Popski's Private Army or officially the Number 1 Demolitions Squadron was a irregular group of British Special Forces who fought during World War II. Founded by Major Vladimir Peniakoff D.S.O, M.C (later Lieutenant Colonel) in 1942, with the primary task of destroying Rommel's fuel supplies in the desert of North Africa.
It was also tasked with intelligence gathering and partisan support, and was operational in Italy up to the end of the war in 1945. It was the smallest of the irregular special forces units operational in the desert, after the Long Range Desert Group and the Special Air Service, due to its modest size of fourteen officers and men in 1942.
To fulfill their prime objective, Peniakoff (A.K.A Popski, due to the British L.R.D.G being unable to pronounce his name) used lightly armored special Jeeps equipped with .303 cal. Vickers and .50 cal. Browning machine guns, which were essential due to their long range, speed and firepower. The P.P.A were among the first 8th Army units to link up with the British 1st Army and American 2nd Corp from West Africa in 1943.
In Game
In Call of Duty: Finest Hour during the North Africa Campaign, the player is a member of the P.P.A, lead by Sgt. Bob Starkey and takes part in the night raid on the Tunisian village of Matmata destroying a generator and German fuel supplies, with Pvt. Locke and Yuseff. The player must sabotage the village and then escape the area. Later on in the Game, the player (Pvt. Edward Carlyle) and Sgt. Bob Starkey, must man a P.P.A special armored Jeep and fight their way through stiff resistance of German tanks, dive bombers, and troops, to an unknown fort to provide backup to the L.R.D.G.
Known Soldiers
- Allen Rowe
- Bob Starkey
- Edward Carlyle
- Holden
- Joseph
- Locke
- Yusef
- Smart
- Fulton
- Waters
- Ewans
- HigginsJack DeHart
- Jack DeHart
- Harold Snyder
- Johnson
- Otero
- Jeffrey Peterson
- Robbins
- David Tuey
- Senn
- Short
- Fred Yeoman