Striking back

In all probability, the Nazis' greatest enemies were Jews who gave up everything but their lives to flee the deadly persecution they were enduring in Germany, Austria, and Eastern Europe. Unknowm to everyone except military personnel with a "need to know," eighty-seven of these escapees were recruited into a commando unit in the British Army unlike any othercomprised almost entirely of Jewish refugees.

Author Peter Masters, born Peter Arany, was an Austrian Jew who, following the Anschluss, fled from his home in Vienna to England. During the invasion scare following the fall of France in June 1940, Peter, along with many other refugees, was rounded up as an enemy alien and placed in an internment camp. Later, following his release from the camp, Peter enlisted in the British Army.

At first, restricted to an unarmed labor battalion, the young man continously volunteered for combat duty only to be turned down again and again. Then, the commandos came looking for native German speakers to perform hazardous duty.

The Jewish refugees of 3 Troop, 10 Commando all spoke German fluently. These men provided invaluable service both as front-line interrogators and intelligence operatives attached to other commando units, and as clandestine raiders behind Nazi lines. Because the chances were high that 3 Troop commandos might be captured, an elaborate scheme was implemented to hide their true identities and the very existence of their unit.

Their training was concluded and assignments were made for the cross-channel invasion on June 6, 1944, where they were among the first troops ashore in the British assault force at Normandy. After the ferocious combat in France, Masters and his fellow soldiers continued to fight the Nazis in Holland and ultimately, in Germany.