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5th Special Air Service
| 5th Special Air Service | |
|---|---|
 Crest and Cap Badge of the 5th Special Air Service | |
| Active | February 1941 – 21 September 1945 |
| Country | Belgium |
| Type | Special forces |
| Size | One squadron (until early 1945) One regiment (from March 1945) |
| Part of | Free Belgian Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Malvern Wells Loudon Castle Camp Tervuren |
| Motto(s) | Who Dares Wins |
| March | Quick: Marche des Parachutistes Belges Slow: Lili Marlene |
| Battle honours | Normandy – Belgium – Ardennes – Emden – Oldenburg Fourragère of the Leopold Order Fourragère of the French Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Lieutenant Colonel Eddy Blondeel |
The 5th Special Air Service (5th SAS) was the only tier one Belgian special forces during World War II. It consisted entirely of Belgian volunteers. It saw action as part of the SAS Brigade in Normandy, Northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Initially trained in artillery observer, commando style raids, CQB/CQC, gathering military intelligence, irregular warfare, long-range penetration, parachuting, and special reconnaissance, they converted to motorized reconnaissance on armored jeeps. They were the first Allied unit to set foot onto Belgian soil and the first to cross the Siegfried line, albeit accidentally.[1][2]
- ^ Genot, E. (1986). Rode mutsen, Groene mutsen [Red Berets, Green Berets] (in Dutch). Kraainem: E. Genot. [page needed]
- ^ "Belgian SAS". WWII Forums. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
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