SAS Heroes
Page 32
Henry Lee
Robin Letts
Eddie ‘Geordie’ Lillico
The Lock brothers, Colin and Joe
Fred Marafano
Colin ‘Paddy’ Millikin
Steve Moores
Tom Morrell
Mel Parry
Bert Perkins
Richard ‘Duke’ Pirie
Wally Poxon
Mick Reeves
Joe Schofield
Rover Slater
Ian ‘Tanky’ Smith
Alec Spence
Aubrey ‘Taff’ Springles
Geordie Tindale
Dick Tubnan
Bob Turnbull
Jim Vakatali
Johnny Watts
John Wildman
Glen Williams
John Woodhouse
Each of these, in his own way, contributed a great deal to the history and success of the Regiment. I might also have included Captain Robert Nairac, whom I met on a tour in Northern Ireland. He was not a member of the SAS, but had the attributes of any special forces soldier: courage, professionalism, tenacity and a friendly nature.
APPENDICES
RANKS AT END OF SERVICE/TIME OF DEATH
Steve Callan WO2 Squadron Sergeant-Major
Gavin John Hamilton Captain
Talaiasi Labalaba Sergeant
Michael Lane Major
Don Large WO2 Squadron Sergeant-Major
Pete Loveday Staff Sergeant
Paddy Mayne Lieutenant-Colonel
Len Owens Sergeant
Tommy Palmer Sergeant
John Partridge Staff Sergeant
Vince Phillips Sergeant
Bob Podesta Staff Sergeant
Sekonaia Takavesi Staff Sergeant
Alfie Tasker WO2 Squadron Sergeant-Major
Reg Tayler WO1 Regimental Sergeant-Major
Iain Thomson Sergeant
Tommy Tobin Trooper
Mick Tyler Sergeant
Kevin Walsh WO2 Squadron Sergeant-Major
Pete Winner Staff Sergeant
SAS SQUADRON TROOPS
Mountain Troop
Mountain Troop is responsible for all aspects of mountaineering and skiing. New members with no previous experience will be taught the basics of climbing and Arctic tactics. Many SAS individuals attend courses in Europe, among the best of which is the German Alpine Guides course in Bavaria. The Regiment annually selects two Mountain Troop soldiers to attend the year-long course. Six months is spent on skiing and six on mountaineering.
Normally one of the squadrons will be committed to the NATO winter exercise in Norway.
Air Troop
Previously known as ‘Free-fall Troop.’ Every SAS soldier is required to be parachute-trained before he can enter a squadron. Air Troop extends beyond these normal static-line procedures and practises HAHO (High-Altitude High-Opening) jumps. This allows the men to glide some 30km on to a target. Air Troop also uses unusual entry methods, including micro-lights and power-kites.
There is an Air Troop with each squadron, normally referred to as the ‘Prima Donnas’. Their tasks are more individual, as they are normally only involved with the rest of the squadron in the path-finding role, going in ahead of the main force to secure and mark a drop zone or landing area.
Mobility Troop
Often previously referred to as ‘Land Rover Troop’, Mobility Troop operates using a variety of vehicles, of which the SAS ‘Pink Panther’ or ‘Pinkie’ is best known. The Regiment decided to paint their vehicles a dusky pink when an old aircraft, shot down during World War II, was found in the middle of the desert – the sand had burnished it pink.
Other vehicles used by Mobility Troop include KTM 350 and Honda 250 motorbikes; the Honda is preferred as it is very quiet.
Courses for members of Mobility Troop cover several weeks with the REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers), learning basic mechanical fault-finding and training in cross-country conditions.
Amphibious Troop
Previously known as ‘Boat Troop’, Amphibious Troop concentrates on all water insertion methods. These include diving and even swimming ashore on a surf-board. In recent years, members of the SBS (Special Boat Service) have been stationed at Hereford and joined with the SAS in cross-training. Several operations have been jointly carried out using the SBS for actual water insertion and during the Falklands War they demonstrated how truly professional they are.
CHRONOLOGY
World War II 1939–1945
The Korean War 1950–53
The Malayan Campaign 1950–57
Suez Crisis 1956
The Jebel Akhdar – Northern Oman 1958–59
Borneo Campaign 1962–66
South Yemen (Aden) 1964–68
Southern Oman (Dhofar) 1971–76
Battle of Mirbat 19 July 1972
Northern Ireland 1969 onwards
Iranian Embassy Siege 1980
The Falklands War 1982
First Gulf War 1991
GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS
APC Armoured Personnel Carrier
ASFA Allied Special Forces Association
AWOL Absent Without Leave
BAOR British Army of the Rhine
BAS British Antarctic Survey
BATT British Army Training Team
BD Battledress
BEF British Expeditionary Force
BEM British Empire Medal
BFBT British Forces Borneo Territories
BP British Petroleum
CCO Clandestine Communist Organization
CCTV Closed-Circuit Television
CO Commanding Officer
COG Combined Operations Group
CP Close Protection
CQB Close-Quarters Battle
CRW Counter-Revolutionary Warfare
CTs Communist Terrorists
DG Dhofar Gendarmerie
DPRK Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
DSO Distinguished Service Order
DZ Drop Zone
EOKA Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston (National Organization of Cypriot Fighters)
FLOSY Front for the Liberation of Occupied South Yemen
FRA Federal Regular Army
FSA Federation of South Arabia
GHQ General Headquarters
GPMG General-Purpose Machine-Gun
GPS Global Positioning System
GSM General Service Medal
HAHO High-Altitude High-Opening parachute jump
HALO High-Altitude Low-Opening parachute jump
HEAT High-Explosive Anti-Tank
HMG Heavy Machine-Gun
HQ Headquarters
IRA Irish Republican Army
JLSS Jungle Line Supply System
JSIU Joint Services Interrogation Unit
KAF Kuwait Air Force
KNF Kuwait Naval Force
LAW Light Anti-Armour Weapon
LRDG Long Range Desert Group
LUP Lying-Up Position
LZ Landing Zone
MBE Member of the British Empire
MC Military Cross
MID Mention In Dispatches
MM Military Medal
MOD Ministry of Defence
MSR Main Supply Route
MSTA Medical Support and Training Advisor
NAAFI Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes
NKNA North Kalimantan National Army
NLF National Liberation Front
OP Observation Post
OPEC Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
PLUTO Pipeline Under The Ocean
POW Prisoner Of War
PVA (Chinese) People’s Volunteer Army
QGM Queen’s Gallantry Medal
QRF Quick Reaction Force
R&R Rest & Recuperation
RA Royal Artillery
RAF Royal Air Force
RAMC Royal Army Medical Corps
RAOC Royal Army Ordnance Corps
REME Royal Electrical and Mechanic
al Engineers
RoK Republic of Korea
RPG Rocket-Propelled Grenade
RSM Regimental Sergeant-Major
RTU’d Returned to Unit
RUC Royal Ulster Constabulary
RV Rendezvous
SAF Sultan’s Armed Forces
SARBE Surface to Air Rescue Beacon
SBS Special Boat Squadron (renamed the Special Boat Service in 1987)
SEP Surrendered Enemy Personnel
SGTG South Georgia Task Group
SLR Self-Loading Rifle (the British L1A1)
SMG Submachine-Gun
SOAF Sultan of Oman’s Air Force
SOE Special Operations Executive
SOPs Standard Operating Procedures
SRN State Registered Nurse
SRS Special Raiding Squadron
TA Territorial Army
TWATT Terrorist Weapons and Tactics Team
UN United Nations
UNITA União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola)
VC Victoria Cross
First published in Great Britain in 2008 by Osprey Publishing,
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© 2008 Pete Scholey
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