SAS n stuff

[The Great Jacko]

Always had an interest in the SAS ever since I watched the Iranian embassy siege as a kid. My mates dad (RIP) was in the SAS and fought in Ireland and Korea amongst others but wouldn't talk about it at all.

 

One of my colleagues' brothers in currently in the SAS helping to develop their dogs strategy working alongside Delta Force who have used them for years. He was training in the US recently and his shute didn't open properly - he was in hospital for 3 months. It's kinda sad but the dogs get put down after 8 years or so I think which is when they retire - they can't be rehomed due to their training.

 

Fella over the road from me is in the RAF. He's a chopper pilot and is a really nice guy. I had him down as flying supplies around the country. Turns out he's been flying Pumas in Iraq and Libya. Frequently taking SAS in for a job. Had a great conversation about some of his jobs - of which he can do 2 or 3 a week with about one in ten involving incoming fire! When he goes in for an extraction job for example he'll have 2x Apache helicopters supporting at about 1-3k feet (forgive me if I get some of this detail wrong), a fully armed predator at about 10k and an AWAC or similar at 30k. They call it something like the the pillar of control/support. Fascinating stuff for a geek like me.

 

He's got a mate who flies predators out of the US he was saying how amazing the tech is and the fact that the main pilots only take over for a fairly short time to complete the fire mission and hand over to someone else who does the takeoff - travel - landing. Also whilst not immune to the post action stresses associated with a real life fire fight - the guys who fly the predators are far less prone to significant levels of post trauma stress which is another reason why the forces prefer to use them.

 

The RAF guy also rates the US General Petraeous. Says he really shook things up in Iraq with regards to the special forces and they love him for it including the Brits who he has a high regard for.

 

Not sure if its interesting or not but thought I'd share.

[Section_31]

Class, check this thread out mate.

 

http://www.liverpoolway.co.uk/forum/gf-general-forum/76196-random-military-thread-4.html

 

Interviewed an ex-SAS man once and his nickname was 'splash'. Apparently he was called this because whenever he got in a helicopter it would malfunction and they called an aircraft crashing into the ocean a 'splashdown'. He was in the Falklands two weeks before it kicked off doing recon work and was in the raid on Pebble Island. He damaged his knee on Mount Longdon and when they got back for the victory service he was kept out the way of the cameras because of his injuries.

 

Seemed like a really sound, down to earth bloke.

 

Remember reading a thing about SAS selection once which said the trainers look for a certain type of 'emotional ambivalence to others' which sort of sent chills down the spine a bit!

[Paul]

I had a pint in the pub on Friday afternoon with the husband of a work friend/colleague who came out of the Marines about three years ago to get married. He was a captain and had seen active service in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as all sorts of other places. I asked him his opinion on the whole Osama thing and how good the American special forces are, specifically about the old idea that the Americans are better equipped but the Brits are better trained.

 

His reply was that the resourcing is irrelevant at Special Forces level as the SBS and SAS can pretty much have what they want. As for the training, he said that there was some truth in it years ago, but the Americans have now seen so much active service with their Special Forces that they're superb. He's worked alongside SBS and they said that the Americans are just as good as them.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I had a pint in the pub on Friday afternoon with the husband of a work friend/colleague who came out of the Marines about three years ago to get married. He was a captain and had seen active service in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as all sorts of other places. I asked him his opinion on the whole Osama thing and how good the American special forces are, specifically about the old idea that the Americans are better equipped but the Brits are better trained.

 

His reply was that the resourcing is irrelevant at Special Forces level as the SBS and SAS can pretty much have what they want. As for the training, he said that there was some truth in it years ago, but the Americans have now seen so much active service with their Special Forces that they're superb. He's worked alongside SBS and they said that the Americans are just as good as them.

 

American intelligence services are better than they get credit for, too. Their very best of special forces and intelligence is up there with anything anybody else can offer.

 

It's when you go down the chain that the problems begin for the Americans.

[The Great Jacko]

I forgot to say he said that Task Force Black is a good book on the exploits of spec ops in Iraq. Also said Petraeous was responsible for reorging the US intelligence services into an operational command chain with spec ops at the tip of the pyramid. Also talked about how close we/yanks were to getting OBL before although he was only quoting rumours.

[Magic Sponge]

There is a quality book out called 3 Para, The Battle for Mount Longdon.

[Tossed and blown]

I'm an absolute sucker for military memoirs, must have read 40 or so in the last few years. There are certainly some shite ones out there, but some absolute gems as well. Currently reading One Soldier's War in Chechnya by Arkady Babchenko which is superb. The best ones imo have been (not exhaustive):

Close Quarter Battle by Mike Curtis (SAS and Paras)

Sniper One (Iraq)

Hellfire and Apache (Helicopters in Afghan)

Firestrike 7/9 (JTAC in Afghan)

The Deniable Agent (Afghan pre war)

Jihad (Afghan fighting against the Russians)

McNab's non fiction books

Sabre Squadron (1st Gulf War)

 

Would be interested to hear any recommendations

[Tossed and blown]

Lad in my year at school ended up in the SAS. He was a little twat who regularly lost fights and it would be hard to imagine a less likely candidate. I don't think he served in any wars as such and now runs a little personal protection company.

 

Contrasts with another fella who went straight into the junior paras from school, hard as fucking nails. When he came home unannounced for his first leave period, it was something of a surprise all round as his parents had neglected to tell him that they'd moved house. When he encountered the new tenant in 'his' kitchen he laid him out with a single punch, breaking his jaw*.

 

 

 

* To the best of my knowledge, he has never been known as 'Jarv'.

[Pony Princess]

"His head exploded like a ripe watermelon"

[withnail71]

if anyone is interested in the paras/ falklands , read a book called " sod that for a game of soldiers". its is superb.

[Fink]

Looking for Trouble by General Peter De La Billiere

[TonyBellew_BUM!]

SBS!

 

Nuff said!

[Gym Beglin]

Class, check this thread out mate.

 

http://www.liverpoolway.co.uk/forum/gf-general-forum/76196-random-military-thread-4.html

 

Interviewed an ex-SAS man once and his nickname was 'splash'. Apparently he was called this because whenever he got in a helicopter it would malfunction and they called an aircraft crashing into the ocean a 'splashdown'. He was in the Falklands two weeks before it kicked off doing recon work and was in the raid on Pebble Island. He damaged his knee on Mount Longdon and when they got back for the victory service he was kept out the way of the cameras because of his injuries.

 

Seemed like a really sound, down to earth bloke.

 

Remember reading a thing about SAS selection once which said the trainers look for a certain type of 'emotional ambivalence to others' which sort of sent chills down the spine a bit!

 

Small world specialist.

One of my mates served for years and just the other day we were sat around and he talked about this lad he served with called 'Splash', and said about the aircraft back-story.

 

Told me his name as well, and how he didn't give a fuck about people knowing he was SAS. Actually drove to and from the base in his gear, didn't hide it, too nails to give a fuck about reprisals and being targeted.

 

Mate used to call him by his rank when he first met him, as is the normal case, but he said "just call me Splash". My mate, a bit nervy around him and without thinking just made the same mistake straight after, saying "Sorry Colour (Sergeant)".

The SAS bloke stops, stares him, and slowly says "Splash, I won't tell you again".

He always remembered to call him Splash after that, oddly enough.

[Anubis]

Lad in my year at school ended up in the SAS. He was a little twat who regularly lost fights and it would be hard to imagine a less likely candidate. I don't think he served in any wars as such and now runs a little personal protection company.

 

f he was SAS he's seen action, regardless of whether we're officially at war with someone.

[Section_31]

f he was SAS he's seen action, regardless of whether we're officially at war with someone.

 

Best rumour I ever heard was that during the gangland violence in Liverpool during the mid 90s that the SAS were undercover in Liverpool. Imagine that? Some Edward Woodward-a-like walking into Aigburth gyms and capping motherfuckers.

[Sut]

I love reading about the formation of the SAS and their early years. Their first assignment on reaching where they were to be camped in the desert was to nick everything from some New Zealanders who were camped not far away. Tents, supplies and a piano were taken.

[MOGLET]

Best rumour I ever heard was that during the gangland violence in Liverpool during the mid 90s that the SAS were undercover in Liverpool. Imagine that? Some Edward Woodward-a-like walking into Aigburth gyms and capping motherfuckers.

 

 

Liverpool had always had a presence since the late 60's, mainly due to it being an open port for IRA to enter the country.

 

Not so much SAS, but the MI lot more so.

[Anubis]

I represented a guy in Manchester once. British citizen, but German born and in his 70's. Still had his accent as well.

 

Anyway, during the course of the case he's telling me he worked for German intelligence in WWII, but was a British double-agent. I took it with a pinch of salt thinking he was a bit of a Walter Mitty.

 

I needed a character reference for him, and so I wrote to the MoD as he was insisting the details would be declassified by now. And fuck me if they didn't write back giving chapter and verse on his role as a double-agent for the British and how he'd infiltrated German Intelligence, and what medals he'd received. It turned out he was basically Richard Burton in Where Eagles Dare, but not as suave.

[VladimirIlyich]

Always had an interest in the SAS ever since I watched the Iranian embassy siege as a kid. My mates dad (RIP) was in the SAS and fought in Ireland and Korea amongst others but wouldn't talk about it at all.

 

One of my colleagues' brothers in currently in the SAS helping to develop their dogs strategy working alongside Delta Force who have used them for years. He was training in the US recently and his shute didn't open properly - he was in hospital for 3 months. It's kinda sad but the dogs get put down after 8 years or so I think which is when they retire - they can't be rehomed due to their training.

 

Fella over the road from me is in the RAF. He's a chopper pilot and is a really nice guy. I had him down as flying supplies around the country. Turns out he's been flying Pumas in Iraq and Libya. Frequently taking SAS in for a job. Had a great conversation about some of his jobs - of which he can do 2 or 3 a week with about one in ten involving incoming fire! When he goes in for an extraction job for example he'll have 2x Apache helicopters supporting at about 1-3k feet (forgive me if I get some of this detail wrong), a fully armed predator at about 10k and an AWAC or similar at 30k. They call it something like the the pillar of control/support. Fascinating stuff for a geek like me.

 

He's got a mate who flies predators out of the US he was saying how amazing the tech is and the fact that the main pilots only take over for a fairly short time to complete the fire mission and hand over to someone else who does the takeoff - travel - landing. Also whilst not immune to the post action stresses associated with a real life fire fight - the guys who fly the predators are far less prone to significant levels of post trauma stress which is another reason why the forces prefer to use them.

 

The RAF guy also rates the US General Petraeous. Says he really shook things up in Iraq with regards to the special forces and they love him for it including the Brits who he has a high regard for.

 

Not sure if its interesting or not but thought I'd share.

 

Was it only me that saw the irony in that first paragraph?:whistle:

[gingerhulk]

Was it only me that saw the irony in that first paragraph?:whistle:

 

I'm with ye

[withnail71]

A friend of mine was in the SAS. He was the last british soldier to be killed during the first gulf war.

[Section_31]

Padd Mayne can make any man feel pretty fucking shit.

 

Paddy Mayne - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair "Paddy" Mayne DSO & Three Bars (11 January 1915 – 14 December 1955) was an Irish soldier, solicitor, Ireland rugby union international, amateur boxer, polar explorer and a founding member of the Special Air Service.

[Bjornebye]

Just watching last nights SAS Who Dares Wins. Ulrika Johnson has already died twice from Hypothermia. Kerry Katona is a gurning twat, stick to getting your chebs out online love. 

[Bjornebye]

On 09/05/2011 at 18:26, Section_31 said:

 

Best rumour I ever heard was that during the gangland violence in Liverpool during the mid 90s that the SAS were undercover in Liverpool. Imagine that? Some Edward Woodward-a-like walking into Aigburth gyms and capping motherfuckers.

"Done two tours of Northern Ireland, 8 months in a jungle in Belize, stopped a military coup in Burma and 3 weekends in the Paradox telling people I was Kev Seed" 

[Elite]

2 hours ago, Bjornebye said:

Just watching last nights SAS Who Dares Wins. Ulrika Johnson has already died twice from Hypothermia. Kerry Katona is a gurning twat, stick to getting your chebs out online love. 

Is that the first episode?

 

Love that show