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984:(Imprimatur-Aliberti 2014) by Matteo Incerti to, focused on the war and post war experience of several participants of this secret mission. "Il suonatore matto" (Imprimatur 2017) also written by Matteo Incerti focused about the life of David 'mad piper' Kirkpatrick. Incerti found documents and memory who prove that the sound of Kirkpatrick's bagpipe and the sacrifice of the three SAS soldiers killed in action (Riccomini, Bolden, Guscott) in Villa Rossi, made the Germans believe that Tombola was a conventional military attack, rather than a "partisan" action.
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953:, for his bravery during the raid. Reviewing the operation, Farran's recommendation was denied, on the grounds that "the value of this operation depended on its timing and Captain Lees with the SAS detachment carried it out prematurely and recklessly, in spite of the express orders from 15th Army Group transmitted by this HQ. But for the gallantry displayed and the fact that Captain Lees was wounded in the action, it is probable that disciplinary action would have been considered."
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Though these orders were received by Lees and Farran, the pair did not incorporate them into their plans. They reconnoitred the enemy HQ and submitted their plan of attack, earmarking 28 March for the operation. This caused alarm at 15th Army Group, with a reply sent "you only have to wait one week
926:
The attack itself was a success, the
Germans sustained 50–60 casualties (including an unknown number killed). Three SAS personnel were killed in action at Villa Rossi, and about seven SAS and partisans were wounded (four British, two Italians and a Russian). Among the wounded was Michael Lees, who
902:
This appeal did not succeed, and despite confirming Les and Farran had received their orders, 15th Army Group tried in vain to reign in Lees and Farran. The only signal received from the two was on 23 March, that ignored 15th Army Group's orders. It read "Confirm we attack 26 March...Plans
887:
Later that day, Lees' message was passed to Allied 15th Army Group HQ, who approved the attack, with two caveats. First, Lees and Farran had to reconnoitre and submit a plan of attack, and second, the attack was not to be launched immediately. Instead, it was to be coordinated with
938:
The
Partisans, SOE, and SAS continued operations until 23 April, including raids against roads as Axis installations. Just as important as the 300 or so Germans killed and 200 captured, was the number of Axis defenders moved from other duties to secure the area. A number of
999:, and a former member of the French Foreign Legion. Bruce was the only Basque to fight with the British SAS in World War II. The story of Justo Balerdi-Robert Bruce appears in the books "Il bracciale di sterline" and "Il suonatore matto".
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973:(Acorn Media) in 2011 focuses on the exploits of Roy Farran and Michael Lees in the episode "SAS Italian Job". The operation is narrated also in the TV mini-series "Great SAS missions" (2004).
923:, David Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick had volunteered to be dropped into the area, to identify the operation as British – so that reprisals would not be carried out against the local population.
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Though the attack was a success, it did not cause the disruption it would have, had it coincided with the beginning of
Operation Grapeshot. The offensive would not begin for another week.
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by Matteo
Incerti & Valentina Ruozi (Aliberti April 2011) details for the first time the operations with the use of British, Italian, and German documents. A second book
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995:, on 21 April 1945 action in Torre Maina (Modena) also the 2 SAS paratrooper Justo Balerdi-Robert Bruce was killed in action. He was a Basque antifascist,
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On 19 March, two German defectors brought
Envelope mission information regarding the location of a German Headquarters (they believed
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Signal No. 230817 from TOMBOLA to SAS HQ, March 23, 1945 in HS 9/906/6 SOE Personnel file
Michael Lees.
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Signal No. 141 TAC HQ to
Envelope, March 21, 1945 in HS 9/906/6 SOE Personnel file Michael Lees.
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Signal No. 132 TAC HQ to
Envelope, March 19, 1945 in HS 9/906/6 SOE Personnel file Michael Lees.
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Farran and Lees began the attack on the night of 27 March, beginning with the sound of a
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As a result the Nazis didn't inflict reprisals on the civilian population of
Albinea
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John
Grosvenor Beevor, July 25, 1945 in HS 9/906/6 SOE Personnel file Michael Lees.
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after target date...Your scheme will then be correctly time for maximum effort."
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Separate entry on Operation Tombola, detailed in the article on Major Roy Farran
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The commander of the operation, Roy Farran, published his account in the book
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mission "Envelope" under the command of Michael Lees. The force liaised
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965:(Special Forces Library, Arms and Armour Press, 1986). The BBC series
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SAS Italian Job: The secret mission to storm a forbidden Nazi fortress
884:. Lees' signaled SOE that he and Farran planned to launch an attack.
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Shortly after the war, Farran recommended Lees be gazetted with the
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1043:"The Incredible Story of Scots piper who played through SAS raid"
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Captain Roy Farran holding a German sub-machine gun in Italy
876:). The German HQ was located in two villas in Botteghe d'
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46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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1146:British Commando raids of the Second World War
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817:, and Special Operations Executive's Captain
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1846:List of Commando raids on the Atlantic Wall
927:was evacuated to France, and then England.
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106:Learn how and when to remove this message
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853:, whose force also included 70 escaped
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894:capitulation of Axis forces in Italy.
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991:During the second part of Operation
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809:was a major raid conducted by the 2
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44:adding citations to reliable sources
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1882:World War II British Commando raids
270:~50 Italian & Russian partisans
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1081:. London: Quercus Editions.
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1045:. The Scotsman. 2018-11-01
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978:Il bracciale di sterline
286:3 killed & 7 Wounded
872:, but it may have been
267:2nd Special Air Service
254:Friedrich-Wilhelm Hauck
1075:Lewis, Damien (2018).
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229:Commanders and leaders
982:Il paradiso dei folli
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903:irrevocable now...."
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725:1945 Spring Offensive
618:1945 Spring Offensive
281:Casualties and losses
864:Captain Michael Lees
857:POWs.
845:to link up with the
448:Armistice with Italy
40:improve this article
1877:Special Air Service
890:Operation Grapeshot
880:in the hills above
811:Special Air Service
55:"Operation Tombola"
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340:Invasion of Sicily
154:March - April 1945
1872:Conflicts in 1945
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1088:978-1-78747-516-8
963:Operation Tombola
957:Post-War Accounts
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51:Find sources:
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29:This article
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1821:Twin Pimples
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1092:. Retrieved
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819:Michael Lees
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289:50-60 killed
223:Nazi Germany
188:Belligerents
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38:Please help
33:verification
30:
1808:Thistledown
1586:Houndsworth
1228:Abercrombie
835:Monte Cusna
801:During the
771:Argenta Gap
658:Argenta Gap
584:Gothic Line
494:Winter Line
163:Regions of
1861:Categories
1754:Roundabout
1719:Postmaster
1558:Gunnerside
1509:Fahrenheit
1172:Ambassador
1158:Abstention
1094:2020-12-12
1049:2018-12-23
1003:References
997:republican
967:Secret War
843:Roy Farran
815:Roy Farran
788:Collecchio
670:Collecchio
611:Garfagnana
596:San Marino
511:San Pietro
276:(elements)
242:Roy Farran
66:newspapers
1794:Speedwell
1768:Saxifrage
1726:Partridge
1677:Narcissus
1663:Musketoon
1600:Infatuate
1593:Huckaback
1439:Driftwood
1425:Checkmate
1348:Candytuft
1312:Barricade
1298:Bulbasket
1235:Acid Drop
1165:Agreement
934:Aftermath
907:Operation
870:14th Army
487:Bari raid
442:Slapstick
435:Avalanche
413:Centuripe
383:Narcissus
355:Mincemeat
348:Corkscrew
1801:Tarbrush
1670:Myrmidon
1635:Keystone
1579:Hawthorn
1565:Hardtack
1544:Gauntlet
1502:Freshman
1495:Frankton
1481:Exporter
1467:Deep Cut
1411:Crackers
1383:Colossus
1362:Claymore
1355:Chestnut
1336:Branford
1323:Hill 170
1249:Astrakan
1193:Aquatint
1103:See also
829:Planning
554:Strangle
541:Cisterna
397:Ladbroke
376:Chestnut
260:Strength
159:Location
128:Part of
1827:Wallace
1815:Tombola
1787:Sunstar
1775:Savanna
1761:Rumford
1712:Opossum
1656:Manacle
1614:Jubilee
1607:Jaywick
1530:Foxrock
1523:Farrier
1488:Flipper
1460:Dunhill
1432:Chopper
1397:Chariot
1390:Cartoon
1329:Bristle
1291:Begonia
1242:Albumen
1221:Archway
1214:Amherst
1186:Archery
993:Tombola
878:Albinea
782:Herring
776:Montese
766:Bologna
746:Tombola
675:Trieste
664:Herring
653:Bologna
633:Tombola
601:Gemmano
428:Baytown
390:Fustian
369:Animals
362:Barclay
265:50 men
165:Albinea
80:scholar
1733:Pistol
1698:Nicety
1691:Newton
1684:Nelson
1642:Loyton
1628:Kitbag
1551:Grouse
1516:Forfar
1404:Canuck
1376:Collar
1318:Bardia
1305:Brandy
1284:Batman
1277:Bigamy
1270:Biting
1263:Basalt
1256:Baobab
1200:Aflame
1179:Anklet
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944:airmen
941:Allied
855:Soviet
837:area (
753:Bowler
739:Encore
640:Bowler
626:Encore
591:Rimini
572:Ancona
547:Diadem
526:Rapido
521:Ortona
460:Naples
408:Troina
199:
176:Result
167:&
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1747:Roast
1740:Rimau
1649:Maple
1572:Hardy
1474:Devon
1453:Defoe
1446:Dryad
1418:Chess
1207:Anglo
760:Roast
647:Roast
536:Anzio
466:Devon
454:Achse
87:JSTOR
73:books
1705:Noah
1537:Gaff
1083:ISBN
577:Elba
516:Moro
403:Gela
151:Date
59:news
1621:J V
847:SOE
42:by
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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