SAS Rogue Heroes season 2 episode 2 recap: 'Broken bread'

This SAS Rogue Heroes season 2 episode 2 recap contains spoilers... Paddy Mayne (Jack O'Connell) introduces himself to Augusta's priest and has no time for him at all. He's later proved absolutely correct in his judgment.

Yet the SRS also welcome new recruits in the form of Italian Resistance fighters and 2 SAS, led by our old pal Jim Almonds (Corin Silva). Paddy's not keen on them at first, but hopefully they'll prove themselves useful as the battle for Italy continues.

In a small fishing boat off Augusta Harbour in Sicily, Paddy Mayne (Jack O’Connell) shares an Irish folk tale about the "Salmon of Knowledge" with Reg Seekings (Theo Barklem-Biggs). The pair are disguised as Italian fishermen, but the German soldiers are getting suspicious and warn them to move off. Luckily Paddy finishes his folk tale just in time for them to open fire with a pair of bazookas, destroying the German battalion on the dock.

Yet as the SRS move inland, they find the main force of the German army in Sicily shipped out yesterday and the place seems deserted. The plan is to head North to Cannizarro, but for the meantime Paddy takes shelter in a church, where the Ulsterman makes his disdain for the Catholic faith very clear, by setting fire to the cross, washing himself in the font and looting plenty of gold. “The Pope is good friends with Mussolini and has a direct line to Hitler,” he says when some of his comrades object.

When they find the local priest (Paolo De Vite), he tells them everyone has left and he has a message from the Cosa Nostra — aka the mafia — who own the town of Augusta. "They want to sit down with you and break bread..." says the priest. "They can help you in the mountains." Paddy unceremoniously tells him where the mafia boss can stick his broken bread.

Later on, Lt Col Bill Stirling (Gwilym Lee) arrives to tell Paddy the attack on Cannizarro has been delayed, because the British are waiting for the Americans to make their landing further up the coast. Paddy is not impressed.

"The whole thing.."

In Italy, Eve Mansour (Sofia Boutella) manages to smuggle herself into Forte Di Gavi POW camp disguised as a nun and shares a passionate reunion with David Stirling (Connor Swindells). She was given permission to come by General De Gaulle himself and they used the five minute gap between the guard’s patrol to do “the whole thing”.

After they make love, she tells him how secretive the British have become since the Americans joined the war. For that reason she’s moving to Sicily, to be closer to the front line. “I’m planning to join your regiment David,” she explains, before asking him to write to her brother to introduce her and lay the ground for her arrival. A jealous David wonders if she might begin a love affair with her elder sibling, but they swear their love as she departs and the SAS' creator is now even more determined to escape.

Back in Augusta, Paddy has decided to use the delay to complete some more training detail, which will start with them climbing a mountain, with their full packs and weapons. It’s maybe the first example of the brutal training the SAS will become famous for in the decades to come.

However before he departs, Bill tells Paddy the priest has complained about his conduct and reminds him he’s no longer in the desert. He also explains there will be 150 new recruits arriving in Augusta and he hopes there will be no "friction" between them and Paddy’s men. Yet when Paddy hears the new recruits will be called "2 SAS", Paddy can’t help but feel the new regiment has stolen their title.

That afternoon, as the men of the SRS relax on a beach after climbing the mountain, Paddy is instilling more of his philosophy, when the men from the Cosa Nostra begin taking potshots at them from the clifftop above. Yet when the bullets stop, a truce breaks out.

Later on, during an uneasy meeting with Father Cavalli, Bill tells Paddy he’s moving out tomorrow morning, but not before he meets the mafia. It seems Bill Stirling has been given a mission to make alliances with criminal elements that have been persecuted by Mussolini. “You will make peace on behalf of the whole British army...” says Bill, but Paddy just wants the donkey the mafia took from Reg (Theo Barklem-Biggs).

'Be selective about the orders you obey...' 

When 2 SAS arrive, it turns out they’re being led by Staff Sgt Jim Almonds (Corin Silva), formerly of the SAS. He says the men of his regiment are of top quality, but unfortunately they are completely sane, which could be a bit of an issue going forward.

The next morning, Paddy and his men are ready to meet the mafia, when the Italian resistance turns up. They reveal that while they’re not usually allies, they’ve been fighting beside the mafia in recent times, although they do wonder why their reluctant allies haven’t turned up, as they’re not usually late.

However as their conversation continues, the sound of German aircraft fills the skies and bullets rain down upon their table. It seems the meeting was nothing but a trap organised by the priest, who told the Nazis where their enemies would be. “Cosa Nostra have no real allegiances, they gave you up to the Germans..” says the leader of the resistance.

Paddy says the breakfast has taught him to “be selective about the orders he obeys..” before hearing the priest has fled beyond the German lines. That afternoon, Lt Col Bill Stirling admits he was wrong about Father Cavalli, yet Paddy wants Jim Almonds to be allowed to join his regiment, as he’s a good influence on him.

His request is denied and Stirling tells him he has an hour to gather his troops and head towards Cannizarro. Paddy does so, with Jim Almonds with him anyway, but not before robbing the local bank.

Meanwhile in Augusta, Bill Stirling watches on as Eve Mansour (Sofia Boutella) arrives at the docks.