The Devil's Brigade

The Devils Brigade, officially known as the First Special Services Force (FSSF), was a unit comprised of all volunteers from both Canadian and United States forces during World War Two. The main reason for it's inception was to fight behind the enemies lines as saboteurs, disrupting railway, electric supplies, ammunition deliveries, etc. in the snowy regions of Norway, Germany and Italy. When the development of a new combat vehicle that was able to operate in winter conditions was abandoned, the brigade was shipped to Italy. It's first major operation beginning on December 1st, 1942, and the one that a movie was made about was the attack on Monte la Difensa and Monte la Remetanea, a set of twin 3,100 foot mountains, with 65 degree vertical cliffs.

The joint regiment was first formed July 5th, 1942 as the 1st Battalion, 3rd Regiment, 1st Special Service Force. The Canadian's were a well trained, very disciplined force in contrast to the American volunteers that were an unruly lot of undisciplined, crude Yanks. The training was done in Fort William Henry Harrison in Montana which was built specifically for this unit. The conflicts and differences between the two nationalities was legendary. Each wanted to be in command, each wanted their uniforms to be the uniforms that were to be worn, and each believed their commander and their way of conduct was best. But as training progressed, bonds were formed and they became a tough cohesive unit, ready for anything the enemy could throw at them. Their very first mission August 15, 1943, was to fight the Japanese in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, but when they arrived, landed and stormed the beaches, there were no Japanese to fight. Their attack on the German held mountains in Italy were expected to take a few days, but the abilities, the determination, and the willingness to fight of the FSSF, the battle lasted only hours instead of days. 

The units of the FSSF fought with distinction in many battles in Italy, from their initial fight for the mountains of the Camino Massif, to Anzio and the liberation of Rome. August 15, 1944 the unit was landed on Iles de Hyeres group of islands on the coast of France. After the islands were secured the force was ferried to the mainland and pursued the Germans in their retreat towards the Franco-Italian border. The First Special Service Force was decommissioned November 1, 1945 the Canadians joining units fighting in Europe. The Americans also scattered to various outfits, but most formed the nucleus of the 474th

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