Osprey's First special service force booklet (Sept 2006)

[xavier]

Hi all:
In September, Osprey'll publish a booklet on the SSF

I'm looking forward to this title since I'm familiar with the unit but I don't really know it.

xavier

 

[calgarytanks]

osprey's titles are getting better in quality all the time - if you want to know the SSF truly, though, get the book SUPERCOMMANDOS.

 

[Journeyman]

osprey's titles are getting better in quality all the time - if you want to know the SSF truly, though, get the book SUPERCOMMANDOS.

Just a minor point guys.....could you please refer to the First Special Service Force as the FSSF?

SSF, or Special Service Force, was a short-lived excuse for non-Airborne Regiment guys to wear jump smocks....based on the same logic as 4CMBG's "3 Mechanized Commando." 

 

[Danjanou]

This doesn’t bode well “The First Special Service Force was formed with three battalions in July 1942…”

There were actually three regiments of 600 men each in the FSSF ( and a logistics bn). Each regiment had 2 battalions of 300 men each, six in total. One of the unique aspects was no logistics tail in any of the combat units, all were bayonets,  hence the small numbers.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

This doesn’t bode well “The First Special Service Force was formed with three battalions in July 1942…”

There were actually three regiments of 600 men each in the FSSF ( and a logistics bn). Each regiment had 2 battalions of 300 men each, six in total. One of the unique aspects was no logistics tail in any of the combat units, all were bayonets,  hence the small numbers.

Ah, but the 1SSF was rather like the Russian Army in that the names of their units were inflated - 600 men would be a battalion in any other army.   Didn't Frederick refer to the Force as a "Brigade" because it was slightly mysterious to the US who didn't use that term? The word "Force" itself was used in that manner as well. ISTR that Frederick deliberately wanted vague descriptions to fool enemy intelligence.

 

[Danjanou]

Ah, but the 1SSF was rather like the Russian Army in that the names of their units were inflated - 600 men would be a battalion in any other army.   Didn't Frederick refer to the Force as a "Brigade" because it was slightly mysterious to the US who didn't use that term? The word "Force" itself was used in that manner as well. ISTR that Frederick deliberately wanted vague descriptions to fool enemy intelligence.

Gimme a break Michael I'm just picking flyshit out of pepper here ;D.

Actually I'll probably pick this up when it comes out, alwayd thought Osprey turned out good books.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Gimme a break Michael I'm just picking flyshit out of pepper here ;D.

Actually I'll probably pick this up when it comes out, alwayd thought Osprey turned out good books.

Give ME a break! I just dumped 10 pounds of pepper on your desk!  Or flyshit....one of the two....   I suspect I'll pick it up as well at some point; I like the direction they have been going the last few years.

 

[AJFitzpatrick]

Just to further amplify the "disinformation" aspect of the FSSF. Wasn't the choice of "Special Service" a deliberate choice to try to convince the enemy that the unit was actually logistical in nature?. I think this was stated in Springer's "The Black Devil Brigade"

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Just to further amplify the "disinformation" aspect of the FSSF. Wasn't the choice of "Special Service" a deliberate choice to try to convince the enemy that the unit was actually logistical in nature?. I think this was stated in Springer's "The Black Devil Brigade"

Special Services was the logistic branch of the US - so yes.

FSSF guys joked that the red white and blue piping on their hats and on their lanyard was the insignia of a unit of barbers....the lanyard representing the barber pole.

 

[Retired AF Guy]

Just to further amplify the "disinformation" aspect of the FSSF. Wasn't the choice of "Special Service" a deliberate choice to try to convince the enemy that the unit was actually logistical in nature?. I think this was stated in Springer's "The Black Devil Brigade"

Special Services was the logistic branch of the US - so yes.

FSSF guys joked that the red white and blue piping on their hats and on their lanyard was the insignia of a unit of barbers....the lanyard representing the barber pole.

Just looked it up in "The Black Devil Brigade: The True Story of the First Special Service Brigade (An Oral History)" by Joseph Springer.  On page xxxi It states that giving the unit the "Ranger" or "Commando" designation would standout, so they looked around for something to confuse the issue. The designation "First Special Service Force" was chosen because it was believed that the name would imply that it was a support unit.

The book has a couple of org charts showing how the FSSF was brokendown, first in Jul 42 and the second in May 44. For simplicities sake I've inserted simplified versions of the org charts.

 

[xavier]

HI all:
Thanks for the animated thread  ;D I'll definitely pick it up especially for the colour plates. Since I'm a gijoe collector (aka 1/6 action figure, there's a major manufacture that produced a FSSF soldier. I might kitbash (use parts from different manufacturers) my own guy.
There's another Osprey booklet on the Canadian airborne since '42. Goes right up to Afghanistan. The authours are familiar names 
xavier

 

[calgarytanks]

HI all:
Thanks for the animated thread  ;D I'll definitely pick it up especially for the colour plates. Since I'm a gijoe collector (aka 1/6 action figure, there's a major manufacture that produced a FSSF soldier. I might kitbash (use parts from different manufacturers) my own guy.
There's another Osprey booklet on the Canadian airborne since '42. Goes right up to Afghanistan. The authours are familiar names 
xavier

Hornd and the other guy published an exhaustive catalog as you no doubt know about Cdn airborne ops since 1942. I just hope the osprey book is a little more interesting than a simple catalog?

 

[Journeyman]

Hornd [sic] and the other guy published an exhaustive catalog as you no doubt know about Cdn airborne ops since 1942. I just hope the osprey book is a little more interesting than a simple catalog?

Col. Horn has, so far, published four books on Canada's Airborne. I'm sure the titles just make it appear that he's published the same book four times.....  :

In Search of Pegasus: The Canadian Airborne experience 1942-1999. Howell Press, 2001.

Tip of the Spear: An Intimate Account of 1 Canadian Parachute Battalion, 1942-1945. A Pictorial History. Dundurn Press, 2002.

Paras Versus the Reich: Canada's Paratroopers at War, 1942-1945. Dundurn Press, 2003.

Bastard Sons: An Examination of Canada's Airborne Experience, 1942-1995. Vanwell Publishing, 2003.

 

[George Wallace]

Hornd and the other guy

I take it you are referring to Bernd Horn and Michel Wyczynski here........and as Journeyman has pointed out they have done several books on the Canadian Airborne, and having just talked to Michel recently, they have yet another coming out now.

 

[xavier]

George:
Really? Wow! Did they give you a general time period as to when this new book will be out? I hope it covers the contemporary period i.e. '68-2006

Calgary tanks:
I don't think so. The authours provide this table of contents:
# Creation of an airborne capability, 1942
# 1st Canadian Para Bn, 1942–45 – Normandy, Low Countries, Germany
# Canadian SAS, 1946–48
# Mobile Striking Force/Defence of Canada Force, 1949–67
# The Canadian Airborne Regt, 1968–95
# Decentralized Parachute Capability, 1995 to the present

I'm hoping that they'll focus  on the training, selection, the gear they wore/carried as well as the various missions they undertook

xavier