A BRIEF HISTORY AND INSIGHT OF SPECIAL FORCES AROUND THE GLOBE
A Brief History and role of the SAS (UK)
In mid 1941, David Sterling, a Scots Guards subaltern serving in North Africa with a commando brigade known as Layforce, received permission to recruit a small unit for raids deep behind enemy lines. Under the odd title of 'L' Detachment of a none-existent Special Air Service Brigade, Sterling's force, operating closely with the Long Range Desert Group, soon gained a reputation for daring and tactical skill. In January 1943, after considerable expansion, the unit was renamed 1st Special Air Service Regiment (1 SAS) and in April of the same year it was joined by 2 SAS, commanded by Sterling's brother, William. These regiments fought with distinction in Scily, Italy and northwest Europe, but were disbanded in 1945. The name reappeared two years later, when 21 SAS part of the Territorial Army and successor to the Artists Rifles was formed. In 1950, a unit called the Malayan Scouts (SAS) also appeared, tasked with taking the war against communist guerrillas into the Malayan jungle; men from 21 SAS were attached to B Squadron and in 1952 the Scouts formally became 22 SAS, which has remained a Regular Army Regiment ever since. From the start, its main task was one of counter- insurgency gathering intelligence, conducting 'hearts and minds' campaigns among tribesmen in guerrilla-affected areas and mounting offensive patrols at the level and in the environment of the enemy. By the end of the Malayan Emergency in 1960, the SAS had gained a well deserved reputation for toughness and professional skill, and had carved itself a role as an indispensable element in the distinctively-British pattern of counter-insurgency. It was a pattern that was to be repeated and refined in Borneo (1963/66), Dhofar (1970/76) and Northern Ireland (since 1969,but specifically in South Armagh since 1976), and one that was to ensure the regiments constant employment. By 1975 a special Counter Revolutionary Warfare (CRW) Group had been set up within 22 SAS, dedicated to providing a trained, ruthless and effective instrument to British and allied governments caught in the nightmare of hijacks, hostage sieges and urban bombing campaigns. At home the Group kept a low profile until May 1980 when it successfully ended the Iranian embassy siege in London. Such capabilities make the SAS a remarkably well-rounded force, and for this it has to thank its notoriously tough selection and training procedures. Drawing its recruits from the mainstream of the army, the regiment emphasises physical fitness, endurance, self-discipline and weapons skill, refining and developing such attributes over a two-year period to produce soldiers who are close to professional perfection .Capable of operating with initiative beyond the support of the main force, they enjoy a degree of military freedom that can only be given to the most disciplined of soldiers.
A Brief History of the SBS (UK)
The present day Special Boat Squadron (SBS) is a direct descendant of the plethora of seaborne raiding forces formed in World War II. Most of these were disbanded in 1945, but elements of three- the Royal Marine Boom Patrol Detachment (RMBPD), the Royal Navy's Combined Assault Pilotage Parties (COPPs) and the Marines' School of Combined Operations Beach and Boat Section (SCOBBS) - continued in service. In autumn 1947, the RMBPD was transferred from its wartime base at Appledore in Devon to the Amphibious School of Eastney in Hampshire. The RMBPD had already been joined by members of COPPs, and at Eastney it received recruits from SCOBBS. COPPs had been formed in September 1942 from Royal Navy and Royal Engineer officers training for reconnaissance missions along the North African coast. Most of the men left at the end of the war, but one detachment joined the RMBPD in 1946. The other unit to arrive at Eastney was SCOBBs, which had been formed at the School of Combined Operations at Instow in Devon in the summer of 1946 from 'Detachment 385' of the Royal Marines, and men of COPPs who had been demobilised. The assembled forces were then forged into a single command known either as the Small Raids Wing (SRW) OR The Small Boat Wing. Immediate con troll over the unit rested with the Royal Marines. The SRW was reorganised in 1957, with its Headquarters, training cadre and Special Boat Sections becoming the Special Boat Unit. A year later the Unit was re titled the Special Boat Company. This survived until 1975, when it was renamed the Special Boat Squadron. Details of SBS operations are, of necessity, shrouded in secrecy: since the main task of the unit is to gather and report covert intelligence, particularly in advance of an amphibious landing,many of the techniques are not discussed in public. It is known, however, that a wealth of practical experience has been gained in places as far apart as Malaya, Borneo and Oman.As with so many of Britians 'special forces' the SBS came into its own in the Falklands,where all the hard training and expertise of the 'swimmer-canoeists' made a significant contribution to success.
A Brief History of the Royal Marines (UK)
Although members of the present-day Royal Marines Commandos can trace their unit's history back to 1664, when the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot was formed to serve aboard Royal Navy ships, the corps did not receive its 'Royal' title until 1802,and were not deployed in the commando role until World War II. Since 1945 the corps has undergone several reorganisations and has seen extensive service in the infantry role, but it has retained a specialisation in amphibious operations, based upon the original commando idea of seaborne raiding.By the 1960s, with the deployment of special commando carriers such as HMS Albion and Bulwark, each capable of transporting and sustaining a self-contained Commando Group, this idea had been well developed, although in more recent years, reflecting Britain's diminishing global responsibilities and continuing economic problems, it has gradually undermined.By June 1981, with the mothballing (a Government decision) of landing ships HMS Fearless and Intrepid, and to sell the carrier HMS Hermes, many people feared that the flexibility of the commandos had been destroyed, but the South Atlantic in 1982 ensured a reprieve. The Royal Marines are currently organised into 3 Commando Brigade, containing 40, 42, 45 Commando.Each Commando has a strength of approximately 650 men, and is divided into three rifle companies (each of three troops), a support company and headquarters. The rifle companies are equipped as normal infantry, while support company has mortars, extra machine- guns and Milan anti-tank missiles.The brigade is supported by 29 Commando Regiment, Royal Artillery, with 18 105mm Light Guns, 59 Independent Commando Squadron, Royal Engineers, the Commando Logistic Regiment, an air squadron of 18 helicopters and a Blowpipe-equipped air defence troop. More specialist units, attached to the brigade and trained principally for the NATO role, include the Special Boat Squadron,the Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre, and the Raiding Squadron. Separate from the brigade is the Comacchio Group,responsible for protecting Britain's North Sea oil rigs against enemy sabotage attacks. Whatever his unit, the individual Marine remains one of the best trained and most professional fighting men in the modern world, the commandos also enjoy a richly-deserved reputation as an effective instrument of war.
A Brief History of the Guards (UK)
The Household Cavalry and the Guards are among the oldest regiments in the British Army, most of them tracing their origins back to the mid 17th century, before the establishment of a regular standing force. They have always constituted an elite, having as their main task the protection of ruling monarch and the Royal Family. By the time of Restoration in 1660, King Charles II had at his disposal troops of Horse and Horse Grenadier Guards (amalgamated in 1788 to form The Life Guards) and two regiments of foot guards-the first (later the Grenadier) Guards and the 2nd or Coldstream Guards. A Scottish Regiment of foot Guards was added in 1666, and at the beginning of the 19th century the Royal Horse Guards (The Blues) officially joined the Household Cavalry, having existed as a seperate entity for over 100 years. In 1900 a regiment of Irish Guards was added to the list, and the Foot Guards were completed 15 years later with the raising of the Welsh Guards. In 1969 the Royal horse guards were amalgamated with the 1st or Royal Dragoons to form The Blues and Royals, and they, together with the Life Guards, now constitute the Household Cavalry, being trained and equipped primarily as armoured regiments. Most people associate the Guards,Cavalry as well as infantry, with ceremonial duties in London,little realising that they are, first and foremost, fighting soldiers with a tradition second to none. Throughout the history of the British Army, the Guards have played a crucial role, from Waterloo to the Falklands,the Crimean WWI, WWII, THE Middle East,Far East,and many many more. For whenever trouble breaks out and Britain are involved, you can be assured the Guards will be involved at some stage. Their record of Bravery,fortitude and fighting skill show that their traditions are still intact.
A Brief History of the Gurkhas (uk/Nepal)
Between 1814 and 1816, troops of the British East India Company fought a bitter war in the mountains of Nepal, on the northern borders of India. Their enemies were Gurkhas - small tough hill men, adept to fighting in difficult terrain - and, despite the fact that they were eventually defeated by the British the latter were so impressed that they immediately raised four battalions of Gurkhas to serve the company. The first Gurkha force to fight for Britain was the Sirmoor Battalion, in the Mahratta War of 1817, and throughout the 19th century the Gurkhas, conventionally equipped except for their distinctive Kukri or curved fighting knife, helped to defend British interests throughout India. In 1903 all the regiments of the 'Gurkha Brigade' were named 'Rifles' and numbered one to ten. During WW I over 200,000 recruits were raised in Nepal, seeing service in all theatres, and in WW II the pattern was much the same, with a total of 40 battalions made available. The cost was high - in the two wars together, more than 45,000 casualties were sustained - but the fighting spirit and courage of the Gurkhas was widely recognised, not least by the award of 12 Victoria Crosses. When India and Pakistan gained their independence in 1947, the Gurkhas faced the prospect of either continuing to serve Britain or becoming part of the new Indian Army.In the event, six of the ten regiments joined the Indian Army, leaving Britain with a brigade of four, soon to be supported by its own engineers, signals and service personnel. For a time, a Gurkha Independent Parachute Company and a contingent of Gurkha Military Police also existed. In 1986, over 8000 Gurkhas were in British service, comprising of six infantry battalions. All are commanded by British officers, although quite a number of Gurkhas now receive commissions. Recruits are raised in Nepal, principally by retired Gurkha officers known as Assistant Recruiting Officers, with many families maintaining strong traditions of British service. Once accepted the recruits are flown to Hong Kong for training, with the emphasis on the sort of fighting likely to be experienced in southeast Asia, and the Gurkhas remain the foremost exponents of jungle warfare in the British Army. The enjoy an awesome reputation as men of bravery and fighting skill, so much so that it is not unknown for their enemies to flee rather than face them in battle.`
A Brief History of the US Marines (US)
Formally established in 1798, the United States Marine Corps has had a long and distinguished history as one of the worlds premier fighting forces. For most of the 19th century the US Marines were a small force deployed mainly as guards aboard ship or at the gates of naval stations, although they formed provisional units whenever necessary for such campaigns as the Seminole War in the 1830s and the Mexican War in 1846. In December 1913 an Advance Base Force was established as a combat-ready combined arms force of brigade size .During WW I, the Marinesgained prominence attacking Belleau Wood on the Western Front in June 1918 and, of course, won particular fame during WW II when they spearheaded the American campaign in the Pacific. Such actions as Guadalcanal, Tarawa,Iwo Jima and Okinawa saw the size of the Marine Corps expanded to just under half a million men, complete with armoured, naval and air support units. In the process the Marines earned themselves a 'gung ho' reputation for combat eagerness. Since 1945 the prime role of the Marines has been to act as an amphibious 'rapid deployment force' ready to be sent into action at a moments notice, and in 1951 their separate identity within the US military establishment was enshrined in a law passed by congress. In 1965 elements of the 3rd Marine Division were the first US ground forces sent to South Vietnam and, during the major communist offensive in 1968 Marines again distinguished themselves in the defence of Hue and Khe Sanh. Disengagement from Vietnam led to a reduction in numbers to some 194,000 men but the Marines have continued to prove their worth, most recently as part of the peacekeeping Multi-National Force in Beirut in 1982 and during the US intervention in Grenada 1983.
A Brief History of 82nd Airborne (US)
United States airborne troops came into existence after America's entry into WW II, the 82nd Airborne Division being formally constituted as an airborne formation on the 15th August 1942. After service in the Torch landings in North Africa later that year, the 82nd took part in operation Husky-the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. After service in Italy, the division was recalled to Britain to join the 101st Airborne Division in being dropped behind enemy lines in support of the D Day landings of June 1944. As part of Operation Market Garden, which culminated in the battle for Arnhem, the 82nd proved its own worth by achieving its objectives at Nijmegen bridge. The hostile environment of the modern battlefield makes large-scale parachute drops exceedingly hazardous but there remains a need for picked troops who can be rapidly transported vast distances to be dropped on a target with a minimum of delay. Similarly, as soldiers trained in an independent interventionary role, paratroopers are also ideal as quick-reaction troops in either an air-transported or heliborne role. The 82nd is also an important component of the US Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force.
A Brief History of the US Special Forces (US)
The origins of the US Special Forces lie with the 1st Special Service Force formed by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Frederick in 1942 with the intention of raiding hydroelectric plants in Nazi occupied Norway. Eventually six battalions were raised and these saw service in the Aleutians, North Africa, Italy and southern France. The concept of a specialised raiding force was revived with the formation of the 10th Special Force Group (SFG) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on the 20th June 1952. In September 1953, the 77th (later 7th) SFG was constituted and the 1st SFG followed in June 1957. The green beret had selected as a suitable distinction in 1954 and was first worn in June 1956. Many in the military establishment, however, opposed small elite units and the beret was banned until reinstated in October 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, whose support proved invaluable. Between September 1961 and March 1964 four new SFGs-the 3rd,5th,6th and 8th were created and most spent time in Vietnam. Special Forces operations similarly embraced the Studies and Observations Group (SOG), under whose auspices cross-border raids were mounted, such as the attempt to free American POWs held at Son Tay in North Vietnam in November 1970. The Green Berets lost some military support after their departure from South Vietnam in March 1971 but their value for covert- operations and counter-insurgency has been recognised. There are now three regular SFGs-5th,7th and 10th, of battalion size under the control of the 1st Special Operations Command of the Joint Special Operations Agency.
A Brief History of the Rangers (US)
The first Rangers in American history were formed by John Goreham in 1750 to wage an anti-guerrilla war for the British against American Indian and French forces. They predated the more famous Rangers raised by Robert Rogers by six years. When in 1942, the US began to form commando-style units of volunteers for war in Europe, the name was revived. The 1st Battalion was formed in June 1942 from volunteers from the 1st Armoured and 34th Infantry Divisions and trained by British instructors in Scotland. Eventually, six Ranger battalions were formed and, since responsibility for selection fell upon Colonel William Darby, many now remember the formations as' Darby's Rangers'.The 1st battalion saw action in the Torch landings in North Africa and, subsequently, Rangers took part in the campaigns in Sicily, Italy and Normandy: the 1st and 3rd battalions suffered particularly heavy casualties in the landings at Anzio in January 1944. The Rangers were disbanded after WW II although Ranger companies were deployed by some regiments during the Korean War. No Ranger force then existed until the US Army, anxious to start afresh after the disappointment of Vietnam War, began recruiting two battalions of Rangers in 1974. They became operational in 1975 as the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 75th Infantry (Ranger) Regiment, being based respectively at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and Fort Lewis, Washington State.With a total strength of 606 men,the two battalions came under the 1st Special Operations Command in October 1982. The men must be airborne qualified before becoming a Ranger. The usual route is through Ranger school at Fort Benning, Georgia. All the arts associated with elite, self-dependent units are taught in a 58 day training program,which continues for 18 hours a day,7 days a week .A third battalion has been authorised, to be based at Fort Benning.
A Brief History and role of the Tunnel Rat (US)
Mining and counter-mining operations have characterised countless sieges throughout history. During World War I, tunneling was an integral part of trench warfare, Britain's Royal Engineers forming special Tunneling Companies in January 1915. However, although tunnels had been used by the Vietnamese in battles against the French forces in Indo-China and by the Chinese and North Korean troops in the Korean War, the vast tunnel complex first encountered by American troops during Operation Crimp in South Vietnam in January 1966 was entirely new to their experience. In all, the Viet Cong had dug a 320km labyrinth of underground tunnels around Saigon, which provided them with barracks, arms factories and hospitals under the very noses of the Americans. Crimp had been designed to establish the 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One) and the 25th Infantry (Tropic Lightning) Division as well as other units in camps around Saigon. Ironically, the 25th's new base at Cu Chi astride the strategic Route 1 northwest of Saigon, was built right over one of the most important VC tunnel systems and as late as 1969, the VC were still able to penetrate defences of which they had gained an intimate knowledge. Attempts to destroy the Cu Chi tunnels proved difficult and, in any case, important intelligence could be obtained in them. As a result, ad hoc investigations began. Both the 25th Division and, later, the 65th Engineer Battalion worked at Cu Chi but is was the 1st Battalion of 1st Division that became acknowledged tunnel experts or 'Tunnel Rats'. In June 1967 the Tunnel Rat Team was formally constituted within the battalion, consisting of seven or eight men under the command of a lieutenant, known as 'Rat Six', supported by one or two NCOs. Based at Lai Khe, the team members, whose average length of service was four months, served widely in South Vietnam. It was grim, silent work as, armed only with knives and pistols, the Tunnel Rats fought hand to hand against an ingenious enemy inside the cramped booby-trapped blackness of the tunnels. By 1970 the Tunnel Rats had been withdrawn but a decisive blow was struck at the tunnels by American air power after President Johnson's bombing pause in October 1968 freed B-52s from air strikes over North Vietnam. The B-52s unleashed a swathe of destruction which finally denied the use of the tunnels to the VC but it did not detract from the supreme courage of the Tunnel Rats.
A Brief History of the French Paras (Fch)
The French Foreign Legion's 2nd Parachute Battalion (2e Battalion Etranger Parachutist, or 2 BEP) was formed in October 1948 at Sidi-bel-Abbes, Algeria. In 1949, 2 BEP moved to Indo-China where it played a prominent part in the savage campaign against the viet Minh.In 1955, the unit returned to North Africa where it was upgraded to regimental status,absorbing 3 BEP. Under the new title of 2 REP, it was heavily involved in the bitter counter-insurgency operations against nationalist rebels in Algeria from 1956 to 1962, killing 4000 enemy for the loss of 598 Legionnaires. After the punitive disbandment of 1 REP in the aftermath of the abortive 'Generals' coup' of 1961, 2 REP survived as the Legion's only parachute unit. Since Algeria, 2 REP has transformed itself from a crack but fundamentally conventional force into a rapid reaction unit, capable of deep penetration raids and rescue missions. As such, the Legion paras have been intensively trained in skills that are not usually associated with an airborne unit, such as arctic and mountain warfare,and amphibious operations. The weaponry of the 1300 officers and men of 2 REP is formidable. The scouting and support company, for instance, has 16 Milan ATGW (anti-tank guided weapons) launchers, a platoon of 20mm mortars. Small arms include the MAT-49 sub-machine gun or, for the specialist marksman, the FR-F1 sniper's rifle. 2 REP forms part of the 2nd Parachute Division which is a principal component of the d'Intervention Rapide, the French equivalent of the American Rapid Deployment Force. 2 REP Thus continues in a role designed to protect the interests of France by the use of arms, and perhaps more importantly, to uphold the honour of the French Foreign Legion.
A Brief History of the French Foreign Legion (Fch)
From its inception in 1831 until 1962, the Legion's fortunes were inextricably bound up with North Africa. Its main base from 1845 was Sidi-bel-Abbes, south of Oran in Algeria. From this headquarters the Legion took part in campaigns all over Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. The Legion has fought heroically all over the world. In Camerone in Mexico, a Legion company was attacked by 2000 Mexicans; the Legionnaires held out for 11 hours, killing and wounding 600, but were eventually wiped out. In WW II, the 13th Deme-Brigade of the Legion served with the British in the Western Desert, covering themselves with glory at Bir Hacheim in May 1942. They later fought in both Germany and Italy. Since 1945 the Legion has campaigned in virtually all of France's colonial wars, most notably in Indo-China, were they fought virtually to the last man at the disastrous siege of Dien Bien Phu, and in the bitter Algerian campaign (154-62). More than 100 different nationalities are represented in the nine regiments of today's Legion, most being French-speaking. Ironically, it is the diversity of backgrounds that has provided the Legion with its rock-like unity. On one occasion in Morocco, Marshal Lyautey was reviewing a unit when he singled out one individual'.And what is your nationality?' asked the Marshal. Replied the soldier; Legionnaire, mon General!'
A Brief History of the Soviet Airborne Forces (USSR)
The genesis of the USSR's airborne forces occurred in the late 1920s. Experiments with parachute troops began in 1928, and in 1936 a force of 1500 men was dropped from aircraft before an audience of military experts, an event which made a distinct,if short lived impact on western military observers. An unusual variation on the usual mode of parachuting used in the late 1930s/early 1940s was the dropping of men without parachutes, who landed safely in deep snow drifts. From the early 1940s onwards, Soviet airborne troops were regarded as a crack force, and consequently received the designation of 'Guards' units in recognition of their elite status. In 1941 the Red Army possessed about 50,000 airborne troops, roughly the same number as today. They fought valiantly in the 'Great Patriotic War' (the Soviet name for WW II) against Nazi Germany, the title of 'Hero of the Soviet Union' being awarded to 126 men, but made little impact in an airborne role. At Vyazma in 1942, for instance, roughly 10,000 paras were dropped in three stages from 27 January to 24 February. Lacking artillery and air support, and committed piecemeal to battle, they fought well but failed to take their objectives. The Soviet airborne division normally includes three airborne regiments, each of three battalions, an artillery regiment, signals, transport, air defence and engineer battalions, plus reconnaissance, NBC (Nuclear,Biological,Chemical) and parachute-rigging companies. Each airborne regiment has attached anti-tank and mortar batteries plus ancillary units. Only one airborne regiment is fully equipped with BMDs; the other two regiments have one BMD-equipped battalion apiece. The total strength of a division is approximately 8800, but for its intervention in Afghanistan the 105th was considerably reinforced by drafts of riflemen from the 103rd and the 104th Guards Divisions together with the appropriate number of BMDs, thus giving the division a much higher proportion of infantry to supporting arms than normal.
A brief History of the Israeli Airborne (Israel)
Following demobilisation in 1949, Israel's armed forces suffered a sharp decline. When General Moshe Dayan was appointed Chief of Staff in December 1953, he realised that an elite combat unit was required to inspire confidence in the regular infantry. Accordingly he merged the small, elite anti-guerrilla force, code named unit 101, with the army's best standing formation, the parachute battalion. By combining Unit 101s aggression and the paras' discipline, a fine military machine was created. Under its innovative commander, Ariel Sharon, the growing esprit de corps was exploited in bold, high-risk tactics. In 1955 the basic paratroop unit was expanded to a full brigade, while the 1967 war saw at least three full brigades in action, and in the mid 1980s there were no fewer than five elite paratroop brigades. To be a para, each recruit has to complete an exhaustive training program After induction, the volunteers are sent on a basic training course with heavy emphasis on combat skills. Successful candidates are then passed on first to a parachuting course, and then to a course in combined operations. Joint manoeuvres with tank and artillery units are organised, and each recruit is taught how to work with helicopters, assault craft, and APCs. After completing a squad commander's course, in which the roles of a junior NCO are taught, each man is trained in a specialised skill. A percentage of recruits is then selected for officer school. After serving with a brigade, paras remain on the reserve list for a number of years, during which time they undertake refresher courses at the School of Infantry.
A Brief History of the 7th Brigade (Israel)
With the end of the Palestine Mandate in 1948, the new state of Israel had just nine operational brigades with which to oppose the combined Arab armies. One week before independence, however, Colonel Shlomo Shamir began gathering together another brigade which was to become not only one of Israel's most famous forces, but the beginning of the 'mailed fist'- the heavy emphasis upon armoured units. This new unit, the 7th Armoured Brigade, was at first ill-equipped and poorly organised. Its core was an armoured battalion consisting of half-tracks and light tanks captured from the enemy. The second infantry battalion consisted almost entirely of men scraped together from other units, whilst the third battalion was led by staff from the training establishment, and manned by immigrants as they arrived. From these humble beginnings, the growth of Israeli armoured units has been remarkable. In the early 1950s they purchased AMX 13 light tanks from France, and in the 1956 campaign the 7th Brigade began to establish its formidable reputation. On 31st October 1956, in the face of fierce Arab opposition, it took the town of Abu Aweigila, and with the 202nd Parachute Brigade brilliantly exploited this opening to reach the banks of the Suez Canal. Armoured formations had made their mark. As Centurion tanks and then M48s and M60s were introduced, so the devastating power of the 'mailed fist' became one of the most feared tools of the IDF. Finally, in 1982, the Israelis introduced onto the battlefield their own tank-the formidable Merkava-maintaining a tradition of Israeli armoured supremacy.
A Brief History of the Recces (SA)
T Reconnaissance Commandos-not to be confused with the Commandos or local militias-are the central component of South Africa's Special Forces. Also known as the Recce Commandos', 'Recondos' or or just 'Recces', they specialise in deep- penetration missions inside enemy territory, gathering intelligence, tracking enemy units and attacking strategic targets. They are South Africa's equivalent of the British SAS, the US Green Berets and the now disbanded Rhodesian Selous Scouts. Like these equivalent units, the Recces are a small and highly selective unit,choosing only the very best men. Recces receive a comprehensive training program that includes parachuting, skydiving, deep-sea diving, mountain climbing, unconventional and unarmed combat, and advanced explosives. Officially Recces wear standard SADF combat dress - sand-coloured jackets and slacks, with high ankled boots and bush hat, and use standard SADF weapons, but for missions behind enemy lines they often discard SADF uniform and carry non-SADF arms. It has been reported that Recces operate outside the standard operational structure of SADF, being responsible directly to the chief of the SADF himself.
A Brief History of the Dutch Marines (Nlds)
Founded on the 10th December 1665, the Dutch Marines Corps is one of the worlds oldest military formations. They have served, in the words of there motto, Qua Patet Orbis-'Wherever The World Extends', In the course of their distinguished history the Corps has fought campaigns in the East Indies, in Spain during the Spanish Succession, and in China during the Boxer Rebellion,to name but a few. During WW II they fought heroically in defence of Rotterdam in 1940, and later in the famous 'Princess Irene' Dutch Brigade in northwest Europe in 1944/45. The present day Royal Netherlands Marine Corps numbers some 2800 men including the world-renowned Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The Corps' strength is divided between two regional commands - the Dutch Antilles, based in the Caribbean, and the Netherlands, which is assigned a NATO role. The latter consists of 1st Amphibious Combat Group (1 ACG), a commando unit of 700 men based at Doorn, who regularly exercise with helicopters as part of their training. Also stationed at Doorn are two 'quick reaction' forces, drawn from 1 ACG, which are ready to be dispatched to any quarter of the globe at 24 hours' notice. One of the Corps' earliest battle honours, 'Chatham', recalls the first time that British and Dutch Marines met in action, in the Anglo Dutch War of 1665/67. Later, in 1704, Dutch and British Marines fought side by side at Gibraltar, thus providing an historical precedent for today's close co-operation between the two Corps. In time of war Royal Marines and Dutch Marines would be deployed to NATO's northern flank together as the UK/NL amphibious force.
A Brief History and role of the SAS (UK)
In mid 1941, David Sterling, a Scots Guards subaltern serving in North Africa with a commando brigade known as Layforce, received permission to recruit a small unit for raids deep behind enemy lines. Under the odd title of 'L' Detachment of a none-existent Special Air Service Brigade, Sterling's force, operating closely with the Long Range Desert Group, soon gained a reputation for daring and tactical skill. In January 1943, after considerable expansion, the unit was renamed 1st Special Air Service Regiment (1 SAS) and in April of the same year it was joined by 2 SAS, commanded by Sterling's brother, William. These regiments fought with distinction in Scily, Italy and northwest Europe, but were disbanded in 1945. The name reappeared two years later, when 21 SAS part of the Territorial Army and successor to the Artists Rifles was formed. In 1950, a unit called the Malayan Scouts (SAS) also appeared, tasked with taking the war against communist guerrillas into the Malayan jungle; men from 21 SAS were attached to B Squadron and in 1952 the Scouts formally became 22 SAS, which has remained a Regular Army Regiment ever since. From the start, its main task was one of counter- insurgency gathering intelligence, conducting 'hearts and minds' campaigns among tribesmen in guerrilla-affected areas and mounting offensive patrols at the level and in the environment of the enemy. By the end of the Malayan Emergency in 1960, the SAS had gained a well deserved reputation for toughness and professional skill, and had carved itself a role as an indispensable element in the distinctively-British pattern of counter-insurgency. It was a pattern that was to be repeated and refined in Borneo (1963/66), Dhofar (1970/76) and Northern Ireland (since 1969,but specifically in South Armagh since 1976), and one that was to ensure the regiments constant employment. By 1975 a special Counter Revolutionary Warfare (CRW) Group had been set up within 22 SAS, dedicated to providing a trained, ruthless and effective instrument to British and allied governments caught in the nightmare of hijacks, hostage sieges and urban bombing campaigns. At home the Group kept a low profile until May 1980 when it successfully ended the Iranian embassy siege in London. Such capabilities make the SAS a remarkably well-rounded force, and for this it has to thank its notoriously tough selection and training procedures. Drawing its recruits from the mainstream of the army, the regiment emphasises physical fitness, endurance, self-discipline and weapons skill, refining and developing such attributes over a two-year period to produce soldiers who are close to professional perfection .Capable of operating with initiative beyond the support of the main force, they enjoy a degree of military freedom that can only be given to the most disciplined of soldiers.
A Brief History of the SBS (UK)
The present day Special Boat Squadron (SBS) is a direct descendant of the plethora of seaborne raiding forces formed in World War II. Most of these were disbanded in 1945, but elements of three- the Royal Marine Boom Patrol Detachment (RMBPD), the Royal Navy's Combined Assault Pilotage Parties (COPPs) and the Marines' School of Combined Operations Beach and Boat Section (SCOBBS) - continued in service. In autumn 1947, the RMBPD was transferred from its wartime base at Appledore in Devon to the Amphibious School of Eastney in Hampshire. The RMBPD had already been joined by members of COPPs, and at Eastney it received recruits from SCOBBS. COPPs had been formed in September 1942 from Royal Navy and Royal Engineer officers training for reconnaissance missions along the North African coast. Most of the men left at the end of the war, but one detachment joined the RMBPD in 1946. The other unit to arrive at Eastney was SCOBBs, which had been formed at the School of Combined Operations at Instow in Devon in the summer of 1946 from 'Detachment 385' of the Royal Marines, and men of COPPs who had been demobilised. The assembled forces were then forged into a single command known either as the Small Raids Wing (SRW) OR The Small Boat Wing. Immediate con troll over the unit rested with the Royal Marines. The SRW was reorganised in 1957, with its Headquarters, training cadre and Special Boat Sections becoming the Special Boat Unit. A year later the Unit was re titled the Special Boat Company. This survived until 1975, when it was renamed the Special Boat Squadron. Details of SBS operations are, of necessity, shrouded in secrecy: since the main task of the unit is to gather and report covert intelligence, particularly in advance of an amphibious landing,many of the techniques are not discussed in public. It is known, however, that a wealth of practical experience has been gained in places as far apart as Malaya, Borneo and Oman.As with so many of Britians 'special forces' the SBS came into its own in the Falklands,where all the hard training and expertise of the 'swimmer-canoeists' made a significant contribution to success.
A Brief History of the Royal Marines (UK)
Although members of the present-day Royal Marines Commandos can trace their unit's history back to 1664, when the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot was formed to serve aboard Royal Navy ships, the corps did not receive its 'Royal' title until 1802,and were not deployed in the commando role until World War II. Since 1945 the corps has undergone several reorganisations and has seen extensive service in the infantry role, but it has retained a specialisation in amphibious operations, based upon the original commando idea of seaborne raiding.By the 1960s, with the deployment of special commando carriers such as HMS Albion and Bulwark, each capable of transporting and sustaining a self-contained Commando Group, this idea had been well developed, although in more recent years, reflecting Britain's diminishing global responsibilities and continuing economic problems, it has gradually undermined.By June 1981, with the mothballing (a Government decision) of landing ships HMS Fearless and Intrepid, and to sell the carrier HMS Hermes, many people feared that the flexibility of the commandos had been destroyed, but the South Atlantic in 1982 ensured a reprieve. The Royal Marines are currently organised into 3 Commando Brigade, containing 40, 42, 45 Commando.Each Commando has a strength of approximately 650 men, and is divided into three rifle companies (each of three troops), a support company and headquarters. The rifle companies are equipped as normal infantry, while support company has mortars, extra machine- guns and Milan anti-tank missiles.The brigade is supported by 29 Commando Regiment, Royal Artillery, with 18 105mm Light Guns, 59 Independent Commando Squadron, Royal Engineers, the Commando Logistic Regiment, an air squadron of 18 helicopters and a Blowpipe-equipped air defence troop. More specialist units, attached to the brigade and trained principally for the NATO role, include the Special Boat Squadron,the Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre, and the Raiding Squadron. Separate from the brigade is the Comacchio Group,responsible for protecting Britain's North Sea oil rigs against enemy sabotage attacks. Whatever his unit, the individual Marine remains one of the best trained and most professional fighting men in the modern world, the commandos also enjoy a richly-deserved reputation as an effective instrument of war.
A Brief History of the Guards (UK)
The Household Cavalry and the Guards are among the oldest regiments in the British Army, most of them tracing their origins back to the mid 17th century, before the establishment of a regular standing force. They have always constituted an elite, having as their main task the protection of ruling monarch and the Royal Family. By the time of Restoration in 1660, King Charles II had at his disposal troops of Horse and Horse Grenadier Guards (amalgamated in 1788 to form The Life Guards) and two regiments of foot guards-the first (later the Grenadier) Guards and the 2nd or Coldstream Guards. A Scottish Regiment of foot Guards was added in 1666, and at the beginning of the 19th century the Royal Horse Guards (The Blues) officially joined the Household Cavalry, having existed as a seperate entity for over 100 years. In 1900 a regiment of Irish Guards was added to the list, and the Foot Guards were completed 15 years later with the raising of the Welsh Guards. In 1969 the Royal horse guards were amalgamated with the 1st or Royal Dragoons to form The Blues and Royals, and they, together with the Life Guards, now constitute the Household Cavalry, being trained and equipped primarily as armoured regiments. Most people associate the Guards,Cavalry as well as infantry, with ceremonial duties in London,little realising that they are, first and foremost, fighting soldiers with a tradition second to none. Throughout the history of the British Army, the Guards have played a crucial role, from Waterloo to the Falklands,the Crimean WWI, WWII, THE Middle East,Far East,and many many more. For whenever trouble breaks out and Britain are involved, you can be assured the Guards will be involved at some stage. Their record of Bravery,fortitude and fighting skill show that their traditions are still intact.
A Brief History of the Gurkhas (uk/Nepal)
Between 1814 and 1816, troops of the British East India Company fought a bitter war in the mountains of Nepal, on the northern borders of India. Their enemies were Gurkhas - small tough hill men, adept to fighting in difficult terrain - and, despite the fact that they were eventually defeated by the British the latter were so impressed that they immediately raised four battalions of Gurkhas to serve the company. The first Gurkha force to fight for Britain was the Sirmoor Battalion, in the Mahratta War of 1817, and throughout the 19th century the Gurkhas, conventionally equipped except for their distinctive Kukri or curved fighting knife, helped to defend British interests throughout India. In 1903 all the regiments of the 'Gurkha Brigade' were named 'Rifles' and numbered one to ten. During WW I over 200,000 recruits were raised in Nepal, seeing service in all theatres, and in WW II the pattern was much the same, with a total of 40 battalions made available. The cost was high - in the two wars together, more than 45,000 casualties were sustained - but the fighting spirit and courage of the Gurkhas was widely recognised, not least by the award of 12 Victoria Crosses. When India and Pakistan gained their independence in 1947, the Gurkhas faced the prospect of either continuing to serve Britain or becoming part of the new Indian Army.In the event, six of the ten regiments joined the Indian Army, leaving Britain with a brigade of four, soon to be supported by its own engineers, signals and service personnel. For a time, a Gurkha Independent Parachute Company and a contingent of Gurkha Military Police also existed. In 1986, over 8000 Gurkhas were in British service, comprising of six infantry battalions. All are commanded by British officers, although quite a number of Gurkhas now receive commissions. Recruits are raised in Nepal, principally by retired Gurkha officers known as Assistant Recruiting Officers, with many families maintaining strong traditions of British service. Once accepted the recruits are flown to Hong Kong for training, with the emphasis on the sort of fighting likely to be experienced in southeast Asia, and the Gurkhas remain the foremost exponents of jungle warfare in the British Army. The enjoy an awesome reputation as men of bravery and fighting skill, so much so that it is not unknown for their enemies to flee rather than face them in battle.`
A Brief History of the US Marines (US)
Formally established in 1798, the United States Marine Corps has had a long and distinguished history as one of the worlds premier fighting forces. For most of the 19th century the US Marines were a small force deployed mainly as guards aboard ship or at the gates of naval stations, although they formed provisional units whenever necessary for such campaigns as the Seminole War in the 1830s and the Mexican War in 1846. In December 1913 an Advance Base Force was established as a combat-ready combined arms force of brigade size .During WW I, the Marinesgained prominence attacking Belleau Wood on the Western Front in June 1918 and, of course, won particular fame during WW II when they spearheaded the American campaign in the Pacific. Such actions as Guadalcanal, Tarawa,Iwo Jima and Okinawa saw the size of the Marine Corps expanded to just under half a million men, complete with armoured, naval and air support units. In the process the Marines earned themselves a 'gung ho' reputation for combat eagerness. Since 1945 the prime role of the Marines has been to act as an amphibious 'rapid deployment force' ready to be sent into action at a moments notice, and in 1951 their separate identity within the US military establishment was enshrined in a law passed by congress. In 1965 elements of the 3rd Marine Division were the first US ground forces sent to South Vietnam and, during the major communist offensive in 1968 Marines again distinguished themselves in the defence of Hue and Khe Sanh. Disengagement from Vietnam led to a reduction in numbers to some 194,000 men but the Marines have continued to prove their worth, most recently as part of the peacekeeping Multi-National Force in Beirut in 1982 and during the US intervention in Grenada 1983.
A Brief History of 82nd Airborne (US)
United States airborne troops came into existence after America's entry into WW II, the 82nd Airborne Division being formally constituted as an airborne formation on the 15th August 1942. After service in the Torch landings in North Africa later that year, the 82nd took part in operation Husky-the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. After service in Italy, the division was recalled to Britain to join the 101st Airborne Division in being dropped behind enemy lines in support of the D Day landings of June 1944. As part of Operation Market Garden, which culminated in the battle for Arnhem, the 82nd proved its own worth by achieving its objectives at Nijmegen bridge. The hostile environment of the modern battlefield makes large-scale parachute drops exceedingly hazardous but there remains a need for picked troops who can be rapidly transported vast distances to be dropped on a target with a minimum of delay. Similarly, as soldiers trained in an independent interventionary role, paratroopers are also ideal as quick-reaction troops in either an air-transported or heliborne role. The 82nd is also an important component of the US Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force.
A Brief History of the US Special Forces (US)
The origins of the US Special Forces lie with the 1st Special Service Force formed by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Frederick in 1942 with the intention of raiding hydroelectric plants in Nazi occupied Norway. Eventually six battalions were raised and these saw service in the Aleutians, North Africa, Italy and southern France. The concept of a specialised raiding force was revived with the formation of the 10th Special Force Group (SFG) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on the 20th June 1952. In September 1953, the 77th (later 7th) SFG was constituted and the 1st SFG followed in June 1957. The green beret had selected as a suitable distinction in 1954 and was first worn in June 1956. Many in the military establishment, however, opposed small elite units and the beret was banned until reinstated in October 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, whose support proved invaluable. Between September 1961 and March 1964 four new SFGs-the 3rd,5th,6th and 8th were created and most spent time in Vietnam. Special Forces operations similarly embraced the Studies and Observations Group (SOG), under whose auspices cross-border raids were mounted, such as the attempt to free American POWs held at Son Tay in North Vietnam in November 1970. The Green Berets lost some military support after their departure from South Vietnam in March 1971 but their value for covert- operations and counter-insurgency has been recognised. There are now three regular SFGs-5th,7th and 10th, of battalion size under the control of the 1st Special Operations Command of the Joint Special Operations Agency.
A Brief History of the Rangers (US)
The first Rangers in American history were formed by John Goreham in 1750 to wage an anti-guerrilla war for the British against American Indian and French forces. They predated the more famous Rangers raised by Robert Rogers by six years. When in 1942, the US began to form commando-style units of volunteers for war in Europe, the name was revived. The 1st Battalion was formed in June 1942 from volunteers from the 1st Armoured and 34th Infantry Divisions and trained by British instructors in Scotland. Eventually, six Ranger battalions were formed and, since responsibility for selection fell upon Colonel William Darby, many now remember the formations as' Darby's Rangers'.The 1st battalion saw action in the Torch landings in North Africa and, subsequently, Rangers took part in the campaigns in Sicily, Italy and Normandy: the 1st and 3rd battalions suffered particularly heavy casualties in the landings at Anzio in January 1944. The Rangers were disbanded after WW II although Ranger companies were deployed by some regiments during the Korean War. No Ranger force then existed until the US Army, anxious to start afresh after the disappointment of Vietnam War, began recruiting two battalions of Rangers in 1974. They became operational in 1975 as the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 75th Infantry (Ranger) Regiment, being based respectively at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and Fort Lewis, Washington State.With a total strength of 606 men,the two battalions came under the 1st Special Operations Command in October 1982. The men must be airborne qualified before becoming a Ranger. The usual route is through Ranger school at Fort Benning, Georgia. All the arts associated with elite, self-dependent units are taught in a 58 day training program,which continues for 18 hours a day,7 days a week .A third battalion has been authorised, to be based at Fort Benning.
A Brief History and role of the Tunnel Rat (US)
Mining and counter-mining operations have characterised countless sieges throughout history. During World War I, tunneling was an integral part of trench warfare, Britain's Royal Engineers forming special Tunneling Companies in January 1915. However, although tunnels had been used by the Vietnamese in battles against the French forces in Indo-China and by the Chinese and North Korean troops in the Korean War, the vast tunnel complex first encountered by American troops during Operation Crimp in South Vietnam in January 1966 was entirely new to their experience. In all, the Viet Cong had dug a 320km labyrinth of underground tunnels around Saigon, which provided them with barracks, arms factories and hospitals under the very noses of the Americans. Crimp had been designed to establish the 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One) and the 25th Infantry (Tropic Lightning) Division as well as other units in camps around Saigon. Ironically, the 25th's new base at Cu Chi astride the strategic Route 1 northwest of Saigon, was built right over one of the most important VC tunnel systems and as late as 1969, the VC were still able to penetrate defences of which they had gained an intimate knowledge. Attempts to destroy the Cu Chi tunnels proved difficult and, in any case, important intelligence could be obtained in them. As a result, ad hoc investigations began. Both the 25th Division and, later, the 65th Engineer Battalion worked at Cu Chi but is was the 1st Battalion of 1st Division that became acknowledged tunnel experts or 'Tunnel Rats'. In June 1967 the Tunnel Rat Team was formally constituted within the battalion, consisting of seven or eight men under the command of a lieutenant, known as 'Rat Six', supported by one or two NCOs. Based at Lai Khe, the team members, whose average length of service was four months, served widely in South Vietnam. It was grim, silent work as, armed only with knives and pistols, the Tunnel Rats fought hand to hand against an ingenious enemy inside the cramped booby-trapped blackness of the tunnels. By 1970 the Tunnel Rats had been withdrawn but a decisive blow was struck at the tunnels by American air power after President Johnson's bombing pause in October 1968 freed B-52s from air strikes over North Vietnam. The B-52s unleashed a swathe of destruction which finally denied the use of the tunnels to the VC but it did not detract from the supreme courage of the Tunnel Rats.
A Brief History of the French Paras (Fch)
The French Foreign Legion's 2nd Parachute Battalion (2e Battalion Etranger Parachutist, or 2 BEP) was formed in October 1948 at Sidi-bel-Abbes, Algeria. In 1949, 2 BEP moved to Indo-China where it played a prominent part in the savage campaign against the viet Minh.In 1955, the unit returned to North Africa where it was upgraded to regimental status,absorbing 3 BEP. Under the new title of 2 REP, it was heavily involved in the bitter counter-insurgency operations against nationalist rebels in Algeria from 1956 to 1962, killing 4000 enemy for the loss of 598 Legionnaires. After the punitive disbandment of 1 REP in the aftermath of the abortive 'Generals' coup' of 1961, 2 REP survived as the Legion's only parachute unit. Since Algeria, 2 REP has transformed itself from a crack but fundamentally conventional force into a rapid reaction unit, capable of deep penetration raids and rescue missions. As such, the Legion paras have been intensively trained in skills that are not usually associated with an airborne unit, such as arctic and mountain warfare,and amphibious operations. The weaponry of the 1300 officers and men of 2 REP is formidable. The scouting and support company, for instance, has 16 Milan ATGW (anti-tank guided weapons) launchers, a platoon of 20mm mortars. Small arms include the MAT-49 sub-machine gun or, for the specialist marksman, the FR-F1 sniper's rifle. 2 REP forms part of the 2nd Parachute Division which is a principal component of the d'Intervention Rapide, the French equivalent of the American Rapid Deployment Force. 2 REP Thus continues in a role designed to protect the interests of France by the use of arms, and perhaps more importantly, to uphold the honour of the French Foreign Legion.
A Brief History of the French Foreign Legion (Fch)
From its inception in 1831 until 1962, the Legion's fortunes were inextricably bound up with North Africa. Its main base from 1845 was Sidi-bel-Abbes, south of Oran in Algeria. From this headquarters the Legion took part in campaigns all over Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. The Legion has fought heroically all over the world. In Camerone in Mexico, a Legion company was attacked by 2000 Mexicans; the Legionnaires held out for 11 hours, killing and wounding 600, but were eventually wiped out. In WW II, the 13th Deme-Brigade of the Legion served with the British in the Western Desert, covering themselves with glory at Bir Hacheim in May 1942. They later fought in both Germany and Italy. Since 1945 the Legion has campaigned in virtually all of France's colonial wars, most notably in Indo-China, were they fought virtually to the last man at the disastrous siege of Dien Bien Phu, and in the bitter Algerian campaign (154-62). More than 100 different nationalities are represented in the nine regiments of today's Legion, most being French-speaking. Ironically, it is the diversity of backgrounds that has provided the Legion with its rock-like unity. On one occasion in Morocco, Marshal Lyautey was reviewing a unit when he singled out one individual'.And what is your nationality?' asked the Marshal. Replied the soldier; Legionnaire, mon General!'
A Brief History of the Soviet Airborne Forces (USSR)
The genesis of the USSR's airborne forces occurred in the late 1920s. Experiments with parachute troops began in 1928, and in 1936 a force of 1500 men was dropped from aircraft before an audience of military experts, an event which made a distinct,if short lived impact on western military observers. An unusual variation on the usual mode of parachuting used in the late 1930s/early 1940s was the dropping of men without parachutes, who landed safely in deep snow drifts. From the early 1940s onwards, Soviet airborne troops were regarded as a crack force, and consequently received the designation of 'Guards' units in recognition of their elite status. In 1941 the Red Army possessed about 50,000 airborne troops, roughly the same number as today. They fought valiantly in the 'Great Patriotic War' (the Soviet name for WW II) against Nazi Germany, the title of 'Hero of the Soviet Union' being awarded to 126 men, but made little impact in an airborne role. At Vyazma in 1942, for instance, roughly 10,000 paras were dropped in three stages from 27 January to 24 February. Lacking artillery and air support, and committed piecemeal to battle, they fought well but failed to take their objectives. The Soviet airborne division normally includes three airborne regiments, each of three battalions, an artillery regiment, signals, transport, air defence and engineer battalions, plus reconnaissance, NBC (Nuclear,Biological,Chemical) and parachute-rigging companies. Each airborne regiment has attached anti-tank and mortar batteries plus ancillary units. Only one airborne regiment is fully equipped with BMDs; the other two regiments have one BMD-equipped battalion apiece. The total strength of a division is approximately 8800, but for its intervention in Afghanistan the 105th was considerably reinforced by drafts of riflemen from the 103rd and the 104th Guards Divisions together with the appropriate number of BMDs, thus giving the division a much higher proportion of infantry to supporting arms than normal.
A brief History of the Israeli Airborne (Israel)
Following demobilisation in 1949, Israel's armed forces suffered a sharp decline. When General Moshe Dayan was appointed Chief of Staff in December 1953, he realised that an elite combat unit was required to inspire confidence in the regular infantry. Accordingly he merged the small, elite anti-guerrilla force, code named unit 101, with the army's best standing formation, the parachute battalion. By combining Unit 101s aggression and the paras' discipline, a fine military machine was created. Under its innovative commander, Ariel Sharon, the growing esprit de corps was exploited in bold, high-risk tactics. In 1955 the basic paratroop unit was expanded to a full brigade, while the 1967 war saw at least three full brigades in action, and in the mid 1980s there were no fewer than five elite paratroop brigades. To be a para, each recruit has to complete an exhaustive training program After induction, the volunteers are sent on a basic training course with heavy emphasis on combat skills. Successful candidates are then passed on first to a parachuting course, and then to a course in combined operations. Joint manoeuvres with tank and artillery units are organised, and each recruit is taught how to work with helicopters, assault craft, and APCs. After completing a squad commander's course, in which the roles of a junior NCO are taught, each man is trained in a specialised skill. A percentage of recruits is then selected for officer school. After serving with a brigade, paras remain on the reserve list for a number of years, during which time they undertake refresher courses at the School of Infantry.
A Brief History of the 7th Brigade (Israel)
With the end of the Palestine Mandate in 1948, the new state of Israel had just nine operational brigades with which to oppose the combined Arab armies. One week before independence, however, Colonel Shlomo Shamir began gathering together another brigade which was to become not only one of Israel's most famous forces, but the beginning of the 'mailed fist'- the heavy emphasis upon armoured units. This new unit, the 7th Armoured Brigade, was at first ill-equipped and poorly organised. Its core was an armoured battalion consisting of half-tracks and light tanks captured from the enemy. The second infantry battalion consisted almost entirely of men scraped together from other units, whilst the third battalion was led by staff from the training establishment, and manned by immigrants as they arrived. From these humble beginnings, the growth of Israeli armoured units has been remarkable. In the early 1950s they purchased AMX 13 light tanks from France, and in the 1956 campaign the 7th Brigade began to establish its formidable reputation. On 31st October 1956, in the face of fierce Arab opposition, it took the town of Abu Aweigila, and with the 202nd Parachute Brigade brilliantly exploited this opening to reach the banks of the Suez Canal. Armoured formations had made their mark. As Centurion tanks and then M48s and M60s were introduced, so the devastating power of the 'mailed fist' became one of the most feared tools of the IDF. Finally, in 1982, the Israelis introduced onto the battlefield their own tank-the formidable Merkava-maintaining a tradition of Israeli armoured supremacy.
A Brief History of the Recces (SA)
T Reconnaissance Commandos-not to be confused with the Commandos or local militias-are the central component of South Africa's Special Forces. Also known as the Recce Commandos', 'Recondos' or or just 'Recces', they specialise in deep- penetration missions inside enemy territory, gathering intelligence, tracking enemy units and attacking strategic targets. They are South Africa's equivalent of the British SAS, the US Green Berets and the now disbanded Rhodesian Selous Scouts. Like these equivalent units, the Recces are a small and highly selective unit,choosing only the very best men. Recces receive a comprehensive training program that includes parachuting, skydiving, deep-sea diving, mountain climbing, unconventional and unarmed combat, and advanced explosives. Officially Recces wear standard SADF combat dress - sand-coloured jackets and slacks, with high ankled boots and bush hat, and use standard SADF weapons, but for missions behind enemy lines they often discard SADF uniform and carry non-SADF arms. It has been reported that Recces operate outside the standard operational structure of SADF, being responsible directly to the chief of the SADF himself.
A Brief History of the Dutch Marines (Nlds)
Founded on the 10th December 1665, the Dutch Marines Corps is one of the worlds oldest military formations. They have served, in the words of there motto, Qua Patet Orbis-'Wherever The World Extends', In the course of their distinguished history the Corps has fought campaigns in the East Indies, in Spain during the Spanish Succession, and in China during the Boxer Rebellion,to name but a few. During WW II they fought heroically in defence of Rotterdam in 1940, and later in the famous 'Princess Irene' Dutch Brigade in northwest Europe in 1944/45. The present day Royal Netherlands Marine Corps numbers some 2800 men including the world-renowned Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The Corps' strength is divided between two regional commands - the Dutch Antilles, based in the Caribbean, and the Netherlands, which is assigned a NATO role. The latter consists of 1st Amphibious Combat Group (1 ACG), a commando unit of 700 men based at Doorn, who regularly exercise with helicopters as part of their training. Also stationed at Doorn are two 'quick reaction' forces, drawn from 1 ACG, which are ready to be dispatched to any quarter of the globe at 24 hours' notice. One of the Corps' earliest battle honours, 'Chatham', recalls the first time that British and Dutch Marines met in action, in the Anglo Dutch War of 1665/67. Later, in 1704, Dutch and British Marines fought side by side at Gibraltar, thus providing an historical precedent for today's close co-operation between the two Corps. In time of war Royal Marines and Dutch Marines would be deployed to NATO's northern flank together as the UK/NL amphibious force.