08/09/2025
"Landed. Killed Germans. F*cked off."β Any questions?β
For those who have never heard of him, he is worth looking up. Highest-decorated special forces soldier in WWII, and the only non-Commonwealth soldier to receive a Victoria Cross in that conflict.
Major Anders Lassen's post operational reports famously consisted of 5 carefully selected words. Like most Officers of his rank, he continually found himself in drunken bar fights, and was renowned for his volatile temper, complete lack of discretion, and utter contempt for the rules.β
With the Military Cross (and two bars) already to his name, Danish born Major Lassen would be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during a raid at Lake Comacchio, on the 9th of April, 1945.
He personally took out 3 German machine gun positions, but was mortally wounded taking out the third. Despite his injuries he refused to be evacuated, as it would impede the withdrawal of his men, who were low on ammunition and had to extract.β
Lassen is buried at the Argenta Gap War Cemetery, Italy.