Friendly Forces

Scroll down for the 3 Amigo’s Memorial (Brazil), Brigade Piron Belgian and Luxembourg, French Squadron 2nd SAS Regiment and Ali bin Rashid Al Kindi (Oman) memorials.

Friendly Forces

The Three Amigo’s Memorial – Montese, Italy 1945.

  • Memorial Text
  • The Three Amigo’s Memorial
  • On the 14th April 1945 three members of the Brazilian Mountain Infantry Battalion; Geraldo Baeta Da Cruz, Geraldo Rodrigues De Souza and Arlindo Lucio Da Silva were returning from a night patrol of the German positions around the Italian Mountain village of Montese.
  • They were ambushed by the enemy who called on them to surrender which they refused to do and when the three Amigo’s ran out of bullets they fixed their bayonets to their rifles and charged the enemy. Such was the bravery of this that the Germans honoured them on their graves with the words:
  • “Drei Brasilianischen Helden” – (“To three Brazilian Heroes”)
  • They were part of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force of 27,000 who consisted of Army and Air Force Personnel whilst their Navy patrolled the coast of Brazil and the South Atlantic protecting Merchant ships from being sunk by German and Italian submarines.
  • Montese at a height of 2,800 feet was liberated on the 17th April 1945 and it was the last stand of the Axis powers on the Gothic Line.
  • Soon after the Brazilian Army captured two German Divisions and one Italian Fascist Division. Over one million German soldiers in Italy laid down their arms as the surrender was signed in Italy at Caserta.
  • Due credit must go to the Brazilian Armed Forces in WW2.
  • This Araucaria (Monkey Puzzle) tree is in tribute to the “Three Hero’s of Montese in Italy and all who fought there.
  • ASFMG – April 2020 – 75 years on.
The Three Amigo’s memorial with the Monkey Puzzle tree behind. Winter picture.

Brigade Piron – Belgian and Luxembourg

( For illustration only as the lava stone panel is being created and some text has been adjusted.)

  • Memorial Text
  • In honour of the men from Belgium and Luxembourg, who participated in the liberation of France, Belgium and Holland.
  • The Independent Belgian Brigade was a Belgian and Luxembourgish military unit in the Belgian forces during WWII, commonly known as Brigade Piron after its commanding officer Jean-Baptiste PIRON.
  • More than a hundred Luxembourgers volunteered. Most of them formed the ‘Luxembourg Battery’, an artillery unit (Troop C) consisting of four 25 pounder guns named after Luxembourg princesses, Alix, Elisabeth, Marid-Adelaide, Marie-Gabrielle.
  • The Belgian Brigade participated in Operation PADDLE. Its first units arrived in Normandy on 31 July 1944 and the main body set foot on Normandy soil at Arromanches and Courseulles on 8 August. It was placed under the command of Lieutenant Colonel J-B PIRON.
  • It took part in the battles of Normandy, liberating Cabourg, Houlgate, Villers s/m, Deauvile, Trouville, Honfleur. From 31 August to 1 September, it crossed the Seine and advanced towards Brussels, which was liberated on 4 September 1944.
  • During OP Market Garden, the brigade was assigned to guard the right flank of the British 30th Corps.
  • Pushing northwards, the brigade reached the Wessem canal and endured heavy fighting. They continued their fight to liberate the Netherlands from September 1944 until April 1945,
  • In 1945, the brigade took part in the occupation of the Ruhr (British Sector).
  • In June 1945, the Luxembourgers were demobilized and ended their service with a military parade in front of thousands of compatriots in Luxembourg City.
  • The Brigade lost 80 members during the combat campaigns.
  • WE WILL REMEMBER THEM in the Allied Special Forces Memorial Grove – National Memorial Arboretum.

French Squadron 2nd SAS Regiment

( For illustration only as the lava stone panel is being created)

  • Memorial Text
  • “The Men of the French Squadron 2nd SAS Regiment”
  • Those forgotten heroes
  • Only a few dozen men chose to join the ranks of the Special Air Service in the spring of 1943, when 2nd SAS Regiment was created in North Africa by Lt. Col. William Bill STIRLING from the original No 62 Commando Small-Scale Raiding Force (SSRF).
  • The French Squadron 2nd SAS Regiment was officially on the 1st April 1943. Commanded by Capt. Raymond COURAUD, alias LEE.
  • The French Squadron was made up of volunteers from various French Army Units including the Foreign Legion, Zouaves, Tirailleurs, a few dozen at most.
  • The French Squadron took part in the operations with their regiment in North Africa, Italy and finally in Europe: France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Norway, for those who chose to stay.
  • In June 1943, during OP Buttercup, LEE and around fifteen of his men took part in a raid on the island of Lampedusa. They also took part in other operations in Italy, including landing at Taranto on the 10th September 1943.
  • On the 14th September 1943, it was the French Squadron 2nd SAS Regiment that prepared and led a train requisitioned for the liberation of the PISTICCI PoW camp in Southern Italy, behind German Lines, and freed some 180 prisoners who were taken to Taranto. During the Italian Campaign, several operations were carried out behind enemy lines.
  • When the 2nd SAS Regt. returned to the UK in March 1944, Most of the men of the French Squadron were posted to the 3rd SAS Regt. (French). Only a few would continue operations in Europe with the 2nd SAS Regt. At this point the French Squadron 2nd SAS Regt. ceased to exist in its originally intended form.
  • The few remaining Frenchmen and others including Spaniards, Germans, Canadian, Russians and one from Luxembourg…..were then fully integrated into the 2nd SAS Regt. They continued the battle for the liberation of Europe until the end of the war and the eventual disbandment of the whole SAS Brigade.
  • “THEY STAY ALIVE AS LONG AS WE REMEMBER THEM”
  • Allied Special Forces Memorial Grove

Ali bin Rashid Al Kindi MM – Northern Frontier Regiment

This is the design of a lava stone panel that has been commissioned in honour of an Omani soldier who saved the life of a Royal Marine during the Jebel Akhdar War in northern Oman 1958/9.

  • Memorial Text
  • Sgt. Ali bin Rashid al Kindi WSh MM
  • Extract from the London Gazette dated 6th October 1959.
  • The QUEEN has been graciously pleased to approve the following award in recognition of gallant conduct in the Arabian Peninsula.
  • Military Medal
  • 2364 Sergeant Ali Rashid, Northern Frontier Regiment, Sultan of Muscat’s Armed Forces.
  • For his courage and tenacity during action against Omani Rebels.
  • As leading scout he played an important part in many operations.
  • On one occasion he left cover to assist a British comrade. Although wounded he helped extricate his section from a difficult situation.
  • Sgt. Rashid saved Royal Marine Sgt. Rees MM who survived the operation in 1958.
  • Allied Special Forces Memorial Grove 2026
I had the great honour to meet Al Kindi in Nizwa on the 9th December 2025 during a 12 day visit to Oman courtesy of the Sultan’s Armed Forces and the Sultan’s Armed Forces Association.

Sgt. Cecil “Taff” Rees – Royal Marine Commando

  • Image Text
  • Sgt. Cecil “Taff” Rees MM
  • Royal Marines
  • Special Patrol Section
  • Wadi Kamah Patrol 1958
  • Medals sold for £34,000

Page Updated 6th April 2026