23 Special Air Service Regiment (Reserve)

23 Special Air Service

S.A.S emblem
Active 1959–present
Country  United Kingdom
Branch The Army Reserve
Type Long-range reconnaissance patrol
Role Reconnaissance and long range patrols
Part of 1st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Brigade
Engagements Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation
War In Afghanistan

23 Special Air Service Regiment (Reserve) (23 SAS(R)) is a regiment of the British Army Reserve. Together with 21 Special Air Service Regiment (Artists) (Reserve) (21 SAS(R)), it forms the Special Air Service (Reserve) (SAS(R)). Unlike the regular SAS Regiment it accepts members of the general population without prior military service.[1]

History

The unit was founded in 1959, as an additional regiment of the Territorial Army, and was created from the former Reserve Reconnaissance Unit, itself descended from the body of the organisation known as Military Intelligence 9. The regiment's first commander was H. S. Gillies, at the time a lieutenant colonel. Anthony Hunter-Choat OBE was the commanding officer of the regiment from 1977 to 1983. Sebastian Morley, at that time a major, was for a period commander of D squadron until his resignation sometime during 2008.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

In 1963 were deployed to Borneo to support Malaysian and British Commonwealth forces in combating guerrillas crossing from Indonesia to the federation of Malaysia.[8]

21st century

In 2003 it was revealed that reserve soldiers from 23 SAS Regiments along with members of 21 SAS were deployed, where they helped to establish a communications network across Afghanistan and also acted as liaison teams between the various political groups, NATO and the Afghan government, in June 2008, three 23rd SAS members were killed by an landmine as their vehicle triggered it in Helmand province.[9][10] The reservists were at some time involved directly in the training the Afghan National Police, during the most recent Afghan war, following a review of their unit's operational capability they were withdrawn from front line operations and the task handed over to a "regular" infantry unit. The report found that the TA SAS lacked a clearly defined role, and also stated that the reservists lacked the military capability and skillset to serve alongside the regular special forces [11][12][13][14]

On 1 September 2014, 23 SAS left United Kingdom Special Forces and was placed under the command of 1st Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Brigade alongside 21 SAS and the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC).[15][16]

See also

1st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Brigade

References

  1. ↑ L. Thompson - SAS : Great Britain's Elite Special Air Service (p.11) published by MBI, 1999, 128 pages, ISBN 1610607422 [Retrieved 2015-06-25]
  2. ↑ S. Morris - Brecon Beacons Territorial Army Reservists Deaths published by The Guardian Newspaper Monday 15 July 2013 11.21 BST (Guardian News and Media Ltd) [Retrieved 2015-04-26]
  3. ↑ (author is shown one of listed page 659, not available (shown) in copy) - Encyclopedia of Insurgency and Counterinsurgency: A New Era of Modern Warfare (p.527) ABC-CLIO, 29 Oct 2013 (edited by SC. Tucker) ISBN 1610692802 [Retrieved 2015-04-26]
  4. ↑ R M Bennett. Elite Forces. Random House, 31 Aug 2011 ISBN 0753547643 (304 pages). Retrieved 2015-05-15.
  5. ↑ G. Pitchfork MBE - Shot Down and on the Run: The RCAF and Commonwealth Aircrews who Got Home from Behind Enemy Lines, 1940–1945 Dundurn, 2003 ISBN 1550024833 [Retrieved 2015-05-15]
  6. ↑ Obituary of Brigadier Tony Hunter-Choat published 23 Apr 2012 Telegraph Media Group Limited 2015 [Retrieved 2015-05-15]
  7. ↑ T. Harding - Exclusive: SAS chief quits over 'negligence that killed his troops' published 31 October 2008 Telegraph Media Group Limited 2015 [Retrieved 2015-05-15]
  8. ↑ Cawthorne, Nigel, The Mammoth Book of Inside the Elite Forces, Robinson, 2008 ISBN 1845298217 ISBN 978-1845298210
  9. ↑ Harding, Thomas (31 October 2008). "SAS Chief Quits Over 'Negligence That Killed His Troops". Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
  10. ↑ Rayment, Sean (28 December 2003). "Overstretched SAS calls up part-time troops for Afghanistan". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  11. ↑ United Kingdom Ministry of Defence : Army (website) published online by the Crown 2015 [Retrieved 2015-03-26]
  12. ↑ Richard (B.E.M.) et al Forces War Records - Unit History: 23 SAS (R) [Retrieved 2015-04-26]
  13. ↑ R. Bennett. Espionage: Spies and Secrets. Diane Pub Co; 1st Edition edition (Feb. 2001), 432 pages, ISBN 1448132142. Retrieved 2015-07-11.
  14. ↑ S. Rayment. HOME»NEWS»WORLD NEWS»ASIA»AFGHANISTAN. published by the Telegraph Media Group Limited 11 Apr 2010. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  15. ↑ Janes International Defence Review, May 2014, page 4
  16. ↑ Army Briefing Note 120/14,

External links

photograph of grave of H.S. Gillies - posted on Scottish War Graves by kenmorrison 30.10.2009

Pratt Doug - Photograph catalogued HU 111247 (others shown) published by the Imperial War Museum [Retrieved 2015-10-30]

Z. Chamberlain - Article: SAS medic published by Birmingham Mail November 10, 2013 (please see also: α & β)

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