View source for Operation Dunhill

{{Short description|Airborne operation during World War II}}
During [[World War II]], '''Operation Dunhill''' was a [[Special Air Service]] operation which began on 3 August 1944. Five teams totalling 59 men, led by Captain Greville Bell,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ford |first=Roger |url=https://archive.org/details/firefromforestsa0000ford/l |title=Fire from the forest: the SAS Brigade in France, 1944 |publisher=Cassell |year=2004 |isbn=0304363367 |page=153 |chapter=Dunhill |access-date=2025-03-14}}</ref> were to liaise with the [[French Resistance]] and disrupt [[German military administration in occupied France during World War II|German activity]] in [[Rennes]] and [[Laval, Mayenne|Laval]] in advance of [[Operation Cobra]], the American breakout from [[Operation Cobra|Normandy]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dunhill {{!}} Operations & Codenames of WWII |url=https://codenames.info/operation/dunhill/ |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=codenames.info}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-07-02 |title=Len Owens |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10155687/Len-Owens.html |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=The Telegraph |language=en}}</ref> 

In the event, four of the teams were relieved by the advancing Americans within twenty-four hours. 

The fifth team reported on German movements and secured about 200 Allied airmen before they met with the ground forces on 24 August.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}  

{{British Commando raids of the Second World War}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dunhill, Operation}}
[[Category:Operation Overlord]]
[[Category:Special Air Service operations]]
[[Category:World War II British Commando raids]]

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