Devils brigade Structure

[Yves Butterworth]

How was it organized? more specifically, where can i see images of the ranks they wore, and did they have all the same  style of badges?

 

[Michael Dorosh]

How was it organized? more specifically, where can i see images of the ranks they wore, and did they have all the same  style of badges?

See http://www.canadiansoldiers.com - click on Special Forces, and there is a brief page on their organization.  Rank images are displayed on the page on Fatal Casualties; they wore standard US Army rank insignia.

A google search on First Special Service Force will find you several pages of information, as will a search on WW II rank insignia.

See also my page at http://members.shaw.ca/madorosh/table.htm for an idea of US rank insignia.

 

[Jonny Boy]

from what i remember from the movie they wore american ranks and american uniforms but had a shoulder flash that looked like a fish and was red with canada and usa on it

 

[Sapper24]

ya, like hutch said, and didn't they also paraded under the red berets? was it the 1st. Special Service Battallion or the 2nd?

 

[George Wallace]

The 1 SSF wore American Uniforms.   The Unit patch was a Red Arrowhead with "CANADA" and "USA" in white.   On their dress uniforms (VERY RARE) they had the Crossed Arrows on their collars and wedge caps for the officers.   The men had round Collar Dogs with "USA" or "CANADA" on them.

No red berets.

GW


from http://www.answers.com/topic/canadian-special-forces

1st Special Service Force
The 1st Special Service Force was a unique joint formation of Canadian and American troops assigned to perform sabotage operations in Europe in World War II. Simply named "special forces" to conceal its "commando" or "ranger" purpose, this unit later gained fame as the "Devil's Brigade".

Members were handpicked and sent to Helena, Montana for special training. The Canadians wore American uniforms and equivalent ranks to eliminate any questions of command among the troops. Their work-up took place in three phases, with extensive physical training throughout the program. The first phase included parachute training, small unit tactics and weapons handling - all officers and ranks were required to master the full range of infantry weapons from pistols and carbines to bazookas and flame throwers. Next came explosives handling and demolition techniques, then a final phase consisted of skiing, rock climbing, adapting to cold weather, and operation of the Weasel combat vehicle. Exercises in amphibious landings and beach assaults were added later.

The first deployment of 1SSF to the Aleutian island of Kiska disappointed the troops when it was found that the Japanese forces expected there had already evacuated, but the exercise was considered good experience. The force was next sent to Italy, where German forces entrenched in two mountains were inflicting heavy casualties on the 5th US Army. The first regiment, 600 men, scaled a 1000-foot cliff by night to surprise the enemy position. Planned as a 3 to 4 day assault, the battle was won in just 2 hours. The force remained for 3 days, packing in supplies for defensive positions and fighting frostbite, then moved on to the second mountain, which was soon overtaken. In the end, 1SSF suffered 511 casualties including 73 dead and 116 exhaustion cases. The commander, Col. Robert Frederick, was wounded twice himself.

1SSF saw continued action throughout the Mediterranean, at Monte Sammucro, Radicosa, and Anzio. For the final advance on Rome, 1SSF was given the honour of being the lead force in the assault and became the first Allied unit to enter the "Eternal City." Their success later continued in Southern France and then at the France-Italian border. Often misused as line troops, the force suffered continuously high casualties until it was finally withdrawn from combat.

On the December 5, 1944, in Southern France, the First Special Service Force was disbanded. Its battle honours included Monte Camino, Monte La Difensa, Monte La Remetanea, Monte Majo, Anzio, Rome, Advance to the Tiber, Italy 1943 - 44, Southern France and Northwest Europe. The Canadians rejoined their home units and the Americans were assigned to either Airborne units or the newly formed 474th Infantry Regiment. Col Frederick became the youngest Major-General ever in the American army, at the age of 37, and took command of the 45th Division.

The success, esprit and discipline of 1SSF became a template for building modern special forces worldwide.

 

[Sapper24]

ohhh, sorry GW, I guess I should read up abit more then before posting

 

[Jonny Boy]

i once saw a uniform from ww2 that had the 1ssf shoulder flash on it. i couldnt afford it though. i wish that i had of grabed it though it was really nice.

i know a guy that has the cap brass collar dogs shoulder flash and a few other things that are from the 1 SSF. he is a huge collecter

 

[thomastmcc]

Hello check out the following website too   -

http://www.members.tripod.com/fssflhg/index.htm

Also am the owner of the yahoo group for the WW2 and Modern TO&Es

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/TOandEs/

Thomas

 

[Gill557]

Gotta love what the left as a calling card.

"This is only the beginning."

Gotta love Psych warfare ;D

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Gotta love what the left as a calling card.

"This is only the beginning."

Gotta love Psych warfare ;D

"The worst is yet to come" I think is the usual translation, which sounds even more sinister....

 

[Gill557]

"The worst is yet to come" I think is the usual translation, which sounds even more sinister....

Well one or the other.  Either one would shake up most people.

 

[jmacleod]

My next door neighbour in Moncton, Mr. Ross McGillivary served in the 1st Special Service Force
(The Devil's Brigade) and participated in virtually all the actions in Italy. He was also on hand when
the Unit was disbanded in Southern France. For those who might like to have a first hand view
of the famous Unit, Mr. McGillivary can be contacted at 111 Givan Drive, Moncton NB E1E3M4
- know Ross quite well, he keeps in contact with the remaining survivors. I think he would be
pleased to provide interesting details about the Brigade if asked. MacLeod

 

[tomahawk6]

A couple of other web sites.

http://www.1stssf.com/history.html

http://www.execulink.com/~kiska/FSSFHomepage.index.html