The SAS Secret War in Italy: Special Forces, Partisans and Covert Operations 1943-45

After the Allies invaded in 1943, there were two Italian governments, one backing the Allies, the other a puppet supporting the Germans. This led to a secret war that was vital to supporting the Allies' conventional forces. Partisans, the SAS, SOE, the US OSS (precursor to the CIA) all played important roles in these bloody covert operations.

On the night of 20/21 April 1945 the last operational parachute jump of World War II took place, Operation Herring. The action was undertaken by No 1 I...