special forces unit british_army founded regiment later corps unit number roles including covert reconnaissance counter terrorism direct action hostage rescue human intelligence gathering corps presently comprises regular component operational command artists special air service regiment reserve reserve units operational command traces origins second world war reformed named 21st special air service regiment artists rifles regular army later gained fame recognition worldwide successfully assaulting london rescuing hostages siege lifting regiment obscurity outside military establishment history unit british_army second world war formed july originally called detachment special air service brigade designation tie british campaign trying axis thinking regiment numerous units operating area real prove axis fake existed conceived commando force operate enemy lines initially consisted officers ranks mission november parachute drop support offensive german resistance adverse weather conditions mission disaster men unit killed captured second mission success transported attacked airfields libya destroying aircraft loss men september renamed 1st consisting time british squadrons greek section january captured tunisia replaced commander april 1st reorganised command placed command fought sicily italy 2nd formed north_africa renaming fought end war formed british 1st 2nd french 3rd 4th belgian 5th tasked parachute operations german lines france carried operations supporting allied advance belgium netherlands operation eventually germany operation result hitler issuing commando order october members unit faced additional danger executed captured germans july following captured executed germans october aftermath operation captured executed germans post war end war seeing need force disbanded october following year decided need long term deep penetration commando unit new regiment raised ultimately artists rifles raised headquartered road took mantle 21st regiment january squadron raised fight korean war months training england informed squadron longer required korea instead volunteered fight arrival malaya came command forming new unit called formed squadron volunteers far_east squadron squadron squadron recruitment visit formed volunteers returned home years service replaced new_zealand squadron time need regular army regiment recognised formally added army list based regiment formed renaming reserve reconnaissance unit succeeded members experts escape serving malaya men regular army taken covert reconnaissance surveillance patrols larger scale raiding missions borneo operation communist included taken operations emergency northern_ireland special projects team assisted west german counter terrorism group counter terrorist wing famously took hostage rescue operation london war squadron prepared operation subsequently cancelled whilst squadrons deployed participated raid controversial operation gibraltar provisional irish republican army directed nato aircraft positions hunted war criminals bosnia involved war helping serbian lines according sources sergeant killed serbian special forces gulf war squadrons deployed largest second world war notable failure zero mission took operation hostage rescue operation extract members iraq war formed task force black task force knight squadron singled exceptional service american commander nato forces month tour carried combat missions members involved operation free peace activists men held hostage iraq days christian hostage crisis operations afghanistan involved soldiers regiments british newspapers speculated involvement operation civil war daily_telegraph reports defence sources confirmed libya weeks played key role coordinating fall tripoli guardian reports acting forward air controllers directing pilots targets communicating nato operational commanders advising rebels tactics members deployed late august according chief sent syria tasked trying track islamic state terrorist group press labeled beatles october began executing raids isis supply lines western iraq helicopters drop light vehicles manned sniper squads claimed killed isis fighters day raids began recent years officers risen highest ranks british_army general commander chief british forces gulf war general commander bosnia general chief defence staff head lieutenant general appointed commander deputy commander chief nato regional headquarters allied forces north influence special forces following post war countries commonwealth recognised need similar units formed disbanded squadron formed serve malaya australia formed 1st july regiment august return malaya squadron formed basis creation retained squadron special air service special air service regiment countries formed units based wears traces ancestry partly 5th second world war french 1st parachute regiment trace origins second world war 3rd 4th adopting wins motto american unit formed colonel served exchange officer recognised need similar type unit united_states_army israeli modelled sharing motto ireland army modelled training turn influenced formed lines organisation little publicly information exists british government usually comment special forces matters nature work comprises units regular units regular army unit reserve units special air service regiment artists reserve collectively squadrons normally strength regiment operational squadrons squadron consists approximately men commanded major divided troops troop commanded captain small headquarters section troops usually consist men patrol troop consists men man possessing particular skill signals demolition addition basic skills learned course training troops different areas boat troop specialists maritime skills diving boats train air troop experts free fall high altitude low opening halo high altitude high opening techniques mobility troop specialists vehicles experts desert warfare trained advanced level motor mechanics field repair breakdown mountain troop specialists arctic combat survival specialist equipment mountain climbing techniques squadron renamed formed members regular regiment soldiers commitment reserve service squadron structure squadron boat troop air troop mobility troop mountain troop squadron boat troop air troop mobility troop mountain troop squadron air troop boat troop mobility troop mountain troop squadron mobility troop mountain troop boat troop air troop special projects team special projects team official anti counter terrorism team trained close quarter battle sniper techniques hostage rescue buildings public transport team formed early 1970s prime minister asked prepare possible terrorist attack similar massacre summer olympics ordered revolutionary warfare wing raised wing established squadron rotated continual basis counter terrorist training including hostage rescue siege breaking live firing exercises reported training soldier pistol rounds squadrons training months average deployment trapped unit surrendered heard bbc sent documented action abroad wing assisting west german counter terrorism group involved hostage rescue operational command regular operational command major general grade post previously ranked brigadier promoted brigadier major general recognition significant expansion reserve operation responsible members following review unit operational capability withdrawn task handed regular infantry unit report found lacked clearly defined role stated lacked military capability serve alongside regular special forces september left placed command 1st alongside recruitment selection training regular elements recruit directly general public current members apply special forces selection historically majority candidates commando airborne forces background selections held twice yearly summer winter selection lasts weeks normally starts potential candidates arrival candidates complete personal fitness test aft march cross country clock increasing distances covered day culminating known endurance miles march equipment scaling descending pen fan hours end hill phase candidates able run miles minutes swim miles minutes following hill phase jungle phase taking place belize malaysia candidates taught navigation patrol formation movement jungle survival skills candidates returning finish training battle plans foreign weapons combat survival exercises final week long escape candidates formed patrols carrying tin filled survival equipment dressed old second world war uniforms told head point light final selection test arguably resistance interrogation lasting hours typically candidates hill phase selection process approximately candidates drop days end remain complete phases selection rewarded transfer operational squadron uniform normal barracks sand coloured cap badge downward pointing flames incorrectly referred winged dagger worked cloth shield motto wins pattern parachute wings designed lieutenant based sacred wings isis egyptian depicted cairo worn right shoulder ceremonial dress uniform distinguished light blue stripe trousers stable belt shade blue similar blue stripe dress uniform battle honours british_army battle honours awarded regiments seen active service significant engagement campaign generally victorious outcome awarded following battle honours raid north africa landing sicily sicily greece adriatic middle_east islands western iraq gulf order precedence memorials names members died duty inscribed regimental clock tower originally funded contributions day pay members regiment donation memory killed accident rebuilt new barracks names inscribed said surviving members failed beat clock suggestion commanding officer inscribed base clock verse golden road pilgrims master shall little blue mountain barred snow angry sea main memorial memorial westminster abbey grand france commemorates wartime dead belgian british french recently memorial plaque added scotland smaller memorials scattered europe far_east local church graveyard set aside memorial soldiers buried wall remembrance displaying memorial plaques buried including men lost lives helicopter crash alliances australia
Special Air Service