Man of TIN Advent Calendar Day 1 – The Greek Sacred Squadron Combined Ops 1940 to 1945 WW2

 It’s that clear the decks time of year when half finished drafts of blogposts get polished up for the Man of TIN Advent Calendar – figures, references, websites and other wargaming scenario miscellany.

What’s behind the window today on Day 1?

I came across this interesting Combined Ops website, http://combinedops.com/SACRED_SQUADRON.htm

A website covering in the English language the exploits of many Allied special forces and Combined Ops teams in WW2.

“In October 1940, Greece was drawn to the vortex of WWII, the most catastrophic struggle the world has ever known. Its participation in hostilities was to last, formally, until October 1944, a period during which Greek troops would fight from the rugged mountains of Albania and the numerous islands of the Aegean, to the inhospitable desert of North Africa and the Italian peninsula. In fact, Greek troops continued to fight against the Axis forces in the Aegean until the last day of the war – 8 May 1945. These troops included parts of the famous Sacred Squadron.”

Some of the website information is available from detailed and illustrated sources like this by Nikos Nikoloudis here:

http://lki.gr/Files/History_Sacred_Squadron.pdf

As such interesting websites have a habit of disappearing, best read or print it sooner rather than later.

It makes accessible translated Greek sources and many of these small scale actions would make fascinating gaming scenarios.

Other sources:

Gallery of pictures

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/comb+ops/greek+sacred+squadron/

Wikipedia article

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Band_(World_War_II)

http://greek-war-equipment.blogspot.com/2010/11/1942-1945-sacred-band.html

Hints for gamers and modellers are included on this Greek War Equipment blog.

An equally interesting page of this blog covers Greek WW2 ski troops:

http://greek-war-equipment.blogspot.com/2009/05/ski-troops.html

One of this latter blog’s  comments by John Begg mentions “recommended reading for the Aegean role of the Sacred Band is ‘The Filibusters’ by John Lodwick, published by Methuen in 1947.” Available secondhand, a reprint of this or similar book by John Lodwick on the SBS is called “Raiders from the Sea”.

Much of the Greek Sacred Squadron equipment and uniforms appears to be British issue, making sourcing suitable gaming figures and vehicles easier for any Desert War and Aegean raiding scenarios. Ditto, use your favourite WW2 Skirmish rules.

Commando hats and berets seem to have been sported in many photos, but maybe steel helmets were worn in action.

Definitely a website worth looking at, alongsid a reread of Donald Featherstone’s Skirmish Wargaming and Wargaming Commando Operations as well, recently published or reprinted by John Curry’s History of Wargaming Project.

Blogposted by Mark Man of TIN, 1 December 2019.