Special Allied Airborne Reconnaissance Force
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In late February 1945,[1] 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.[2][3] 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 maesures 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.[4]
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As a result of its mandate, SHAEF created, in March 1945, The Special Allied Airborne Reconnaissance Force, or SAARF.