Dan Snow's History Hit · May 28, 2026 · 48:32

SAS Hijacked A Fascist Train To Liberate A Concentration Camp

Dan Snow interviews historian Damien Lewis about a little-known SAS operation in WWII. An elite unit jumped the chain of command and hijacked a 'pirate train' to turn it into a weapon against fascist Italy. They launched a surprise attack deep behind enemy lines on an Italian concentration camp and freed its prisoners. Lewis, author of 'SAS: The Great Train Raid', brings this cinematic untold raid to light.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Highlights

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The SAS Great Train Raid: Hijacking a Pirate Train to Liberate a Concentration Camp

Damien Lewis recounts the story of an SAS unit that defied orders and commandeered a train to attack a fascist Italian concentration camp, freeing prisoners.

Claude ChatGPT Gemini

References

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SAS: The Great Train Raid — Damien Lewis — Discussed in this episode

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SAS Great Escapes 5 — Damien Lewis — Mentioned as the author's background

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