Joining the SAS: How to Get in and What it's Like [Illustrated] 0283063262, 9780283063268

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To join the British Special Air Service, soldiers

must have a minimum of three years' service with the armed forces, and have a good grounding in basic military skills. Recruits are normally aged in

their early to mid-twenties, yet the regiment will accept soldiers much older. The qualities needed

for SAS selection are motivation, determination and aptitude.

Without doubt SAS selection is one of the toughest military courses in the world. lt involves physical training one would expect t0 find in an Olympic athlete. lt entails stretching the mind to

the many and varied new techniques the SAS soldier must learn. Weapons, survival, escape parachuting, skiing, demolitions and languages,

to name but a few. 0f the hundreds of hopefuls that arrive in Hereford, less than a handful will pass. For those

who do, a life of excitement and adventure awaits. Joining the SAS is a rare insight into what a soldier arriving for selection can expect

- how he

gets in and what it's like once he's there. This is

the basic grounding that fashions an SAS soldier.

BARRY DAVTES joined the Welsh Guards in 1962 at the age of j Z. Some tour years tatur,

volunteered for the SAS, passing winning the trophy for ,Best

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with the SAS for 1g years, during which ,rrr,r, he was involved in skirmishe, globe. He saw action in the Middle East, irrf rOing the 0man war, and fought " jungle, in

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South East Asia and South Rmerica. To*rrO, in, end of his career, he worked alone in th, ;r;;;_" country of Northern lreland. One major event in his SAS career was taking part

in the Mogadishu hijack. Together

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the British prime Minister sent Barry Oruiu, to assist the German Government g2

rescue ol people from the Lufthansa 757 . Withtheir direct help the Germans stormed the aircraft, killi;;-three of the four terrorists, while

freeing att ttre remaining hostages. For this action ,n, Orrrn awarded him the British Empire Medal.

0n leaving the SAS Barry Davies turned his writing hobby into a profession. He has now written numerous books about the SAS and produced several television programmes. His most recent book, The SAS lltustrated History, was a bestseller. ln addition to writing he also travels the world lecturing on anti_terrorist techniques. Barry Davies lives happily at his retreat in north_ west France, where he continues to write and research all subject matter pertaining to the SAS.

ISBN 0-283-06326-2

90100

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Barry Davies

Also by Barry Davies

SURVIVAL IS A DYINC ART FIRE MACIC

forNrNG THE SAS How to get in and what it's like

COINC HOSTILE SAS ESCAPE & EVASION

SHADOW OF THE DOVE SAS RESCU

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SAS SELF DEFENCE CUIDE

THE SAS ILLUSTRATED HISTORY

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25. Treating a local Arab. 26. Satellite Demolitions. 27. Pebble Island. 28. SAS Linguist. 29. Hearts & Minds. 30. Mountain Troop. 31. Boat Troop. 32. Divers. 33. Air Troop. 34. Mobility Troop. .35. Entry Techniques. 36. Anti-tcrrorist Assault. 37. llclrincl the lines in the Gulf War.

lntroduction

t-ifty years on the Special Air Service (SAS) is a household rriune) both at home and abroad. When its soldiers do batde, rrcws of it spreads like wildfire. SAS actions are normally swift lrrrl very hard-hitting - then to enforce the myth, they fade hack into obscurity. What the public has seen of them, Iike the spcctacular hostage-rescue at the Iranian Embassy in London, conlirms the truth about the many other unseen actions. Yet li'w see the SAS for what it is: two hundred men, the best our c()untry can find, rigorously selected, highly trained, and with ,r spirit to dare. They will go willingly, deep behind enemy lirrcs, take on incredible odds, and risk their lives to defend wlrlt our country deems defendable. 'l'his book covers most requirements for those wishing to ioirr thc SAS, how to get fit enough, how to conduct yourself, .urtl what you can expect once you enter a Squadron. It also lrighlights some of the reasons for joining (exciting actionp.rckctl lifb, exhilarating travel experiences, not forgetting SAS spcciirlist pay). This gives you a full picture of life in a Regiment wlrich, in our world of terror, has become one of the most rcspcctcd and feared Special Forces units ever. SAS sclcction is hard, there is no other way to say it. The lrlsis ol'tlrc sclcction system is there to ensure that the valuable trrrining tirnc is only spent on the very best recruits. In the tlietiorr.rry, thc vcrl'r'sclcct'r'ncans tcl pick out the best or

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most suitable. The adjective means chosen for excellence. At Hereford nobody picks or chooses the candidate, they must earn their place. It's more a case of the individual selecting himself. It's what makes the SAS unique: a group of individuals with the capacity to act as one. Many arrive at Hereford but few manage to stay - if you do try, give it everything vou have, plus that litde bit more'

CHAPTER ONE

SAS H istory

In the world of Special Forces, whether they are used in war ()r counter-terrorism, one name in particular stands above the rcst: the Special Air Service SAS. Originating inWorldWar II as :r 'rcnegade'unit, it has since developed an awesome reputation based upon its bravery skills and professionalism. The SAS soldier is trained to the peak of his potential: the ultimate tlcfir'rition of a proftssional warrior. 'Ihe SAS is used primarily for putting down insurgencies, or ftxl rcsponsivc shtxrting, and at SAS operations require that the soldier be proficient

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lorNrNG THE SAS

CONTINUATION TRAININC

up rather roughly and literally thrown out of the room by the black-clad figures only to discover that they have not sustained a single scratch to their persons. They will now be able to tell you what hell is like.

will norrnally be the commander, who will be ready to cover his scout at dre first sign of a contact, as well as making sure that he has the right bearings. Behind the commander come the signaller and fourth person respectively. The pace of the patrol will depend on their exposure, fcrr they have to be ready to face an unexpected enemy ambush at

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any time. The route taken may force the commander to choose

One of the strengths of the SAS is the way they can get in and get out of a position without being seen. Much emphasis will be put on this skill during training as the ability to remain undetected is of vital importance, not only to yourself, but to the whole mission. The success of this kind of operation depends on two important factors: selecting a route and building a good OP. You will learn these skills during continuation training. When approaching a target, the SAS uses much the same military formations and tactics as any normal infantry patrol. Stealth is important as the patrol will need to see and avoid the enemy in order to prevent a compromise. Success of the mission depends on the team reaching their objective undetected. An SAS patrol usually consists of a basic unit of four men. Small numbers are able to infiltrate behind enemy lines more easily and leave less signs. Normally, these patrols consist of a signaller, a demolitions expert, a linguist and a medic, although quite often the members will have cross-trained in more than one discipline. The lead scout is often the most experienced member of the team. This is an extremely responsible position, as the scout is the 'eyes and ears' of the patrol, detecting signs of enemy presence and anticipating the possibility of a contact. He is well trained as a tracker and can read even the smallest of tell-tale signs. He is also responsible ftrr finding the best route for the patrol to reach its bjcctivc. llchincl tlrc scout

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between speed and concealment and the patrol will need to move faster in areas of sparse cover. On the other hand, if the vegetation is thick, the patrol will have to move siower in order to avoid making noise or bumping unexpectedly into the enemy. Silence is imperative and a set of standard military hand signals are used for communication on the move. A beta light is used to check the map during stops. Although ail these skills will be taught to you during continuation training, here are a few helpful tips to aid you.

o o . o e o . . . . .

Never move down roads or tracks. Avoid areas of habitation. Travel by night if possible. Remember your basic camouflage: Shape, Shine, Shadow, Silhouette, Smell, Sound, and Movement. Restrict all eating until you have stopped. Cook before it gets too dark. When you overnight somewhere, clear the area. Flave a single approach route and escape route. 1,oop your own approach route so that you can observe it. The enemy may have picked up your trail. Keep your weapon to hand at all times. If you move) so does it. Anything you are not using goes back into the bergen. In enemy territory, sleep in full gear, including your boots. 'I'ry to avoicl srnoking; cigarettes give off light and they stirr k.

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Avoid using soap or perfumed products; in damp air they can be smelt for several hundred metres.

THE HIDE Being concealed fiom the enemy can sometimes be a short affair, but can sometimes last for several weeks. No matter the length of time, the important factors are to not be seen, heard or smelt. Your place of concealment may be in a building, and if that building is occupied, then you are going to have to be extremely quiet. Without going into too much detail, it is quite simple to get into a building. The Regiment will teach you the skill of lock-picking, which can take many years to master despite being simple in theory. Other methods of entry are by removing doors, getting on to roofs and through skylights. The hard part is to remain undetected when you get inside. The bodily needs of sleeping, eating and going to the toilet, as w'ell as having to change places with your partner can prove to be quite a challenge. How long an urban OP will go on for depends on how many men you can get into the hide, and how often it can be re-supplied. I once spent three weeks in the cramped loft of a tolvn hall where there was just enough room for one man to lie down and the other to sit taking photographs. Each man would spend four hours on watch and four sleeping. We were re-supplied every third night, lowering our waste and exposed film down a line and exchanging it for food and other supplies. Despite the town hall being occupied both night and day we managed to remain undetected and collect enough compromising photographs of our suspect to later persuade him to provide us with information. If your hide is in the countryside , then it may be possible to use natural camouflagc. If n