APPENDIX I

An SAS Chronology

July 1941:

The SAS, then designated ‘L Detachment, SAS’, raised in North Africa by Lieutenant David Stirling.

November 1941–January 1943:

SAS patrols raid Axis airfields and installations in the Western Desert, destroying over 250 aircraft on the ground. Stirling, now Lieut. Col., captured January 1943. A second SAS regiment is created by the founder’s brother, Bill, and a large waterborne element developed, known as the Special Boat Section.

February 1943–December 1943:

1 SAS renamed Special Raiding Squadron (SRS) and placed under the command of Lieut. Col. Paddy Mayne. The Special Boat Section becomes the Special Boat Service. SRS raids in Sicily and Italy, 2 SAS fights in Italy.

January 1944:

SAS units, less SBS, formed into SAS Brigade under command of Brigadier R. W. McLeod.

June 1944:

SAS parachute into France before D-Day. SAS order of battle for D-Day:

HQ SAS Brigade

1st SAS Regt       2nd SAS Regt

3rd (French) SAS Regt      4th (French) SAS Regt

5th (Belgian) SAS Regt

1944–45:

1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 SAS serve in France, Belgium, Holland, Italy and Germany.

October 1945:

SAS regiments disbanded. 3 and 4 SAS go to French Army, 5 SAS to Belgian Army.

1949:

21 SAS (Artists’ Rifles), a TA unit, raised in London.

1950:

Major J. M. Calvert raises Malayan Scouts (SAS) to fight the communists in Malaya.

1952:

Malayan Scouts redesignated 22 SAS.

1958:

Battle of the Jebel Akhdar, Oman.

1963–6:

Borneo Confrontation.

1964–7:

SAS deployed in Aden.

1970:

SAS personnel deployed in Northern Ireland.

1972:

Battle of Mirbat, Oman.

1975:

Balcombe Street siege, London.

1976:

SAS deployed in strength in Northern Ireland.

1980:

22 SAS lift Iranian Embassy siege, London.

1982:

The Falklands War.

1987:

Peterhead prison siege.

1988:

Operation Flavius results in the shooting dead of three suspected IRA terrorists, Gibraltar.

1990:

Death of David Stirling.

1991:

Gulf War.

1997:

Operation Tango, Bosnia.

1998:

SAS deployed to Serbia and Kosovo.

2000:

Operation Barras, Sierra Leone.

2001–:

Afghanistan.

2003–9:

Iraq, including participation in ‘Task Force Black’ to remove insurgents from streets.