Special Forces In World War 2 Podcast

Special Forces in World War 2 Team

Welcome to the Special Forces in World War 2 Podcast. This is your gateway to delve into the extraordinary world of specialised forces during World War 2. Here at Special Forces in World War 2, we've created a virtual museum dedicated to uncovering the remarkable stories behind these elite units and specialised forces of the era. Our mission is to provide you with a comprehensive panorama of the units and formations that played pivotal roles in the Second World War. Join us as we uncover the untold stories, strategies, and sacrifices of the elite and specialised forces of World War 2.

  1. Unternehmen Danzig, Sturmgruppe Stahl, Part 2

    6D AGO

    Unternehmen Danzig, Sturmgruppe Stahl, Part 2

    On May 10th, 1940, at 05:20, ten German DFS 230 gliders descend over the Albert Canal in Belgium. Their objective: seize the steel bridge at Veldwezelt before Belgian engineers can detonate the demolition charges. Within minutes, Fallschirmjäger of Sturmabteilung Koch are landing directly on the positions of the 2e Régiment de Carabiniers. Bunker N is assaulted. Trench systems north and south of the bridge erupt in close-quarters fighting. Demolition cables are cut. Communications fail. Conflicting reports paralyse Belgian command. Throughout the morning and afternoon, Belgian forces launch counter-attacks from the Kip van Hees and from positions west of the canal. German parachute reinforcements attempt hazardous drops under fire. Luftwaffe dive-bombers intervene repeatedly. Infantry of II. Bataillon, Schützen-Regiment 33 advance to consolidate the bridgehead. This episode reconstructs the battle for Veldwezelt sector by sector, minute by minute, one of the earliest precision airborne bridge seizures of the war, carried out four years before Pegasus Bridge.🌍 More research, maps, and documents at www.worldwar2-sof.com #WW2 #WorldWar2 #Fallschirmjäger #AlbertCanal #Airborne #FallGelb #MilitaryHistory #FortEbenEmael #Belgium1940 🔗 Stay connected with us:Website: https://worldwar2-sof.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ww2.sofFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOFFacebook Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOF/subscribe/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ww2.sofSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/worldwar2sof

    1h 31m
  2. Unternehmen Danzig, Sturmgruppe Stahl, Part 1

    FEB 26

    Unternehmen Danzig, Sturmgruppe Stahl, Part 1

    Most of us know the story of Pegasus Bridge on June 6, 1944. We remember the British coup de main at the Caen Canal and the Orne. We remember the 9th Parachute Battalion at Merville. But four years earlier, in the pre-dawn darkness of May 10, 1940, a similar operation unfolded over Belgium. In this episode, we examine the German airborne assault on the steel bridge at Veldwezelt — one of three Albert Canal crossings targeted in Unternehmen Danzig. Carried in DFS 230 gliders and released from Junkers 52 aircraft, Fallschirmjäger of Sturmgruppe Stahl descend silently toward their objective. Their mission is uncompromising: seize the bridge intact, neutralise Bunker N, cut the demolition cables, and establish a bridgehead before the Belgian defenders can react. Opposing them are the men of the 6e Compagnie, elements of the 2e Régiment de Carabiniers and 18e Régiment de Ligne, and the Cyclistes Frontières tasked with guarding and demolishing the crossing if required. We reconstruct the flight from Cologne, the tense hours before dawn, the confusion among the Belgian defenders, and the moment ten gliders land almost simultaneously near the bridge. This is the story of surprise, timing, command decisions, and the opening minutes of a new kind of airborne warfare. Before Pegasus Bridge… there was Veldwezelt. #WorldWar2 #Fallschirmjäger #UnternehmenDanzig #AlbertCanal #FortEbenEmael #WW2History #AirborneForces #MilitaryHistory #WW2Podcast 🔗 Stay connected with us:Website: https://worldwar2-sof.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ww2.sofFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOFFacebook Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOF/subscribe/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ww2.sofSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/worldwar2sof

    40 min
  3. The Maastricht Gateway, Infanterie-Bataillon zur besonderen Verwendung 100

    FEB 21

    The Maastricht Gateway, Infanterie-Bataillon zur besonderen Verwendung 100

    In the early hours of May 10th, 1940, while German gliders land on Fort Eben-Emael and Fallschirmjäger seize the Albert Canal bridges at Veldwezelt, Vroenhoven, and Kanne, another race begins just to the north. This episode follows the Maastricht Gateway, the critical ground operation designed to reinforce the airborne bridgeheads. Sabotage teams infiltrate the city in civilian clothing. Sonderverband Hocke advances in disguised Dutch Marechaussee uniforms. Infanterie-Bataillon zur besonderen Verwendung 100 and 4. Panzer-Division race toward the Maas crossings. Behind them, follow-on armoured formations prepare to exploit any breakthrough. What unfolds is a tense, minute-by-minute struggle for bridges, timing, and momentum. Street fighting erupts. Roadblocks are contested. Engineers prepare emergency crossings. And commanders on both sides make decisions that will shape the opening phase of Fall Gelb. This is the story of deception, speed, resistance, and the brutal reality behind a coup de main that had to succeed. #UnternehmenDanzig #Maastricht1940 #FallGelb #FortEbenEmael #AlbertCanal #WorldWar2History #SpecialForces #WW2Podcast 🔗 Stay connected with us:Website: https://worldwar2-sof.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ww2.sofFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOFFacebook Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOF/subscribe/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ww2.sofSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/worldwar2sof

    52 min
  4. DFS 230 Lastensegelflugzeug

    FEB 12

    DFS 230 Lastensegelflugzeug

    In the early hours of May 10th, 1940, silent assault gliders land on the roof of Fort Eben-Emael. Within minutes, one of Europe’s most modern fortresses is neutralised, and the world witnesses a new form of warfare. In this episode of The Special Forces in World War II Podcast, we tell the full story of the DFS 230, the German assault glider that makes these precision landings possible. From its origins in secret pre-war development, to its combat debut in Belgium, its mass deployment over Crete, and its legendary role in the Gran Sasso raid, the DFS 230 becomes one of the most unusual and effective airborne weapons of the Second World War. We explore how the glider is built, how it is flown, and how it evolves under combat pressure. From braking parachutes and rocket-assisted landings to one-way supply missions on the eastern front, the dfs 230 proves both innovative and brutally expendable. A story of daring engineering, airborne doctrine, and silent shock assault—across every major theatre of the war. #SpecialForces #WorldWarII #WW2 #DFS230 #Luftwaffe #Fallschirmjäger #Airborne #GliderTroops #EbenEmael #OperationMerkur #GranSasso #MilitaryHistory #WarHistory #WW2Podcast 🔗 Stay connected with us:Website: https://worldwar2-sof.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ww2.sofFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOFFacebook Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOF/subscribe/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ww2.sofSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/worldwar2sof

    1h 3m
  5. Preperations For Unternehmen Danzig, Glider Pilots

    FEB 5

    Preperations For Unternehmen Danzig, Glider Pilots

    This part three about Unternehmen Danzig. In the winter of 1939, a quiet airfield in Hildesheim, Germany became the unlikely birthplace of one of World War II’s most audacious and closely guarded military experiments. Under the misleading cover name “Propaganda-Ballonzug”, a group of handpicked glider pilots — many of them civilian champions and Olympic-caliber aviators — were assembled for a mission so secret, even the men themselves weren’t told what they were training for. Their commander: Oberleutnant Walter Kieß.Their aircraft: the fragile, unpowered DFS 230 assault glider.Their objective: unknown. In this episode, we tell the full story. not of the attack, but of the formation, the friction, and the fearless innovation behind Germany’s first airborne special operations glider unit. You’ll meet pilots like Otto Bräutigam, who broke records in sport gliding before being forced into combat. You’ll hear how tensions flared between veteran Luftwaffe personnel and young civilian pilots, and how secrecy was so tight that sand tables replaced maps, and light codes guided night flights. We’ll take you inside Braunschweig-Waggum, the glider school built in haste to train men for a mission none of them fully understood — and follow the men through bitter winter nights, forbidden contact between pilot groups, and a growing resistance to plans that many believed would cost them their lives. By dawn on May 10, 1940, their orders were finally revealed — and history would never be the same. This is not just a tale of training. It’s a story of secrecy, sacrifice, mistrust, and the relentless drive to master the air with nothing but canvas, wood, and courage#WWIIPodcast #DFS230 #AirborneOperations #EbenEmael #MilitaryHistoryPodcast 🔗 Stay connected with us:Website: https://worldwar2-sof.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ww2.sofFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOFFacebook Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOF/subscribe/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ww2.sofSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/worldwar2sof

    37 min
  6. Preperations for Unternehmen Danzig, Sturmabteilung Koch

    JAN 22

    Preperations for Unternehmen Danzig, Sturmabteilung Koch

    In this second episode of our series on Unternehmen Danzig, we turn from the battlefield to the attackers themselves. After examining the Belgian defences along the Albert Canal and Fort Eben-Emael in Episode 1, this episode follows the creation and preparation of Sturmabteilung Koch,the specially formed German airborne assault unit tasked with seizing the canal bridges at Veldwezelt, Vroenhoven, and Kanne, and neutralising Fort Eben-Emael at the opening of the 1940 campaign in the West. Built from Fallschirmjäger, engineers, glider troops, and support elements, Sturmabteilung Koch trains under extreme secrecy. New weapons such as hollow charges are introduced. Timelines are measured in minutes. Every element of the plan depends on speed, surprise, and exact coordination. Training takes place under false unit names, behind sealed hangars, and often without the men knowing their final objective. This episode explores how the assault force is organised, how its tasks are divided between bridge and fortress objectives, and how changing plans, technical limits, and operational pressure shape the final concept of the attack. By the end of this episode, the ground assault force is ready. The plan is fixed. And attention turns to the final and decisive element, the glider pilots who must carry the assault troops into battle. 🔗 Explore maps, photos, original documents, and sources at www.worldwar2-sof.com Hashtags#UnternehmenDanzig #SturmabteilungKoch #FortEbenEmael #AlbertCanal #Veldwezelt #Vroenhoven #Kanne #Fallschirmjäger #GermanAirborne #WW2Airborne #WorldWar2 #MilitaryHistory #SpecialForcesWW2 #WW2Podcast 🔗 Stay connected with us:Website: https://worldwar2-sof.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ww2.sofFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOFFacebook Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOF/subscribe/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ww2.sofSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/worldwar2sof

    1h 4m
  7. Fort Eben-Emael, The Prins Albert Kanaal and the bridges

    JAN 10

    Fort Eben-Emael, The Prins Albert Kanaal and the bridges

    At the eastern gateway of Belgium stands one of the most ambitious fortresses ever built. https://worldwar2-sof.com/welcome-to-world-war-2-special-forces-com/which-special-forces-operations-took-place-in-world-war-2/which-special-forces-operations-took-place-in-1940/which-special-forces-operations-took-place-in-may-1940/fall-gelb/belgium-defences-and-defence-strategy/fort-deben-emael/ In this opening episode of a new podcast series, we explore Fort Eben-Emael as it is designed to function — not as a battlefield, but as a defensive system at the heart of Belgium’s interwar strategy. Carved deep into Saint Peter’s Hill, Eben-Emael dominates the Albert Canal and is intended to control the three critical canal crossings at Veldwezelt Bridge, Vroenhoven Bridge, and Kanne Bridge. Together, the canal, the bridges, and the fortress form a single integrated barrier, meant to stop a German invasion at the border and buy time for Allied forces to deploy. This episode focuses on what Belgium builds and why. We examine the fort’s layout, firepower, underground structure, garrison, and command system. We place Eben-Emael within the wider Position Fortifiée de Liège and explain how Belgian planners expect this system to delay an enemy advance in 1940. This is not yet the story of the attack. It is the story of doctrine, engineering, and confidence — and of a defensive concept built on concrete, steel, and water. Understanding Fort Eben-Emael and the Albert Canal defences is essential before we can understand what happens next. More maps, photos, and sources at ⁠www.worldwar2-sof.com⁠ #FortEbenEmael #AlbertCanal #BattleOfBelgium #WW2History #MilitaryHistory #Fortifications #Fallschirmjäger #WorldWar2 #HistoricForts #EuropeanHistory 🔗 Stay connected with us:Website: https://worldwar2-sof.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ww2.sofFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOFFacebook Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOF/subscribe/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ww2.sofSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/worldwar2sof

    1h 6m
  8. 79th Armoured Division. Hobart's Funnies

    12/11/2025

    79th Armoured Division. Hobart's Funnies

    In this episode of The Special Forces in World War II Podcast, host Michael Weyers explores the remarkable history of the 79th Armoured Division — one of the most innovative and influential Allied formations of the Second World War. Created under Major-General Percy Hobart, the division became the home of the famous “Hobart’s Funnies”: specialised armoured vehicles designed to break through minefields, concrete defences, waterfront obstacles, and fortified towns. From the assault beaches of Normandy to the battles for Le Havre, Boulogne, the Scheldt, Walcheren, and the Rhine crossing in Operation Plunder, these unique machines reshaped the Allied approach to modern warfare. Discover how the division was formed, how its equipment was designed and tested, and how its specialised crews supported nearly every major operation in Northwest Europe. Using original wartime accounts, official histories, and modern research, this episode reveals how engineering innovation and tactical adaptation helped secure Allied victory. To explore photographs, maps, original documents, and the full list of sources behind this episode, visit the 79th Armoured Division page at www.worldwar2-sof.com. https://worldwar2-sof.com/welcome-to-world-war-2-special-forces-com/the-worlds-special-forces-in-world-war-2/the-allied-special-forces/great-britain-special-forces/79th-armoured-division/ #WW2 #WorldWar2 #79thArmouredDivision #HobartsFunnies #PercyHobart #DDay #Normandy1944 #OperationOverlord #OperationPlunder #Walcheren #Scheldt #BritishArmy #SpecialForcesHistory #ArmouredWarfare #MilitaryHistoryPodcast #WW2Podcast #HistoryPodcast #SpecialOperations #RoyalEngineers #ShermanTankWebsite: https://worldwar2-sof.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ww2.sofFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldWar2SOFPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/SpecialForcesinWorldWar2Spotify: Special Forces in World War 2 Podcast

    1h 18m
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Welcome to the Special Forces in World War 2 Podcast. This is your gateway to delve into the extraordinary world of specialised forces during World War 2. Here at Special Forces in World War 2, we've created a virtual museum dedicated to uncovering the remarkable stories behind these elite units and specialised forces of the era. Our mission is to provide you with a comprehensive panorama of the units and formations that played pivotal roles in the Second World War. Join us as we uncover the untold stories, strategies, and sacrifices of the elite and specialised forces of World War 2.

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