16Minifigure – British Special Air Service SAS (LEGO Compatible)

This minifigure represents a soldier from the elite British Special Air Service (SAS), as it would have appeared during its earliest operations in the North African desert of World War II. The text in the image, “SAS” and the Chinese “陆军特种空勤团” (Lùjūn tèzhǒng kōngqín tuán), explicitly confirms this identity as the “Army Special Air Service.”

The character is a generic representation of one of the original members of this legendary special forces unit, which was founded in 1941 to conduct raids and reconnaissance deep behind enemy lines. The rugged, bearded appearance of the figure is characteristic of these early desert operators who often worked in harsh conditions for long periods.

The items in the picture consist of the detailed minifigure and his rifle:

• The toy minifigure is wearing a khaki drill tropical uniform, which was standard for the North Africa Campaign. The tunic is depicted with rolled-up sleeves, a common practice in the extreme heat of the desert. His headgear is the standard British Brodie helmet, and he has printed webbing with ammunition pouches.
• His weapon accessory is a Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle with a long Pattern 1907 sword bayonet attached. While the SAS famously used a wide variety of specialized weapons, the powerful and reliable Lee-Enfield was a common rifle throughout the entire British Army.