Special Allied Airborne Reconnaissance Force

In late February 1945, when the defeat of Germany appeared imminent, the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) was provided with a mandate for dispatching troops whose mission would be to secure the safety of Allied prisoners of war and to provide for their early evacuation. Early in 1945 SHAEF approached UK Director Military Operations (MO1 SP) and US OSS to assemble a force of 120 parachuteable contact and reconnaissance teams "to assist existing measures of relief for PW and after the collapse of GERMANY" - termed "Eclipse". The aim of these teams would be to:

  • Obtain information regarding conditions inside PW camps
  • Put PWs in touch with SHAEF via inserted radio sets
  • Facilitate liaison with other SHAEF forces approaching camps or concentrations of PW and Foreign workers.

As a result of its mandate, SHAEF created, in March 1945, The Special Allied Airborne Reconnaissance Force, or SAARF.

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