Ep 4. SAS vs. Rommel

During World War II, Winston Churchill ordered secret missions to be carried out by elite soldiers of the British Army, the Special Air Service (SAS). In episode 4 of season 1 of WWII's Greatest Raids, entitled "SAS vs. Rommel," we witness the story of one of these daring raids - the time when a small group of SAS commandos set out to destroy German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's airplane in the Libyan desert.

With the North African Campaign at a turning point, and Rommel's legendary skills as a commander feared by both Allied and Axis forces, this raid is nothing less than a David versus Goliath story. Led by charismatic Captain David Stirling, a small team of eight SAS commandos are tasked with infiltrating a well-guarded German airbase, known as Tamet, and destroy the Fieseler Storch airplane used by Rommel himself for aerial reconnaissance over Allied positions.

Despite the seemingly impossible task and the high stakes involved, the SAS team is unfazed and acquits themselves brilliantly. The show reconstructs the lead-up to the attack in dramatic fashion, with interviews with surviving members of the raid providing fascinating insight into the rigorous training, physical and mental toughness required of SAS commandos.

The SAS vs. Rommel raid itself is a masterpiece of improvisation and resourcefulness. After landing their Willys Jeep and two trucks near the airbase, the SAS team soon runs into trouble when they are detected by German soldiers. Undeterred, they decide to continue with their mission, using a combination of bluff and guile to get themselves into the heart of the base.

Once inside, they quickly locate the prized Fieseler Storch airplane, an aircraft that is so important to Rommel that he keeps it in a specially constructed bunker. The show provides heart-pumping visuals of the daring raid, with the SAS commandos engaging in a fierce firefight with the base's defenders while the plane is loaded onto one of the trucks.

In addition, the raid serves to demonstrate the ingenuity of the SAS commandos, who - once the Fieseler Storch is secured and the team realizes that their escape route has been blocked - improvise a daring escape which involves driving the truck, loaded with the airplane, across the desert at high speed while Rommel himself is in pursuit. The tension and danger of the mission are captured brilliantly by the show's excellent reenactments, offering a glimpse into the courage and resourcefulness under fire required to execute such a daring commando raid.

With all the odds against them and with little hope of success, the raid turned out to be a significant boost to morale for the British Army and a significant setback for the Axis. The daring and courageous raid is still remembered to this day as one of the most daring in the history of World War II.

Overall, "SAS vs. Rommel" is a gripping episode of WWII's Greatest Raids that serves to highlight the bravery and resourcefulness of commando soldiers in one of the most dangerous theaters of war in history. The episode shows the power of planning, quick thinking, and the ability to carry out a mission under pressure - all qualities that have made the SAS a legendary force in military history.