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Developed during WWII as long-range commandos, the SAS earned a significant reputation as the world's toughest fighting unit. The SAS was founded by David Stirling as the 'L' Detachment. The unit designation was actually intended as a deception and yet the SAS was created. From airbases in North Africa, the SAS attacked numerous enemy positions and inflicted significant damage.
After WWII, the SAS was disbanded. It was, however, resurected two years later to form the Malaya Scouts. They were formed for the purpose of counter-guerrilla operations against communist rebels. In 1952, the Scouts was redesignated as the 22nd SAS.
SAS regiments have fought in guerrilla wars from Asia to the Middle East. In 1969 the SAS was committed to counter insurgency actions in Northern Ireland. After the terrorist action at the Munich Olympics in 1972, the SAS counter-terrorist teams (CRW - Counter Revolutionary Warfare) were created.
The SAS is probably best known for it's counter terrorism action at the Iranian Embassy (known as Operation: Nimrod) in London on May 5th, 1980. Two assault teams entered the building starting at 19:23hrs using the detonation of a charge in a stairwell as the signal for the assault to begin. Portions of the episode were captured on film as SAS team members roped down from the roof and entered the building by window. In less than 15 minutes nearly all of the hostages were freed and five terrorists were killed and one captured. Operation Nimrod is still considered a textbook operation and studied the world round.
In 1982, the SAS saw action in the Falklands fighting the Argentine invasion. After the Falklands, they returned to their continued counter terrorist activities in Northern Ireland and Gibraltar.
Recently, the SAS was involved in the first Gulf War in 1991 aiding coalition forces to locate and destroy SCUD missile mobile launchers. Their activities are heralded in the now famous book by Andy McNab called BRAVO TWO ZERO.
During the actions in Afghanistan, SAS forces participated along with their US counterparts (i.e. the US Green Berets, US Navy SEALS, and US Air Force ParaJumpers, to name a few) in routing out the AQ and Taliban terrorists. Some comments regarding their actions are given in Robin Moore's recent book HUNTING BIN LADEN - check it out at a bookstore now.
Their actions in the second Gulf War are still to be disclosed, but one knows that the British forces played a significant role in the liberation of Iraq.
Below is the SAS organizational chart -
For more information visit -
www.special-air-service.org.uk
www.specwarnet.com/europe/sas.htm
britishsas.8m.com
www.csqn.co.za
home.clear.net.nz/pages/juni0r/nzsas.html
www.stuff.themutual.net/index.htm
hem.passagen.se/inlajn/frame.htm
www.1earth.com.au/militaria/b/spec05.html
www.geocities.com/saspastandpresent/sas_.htm
www.righthook.com/elitesas.html
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