The Last Chance Raid

"The Last Chance Raid" is the twentieth episode of the first season of The Rat Patrol. It first aired on January 23, 1967.

Synopsis
Sergeant Troy spots a German anti-tank unit. The British Army's Operation Wildcat is doomed to failure, or, as Moffitt puts it, "They'll be cut to ribbons!" Before they can warn the British, the Rat Patrol engage with Dietrich's column. Troy and Hitchcock are forced to abandon their jeep and retreat on the same jeep as Moffitt and Pettigrew.

Once safe, Troy orders Pettigrew to call the British but the radio is damaged: it can receive signals, but it can't transmit. They need to figure out another way to get a message to the British.

As they are 50 kilometers away from El Jebel, the home base for a British traitor known as "Colonel Windsor" (Michael Evans), who broadcasts Nazi propaganda meant to demoralize American soldiers; his show can be easily be heard throughout the area.

The BBC monitors Windsor's program, so Troy comes up with a plan: take over Windsor's studio and use it to convey their message. The Rat Patrol enter El Jebel, locate Windsor's radio station, sneak past a secretary and some German soldiers who are playing cards, and break into the studio mere minutes before the turncoat is about to start broadcasting.

But just as the Rat Patrol are letting Windsor know what they think of him, Dietrich and his troops show up. Dietrich separates the unit, putting Troy and Moffitt in one cell and Hitchcock and Pettigrew in another cell, in the studio's basement.

Some German soldiers bring Troy and Moffitt a radio: "Compliments of Colonel Windsor, so you do not miss his broadcast." This is all the opportunity they need to overpower their captors and free Hitchcock and Pettigrew; then, the team retake the studio while Windsor is live on the air. A British captain (Roy Dean) and two monitors (Lyn Peters and Lois Battle) listen as the Rat Patrol and the Nazis exchange gunfire, followed by Troy taking the microphone:

"Troy: Emergency! This is an emergency! BBC, this is an emergency! This is Sergeant Troy, Long Range Desert Patrol, attached to headquarters, 2nd Corps! Alert! British 8th Army headquarters, scrub Operation Wildcat! Scrub Operation Wildcat! BBC, I repeat: scrub Operation Wildcat! Notify British 8th Army headquarters to—"

More German troops arrive and cut Troy off; he realizes that "If [the British] haven't got the message now, they never will", so he and his comrades fight their way out of the building. Dietrich survives as always, but Windsor isn't so lucky: when he attempts to flee the studio, the Nazis mow him down before they realize who he is.

Later, the Rat Patrol confirm that the British did indeed receive their message and Operation Wildcat has been canceled. Since the Colonel Windsor show has been canceled too, they drive off into the desert listening to jazz instead of propaganda.

Main cast

 * Christopher George as Sergeant Sam Troy
 * Gary Raymond as Sergeant Jack Moffitt
 * Hans Gudegast as Hauptmann Hans Dietrich
 * Lawrence Casey as Private Mark T. Hitchcock
 * Justin Tarr as Private Tully Pettigrew

Supporting cast

 * Lois Battle as second monitor
 * Ray Baxter as a German officer
 * Roy Dean as Captain Rogers
 * Michael Evans as Colonel Windsor
 * Lyn Peters as first monitor