Operation Saxifrage

{{about|the World War II military operation| |Saxifrage (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict = Operation Saxifrage

| partof = Second World War

| image =

| caption =

| date = 27 October 1943

| place = East coast of Italy

| coordinates =

| map_type =

| latitude =

| longitude =

| map_size =

| map_caption =

| map_label =

| territory =

| result = Operation successful

• Railway was destroyed

| status =

| combatant1 = {{flagicon|UK}} 2nd SAS

| combatant2 = {{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}

{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Italy}}

| combatant3 =

| commander1 = {{flagdeco|United Kingdom}} Major Roy Farran
{{flagdeco|United Kingdom}} Lieutenant Grant Hibbert

| commander2 =

| commander3 =

| strength1 = 16 Commandos

| strength2 =

| strength3 =

| casualties1 =

| casualties2 =

| casualties3 =

| notes =

}}

During World War II, Operation Saxifrage was a raid by four small Special Air Service teams who landed on the east coast of Italy on the night of 27 October 1943.{{Cite web |title=Saxifrage {{!}} Operations & Codenames of WWII |url=https://codenames.info/operation/saxifrage/ |access-date=2023-09-06 |website=codenames.info}}

In charge of the operation was Major Roy Farran and Lieutenant Grant Hibbert.{{Cite web |date=2006-06-10 |title=Major Roy Farran |url=https://www.independent.ie/news/major-roy-farran/26412929.html |access-date=2023-09-06 |website=Independent.ie |language=en}} The SAS were inserted via boat, somewhere between Pescara and Ancona, using the Tronto river and by late evening, had made landfall with the 16 commandos being divided into 4 teams.{{Cite web |date=2021-07-29 |title=Major Roy Farran DSO MC and Bar – 3rd Hussars {{!}} QRH Museum |url=https://www.qrhmuseum.com/major-roy-farran-dso-mc-and-bar |access-date=2023-09-06 |website=www.qrhmuseum.com |language=en-GB}}{{Cite book |last=Utton |first=Dominic |title=SAS - Battle ready |publisher=Michael O'Mara books ltd. |year=2023 |isbn=9781789295375 |location=London |pages=45}}

After trekking in the bad conditions, the men hunkered down as daylight approached and continued on after sunset, meeting up at 21:00 (28 October) with the other raiding parties of Candytuft. They placed the explosives on the railway lines and by midnight the charges had gone off, destroying the line, however, not immediately being heard by the Germans due to the bad weather.{{Cite book |last=Utton |first=Dominic |title=SAS - Battle Ready |publisher=Michael O'Mara books ltd. |year=2023 |isbn=9781789295375 |location=London |pages=45–46}}

Continuous attacks by the SAS went on for the next 4 days before the commandos pulled out and re-joined with a Royal Navy ship.{{Cite book |last=Utton |first=Dominic |title=SAS - Battle Ready |publisher=Michael O'Mara books ltd. |year=2023 |isbn=9781789295375 |location=London |pages=47}}