Posted on May 13, 2025
In the summer of 1942, the British military decided to create a special unit of German-speaking commandos trained in counterintelligence and what would now be called special operations. The young men they recruited for the new unit, dubbed X Troop, were almost entirely Jewish refugees.
Most had arrived in the UK as teenagers on transit visas or Kindertransport from Germany and Austria. When the war broke out, they were interned as enemy aliens, often in horrific conditions in Australia and Canada.After being released, they volunteered for this new hazardous duty.
Brought to London and interviewed by MI5, the nascent X Troopers were told that they would be taking the fight directly to the Nazis, and that their work would be extremely dangerous. They understood the risks but felt that they had nothing more to lose.