Cloak-and-dagger force trained to fight terrorists

Press, 7 May 1980, Page 8

Cloak-and-dagger force trained to fight terrorists

NZPA London Two teams from the Brit-’ ish Army’s crack anti-terror- j ist unit, the Special Air Service Regiment (regimental motto: “Who dares, wins”) took part in the Iranian Embassy assault. The teams were flown from their Hereford headquarters in the West Midlands to the Royal Air Force base at Northolt, West London, probably by Puma helicopter. The unit, numbering only a few troops, was probably armed with Armalite rifles, Sterling sub-machine-guns, and the British-designed •stun-grenade, used during the successful rescue of passengers from the hijacked German Lufthansa jet at Mogadishu, an operation which involved S.A.S. specialists as advisers. The S.A.S. was formed in the Second World War with the sole aim of causing the enemy as much discomfort

las possible. The regiment i came to be hated by Hitler. i Now the elite troops must be able to deal with any sit- ‘ uation and to train other soldiers to work alongside them. Today five squadrons of the S.A.S. Regiment, who describe themselves as a “cloak-and-dagger” force, an based at a closely guarded camp near Hereford. Bradbury Lines camp, the regiment's home since 1961. is nearly 3km from the city centre on the edge of a large estate. Much of their training is done in the Black Mountains, about 30km away in Wales. There is no official estimate of the strength of the S.A.S., although they are known to number several thousand. The regiment was ordered into Ulster in 1976 by the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson. Members of it still operate in the province.