Why the 'Terrible Viking' remains the only SAS man EVER to receive the VC

A dramatic action 80 years ago tonight in Italy cost Anders Lassen his life, but saw him posthumously awarded the nation's highest medal for heroism. Lord Ashcroft pays tribute to a Great Dane

- Lord Ashcroft

THE shores of Lake Comacchio are peaceful today. Grey herons, egrets and other wading birds compete for the small fish, eels and shrimps abundant in the shallow waters in this quiet spot on Italy's north-eastern Adriatic coast. But 80 years ago things were very different.

Thousands of German troops held defensive positions nearby as British and American troops made their final drive to push them out of the country.

It was at Lake Comacchio overnight on April 8-9, 1945, that a courageous young officer, Major Anders Lassen, became the first and, to this day, only member of Britain's famous SAS regiment to be awarded the Victoria Cross (VC).

The Danish national, affectionately nicknamed the "Terrible Viking" by colleagues, also had the honour of being the only non-Commonwealth recipient from the Second World War to be decorated with this prestigious gallantry award.

I travelled to Lake Comacchio because I wanted to tell the story of his remarkable life and to pay my respects ahead of the 80th anniversary of his courageous death.

Anders Frederik Emil Victor Schau Lassen was born near Mern, Denmark, on September 22, 1920. His family was wealthy and he was brought up on a large country estate. His mother wrote that "all the memories of his childhood will be coloured with his enterprise, fearlessness and happiness".

Even at school, he was far more interested in adventure than his academic studies.

While serving in Denmark's merchant navy, which he had joined aged 17 as a cabin boy, Lassen came to the UK shortly after the start of the Second World War in 1939. The year after, he joined the British Commandos as a private soldier because he wanted to help liberate his homeland which was under German occupation.

He served in No62 Commando also known as the Small Scale Raiding Force - a unit formed under the command of the secretive Special Operations Executive.