Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Canadian-U.S. Second World War commando unit gets official tartan

Photo of the official tartan of the First Special Service Force, nicknamed the "Devil's Brigade", an elite unit of Second World War Canadian and U.S. commandoes, whose legendary exploits in the mountains of Italy in 1943 earned them a tartan in the Scottish national registry.
"An elite unit of Second World War commandos with a reputation for daring and stealth that earned it the nickname The Black Devils is being honoured with the creation of an original Scottish tartan.

A new tartan design will be officially filed with the Scottish national tartan registry for the First Special Service Force, a Canadian-American unit created in 1942 and disbanded after barely a year of intense warfare.

The creation of the tartan is being spearheaded by the Helena, Mont.based Shining Thistle Pipe Band and the First Special Service Force Association, which represents the remaining members of the unit and their descendants. The force trained at Fort William Henry Harrison in Helena before heading into combat.

"We want to not only recognize and honour them, but to hear their stories before they are lost," said Bill Woon, the executive director of the association and the son of a Canadian member of the commando unit..."continue reading

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