanders Series . Andrew L. Hargreaves . University of Oklahoma Press. 2013 . 85 . 978-0806151250 . Google Books . 9780806151250
  4. Web site: Operation Samwest (1944) . 1 April 2011 . ShadowSpear Special Operations . 16 January 2021 . 6 April 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200406235708/https://www.shadowspear.com/2011/04/operation-samwest/ . dead .