The SAS was born under the leadership of David Stirling in the Libyan desert in July 1941 often called the ‘Originals.’ Other legends such as Jock Lewes and Paddy Mayne were pivotal in the early success of the SAS rouge heroes. The very first SAS raid ended without a single hit on the enemy, along with 34 men dead, injured or missing; only 21 returned to base.
Using their motto ‘Who Dares Wins’ the SAS continued to dare with big losses and small gains. In North Africa, the SAS became a nuisance to the enemy. Many aircraft were shot up and airfields temporarily put out of action. In terms of the bigger picture these actions were mere pinpricks than devastating blows but effected moral and security. What the SAS did do during World War Two was to revolutionize the way wars could be fought.
What was learnt in those early years of the SAS, proved invaluable for setting up techniques and tactics that are still relevant today. David Stirling’s thoughts along with Jock Lewes were to throw out standard military tactics – the SAS was trained to use improvisation rather than follow set military doctrine. Through success and failure the legendary SAS has set the blueprint for other special forces to follow.
Stirling Work covers the SAS from their first failed mission, through to the discovery of the horrific Belson death camp at the end of the War.
What the SAS (Special Air Service) did during World War Two was to revolutionise the way wars could be fought, and in many ways, became the blueprint that would be later used by Special Forces across the globe. Delta Force in the late 1960s based themselves on the SAS and their doctrine. What was learnt in those early years of the SAS, proved invaluable for setting up techniques and tactics that are still relevant today. The SAS were true pioneers and made a small yet significant impact during the war. David Stirling’s thoughts was to throw out standard military tactics – the SAS was trained to use improvisation rather than follow set military doctrine. This improvisation and adjusting of tactics depending on the objective was at the heart of the SAS successes during the war. They would make do with the kit they had, even borrow or steal kit, even from the enemy to accomplish a mission or objective. This is where the true motto of “Who Dares Wins” can trace its roots back to.
Even after David Stirling was captured as a prisoner of war, the SAS continued to grow under new leadership, adapting and growing. Until being disbanded after the end of World War II. Only to reconstitute as 21 SAS a Territorial Army unit before becoming a regular unit in the form of 22 SAS based at Hereford. Without David Stirling and the SAS, we would never have had Bravo Two Zero, Libyan Embassy hostage rescue and countless other SAS operations. All these men are trained to be the best of the best, suffer unimaginable hardship, operating deep behind enemy lines. Whilst the enemy, maybe different, the tactics and types of missions, are not too dissimilar to the ones undertaken by the SAS in World War II. High technology is still no replacement for boots on the ground, which can react and gather intelligence, in ways that technology still cannot.
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French
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Translation in progress.
Translated by Romain Egio
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