UK ELITE & SPECIAL FORCES NEWS

21.07.2010 - Royal Marines & Paras To Merge?

Reports are coming in that the MoD is considering placing the Royal Marines under Army control in order to save money, effectively merging the Royal Marines with the Parachute Regiment...

more info : the daily mail | this is plymouth | the mirror

UK Special Forces Merchandise

20.07.2010 - Fallen SBS Hero 'Deserves Highest Honour'

The Daily Express reports on the valiant sacrifice of a Special Boat Service operator who died during an operation earlier this month in Afghanistan...

more info : the express

16.07.2010 - CO19 Number 1 In Negligent Discharges

The Met's elite armed Police unit, CO19, have reportedly accidently discharged their weapons a total of 56 times since January 2007, more than all other Police forces combined...

more info : the daily mail | london daily news

15.07.2010 - UKSF Hunt Taliban Gunman

It is being reported that UK Special Forces, including the SAS, are joining the hunt for a Taliban agent who infiltrated a British base and killed three members of the 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles...

more info : daily record | metro

08.07.2010 - SAS Join Hunt For Gunman?

Police are refusing to confirm or deny a Daily Mail report that the SAS have been called in to help in the search for gunman Raoul Moat...

more info : daily mail | the guardian | the telegraph

in a related story, the Sun reports that Moat is a 'fan' of the SAS...

more info : the sun

02.07.2010 - British Special forces Soldier Killed In Afghanistan

The Guardian newspaper reports that a member of the Special Boat Service has been killed in Afghanistan...

more info : the guardian

28.06.2010 - Royal Marines Still Up For The Fight

The Royal Marines of 40 Commando will not be deterred by recent losses in Helmand Province, their former commander says...

more info : this is somerset

27.06.2010 - SBS Trial New Drone

The Special Boat Service (SBS) has reportedly trialled a new Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) called the Silver Marlin...

more info : the daily mail

26.06.2010 - Armed Forces Day

More than 350 events are taking place across the country to mark Armed Forces Day...

more info : armed forces day (official website)

20.06.2010 - Special Forces Soldier Had Gerry Adams In His Sights

Jack Gillespie, a former member of the SAS and the Military Reaction Force (MRF), a forerunner of 14 Intelligence Company and the SRR, has claimed that MI6 sent him on a mission to assasinate Republican figure and suspected IRA man, Gerry Adams, in 1973. This mission was called-off at the last minute, according to Gillepsie who tells his story in a new book, SAS Warlord, written by Tom Siegriste.

more info : the news of the world

related book : SAS Warlord

20.06.2010 - Sir Ranulph Fiennes under fire as SAS get Hollywood treatment

Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the explorer, is criticised as his book about the 'murders' of SAS members is turned into a Hollywood film starring Robert De Niro.....

more info : the telegraph

related info : famous ex-special forces - Ranulph Fiennes

12.06.2010 - Fake Royal Marine Jailed

A con man who masqueraded as a Royal Marine in order to pocket 'help for heroes' donations for injured British servicemen was jailed for 27 months yesterday....

more info : bbc news | the mirror

link to real help for heroes

09.06.2010 - Insight Into 40 Commando Ops

BBC Somerset article on 40 Commando Royal Marines operations in Helmand, Afghanistan (includes audio reports)....

more info : bbc news

07.06.2010 - Royal Marines Field New Rifle

40 Commando are the first UK Forces to field the new L129A1 'Sharpshooter' 7.62mmx51mm rifle in Afghanistan....

background info on the L129A1 rifle

read more: bbc news

23.05.2010 - Somerset Royal Marine awarded Military Cross

A Royal Marine from Somerset who helped save comrades' lives in Afghanistan has received the Military Cross....

more info : bbc news

21.05.2010 - Royal Marines storm IED factory

Royal Marines of 40 Commando have seized 40kg of homemade explosives and bomb-making equipment in a raid on an Afghan compound in Helmand province...

more info : www.defencemanagement.com

(40 Commando are currently deployed to Helmand province as part of 4th Mechanized Brigade)

18.05.2010 - Royal Marines Intercept Pirates

Royal Marines and Royal Navy personnel have intercepted suspected pirates in the Somali Basin....

more info : royal marines interdict pirates

06.05.2010 - SAS Defied MoD Orders & Rescued Comrades

The Daily MAil reports that SAS commanders defied orders not to rescue 2 SAS soldiers taken prisoner in Iraq, 2005....

more info : daily mail

background info on the SAS mission to rescue fellow soldiers in Iraq, 2005

05.05.2010 - SAS comes out fighting as details of top-secret missions are exposed

"Britain's elite fighting force, the SAS, has become enmeshed in controversy and recriminations, with one of its most successful former senior officers being banned from headquarters and its current chief engaged in a dispute with the US commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan..."

more info : the independant

21.04.2010 - Marine unit takes over Afghanistan war duties

40 Commando Royal Marines have taken over control of the Sangin area, Helmand Province, from 3 Rifles...

more info : portsmouth news

20.04.2010 - SAS in body armour 'private funding' row

The Telegraph reports that private money had tob e used to purchase body armour for troops from 21 SAS in Afghanistan...

more info : the telegraph

14.04.2010 - SAS Hunt Taliban Sniper

SAS snipers are sent in to hunt a Taliban sniper in Afghanistan...

more info : the mirror

11.04.2010 - SAS Reservists Withdrawn From Front line

The Telegraph reports that 21 and 23 SAS have been withdrawn from front line operations in Afghanistan...

more info : the telegraph

24.03.2010 - US General Praises British Special Forces

General Stanley McChrystal, the American commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan, has paid tribute to the courage of the SAS and SBS...

more info : the telegraph

more info : Task Force Black
(British Special Forces task force which formed part of a joint US/UK unit which General McChrystal commanded in Iraq)

19.03.2010 - Google Reveals SAS Base

Google's Street View service has sparked controvesy by showing images of the entrance to the Special Air Service's main headquarters...

more info : the telegraph | the telegraph (follow up story)

09.03.2010 - Paras Not Jump ready

Sky News reports that nearly a third of British airborne forces lack sufficient parachute training due to a shortage of suitable aircraft...


more info : sky news

08.03.2010 - Shrine For SAS Dogs

The Sun reports on an SAS memorial to two German Shepards who were killed during operations in Iraq

more info : the sun

07.03.2010 - UK Special Forces Suffer Worse Losses In Years

The Times reports that “British special forces have suffered the worst blow to their fighting strength since the second world war, with 80 members killed or crippled in Afghanistan”...

more info : the times

01.03.2010 - Inquest Into SAS Reservists Deaths

An inquest into the deaths of 3 SAS reservists and a servicewoman in Afghanistan, June 2008 has opened...

more info : the times

21.02.2010 - Fake SAS Man Has Charges Dropped

An SAS fantasist who wore fake medals and an SAS beret during a remembrance march has had the charge of "unlawfully using decoration" dismissed by magistrates...

more info : the sun

21.02.2010 - UK Special Forces Hunt Taliban Gunman

A collection of news reports on the ongoing hunt by British Special Forces for a Taliban gunman who killed 5 British servicemen in November 2009...

more info : UKSF Hunt Taliban Gunman

17.02.2010 - Royal Marines Trial New Hovercraft

539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines have unveiled their new LCAC (light) hovercraft...

more info : the telegraph | daily mail

related info : current LCAC (light) hovercraft

16.02.2010 - Daily Mail Serializes 'Task Force Black'

A new book that details the SAS war against Al Qaeda in Iraq is currently being serialized in the Daily Mail....

read part one
read part two
read part three

links will be updated when new excerpts are available

related info : sas task force black

11.02.2010 - UK Special Forces Prepare The Way For Op Moshtarak

Reports are coming in about British Special Forces operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. that helped prepare the way for Operation Moshtarak...
more info : the sun | the times | the express

10.02.2010 - UK Special Forces To Join Helmand Operation

UKSF are reported to be joining a pre-announced, large-scale operation in Helmand Province.
more info : british special forces to join helmand operation

07.02.2010 - Special Forces Chief Tries To Ban New SAS Book

Director Special Forces (DSF) has reportedly been trying to ban publication of a new book, due to be published on Feb 18th, which details SAS operations in Iraq.
more info : the times | task force black (eliteukforces.info report on TF Black)

25.01.2010 - 40 Commando Prepare For Afghanistan

A report, with video, of Taunton-based 40 Commando, Royal Marines, preparing for their upcoming deployment to Helmand as part of 4th Mechanized Brigade...
more info : somerset county gazette | bbc news (video)

24.01.2010 - UK To Get More Special Forces?

A report on the Director of Special Forces' request for up to 1000 new special forces personnel...
more info : uk special forces to expland?

23.01.2010 - Video : Royal Marines Training In Norway

BBC video footage of Royal Marines from 42 Commando training in Arctic operations...
more info : the bbc

22.01.2010 - SBS Rescue Operation Bungled?

The UK Press is now reporting on a previously hinted at missed opportunity for the Special Boat Service to rescue a British couple held by pirates in the Gulf of Aden...
more info : the bbc | the scotsman

related eliteukforces.info report : Royal Marines Denied Rescue Bid

12.01.2010 - New Sharpshooter Rifle For UK Forces

A look at the new L129A1 rifle to be fielded in Afghanistan...
more info : L129A1 Sharpshooter Rifle

04.01.2010 - Chinook crash 'may have been caused by software faults'

New evidence regarding the 1994 crash of a Special Forces Chinook on the Mull of Kintyre has emerged, the BBC reports...
more info : bbc news

related info : 7 Squadron (RAF Special Forces)

04.01.2010 - SAS Raids Taliban Drugs Factory

The Sun newspaper reports that the SAS have nabbed £80 million worth of drugs in a daring raid on a Taliban stronghold...
more info : the sun

03.01.2010 - SAS To Deploy To Yemen

The Mirror has reported that a team from 22 SAS has been flown to Yemen to hunt down members of Al Qaeda...
more info : the mirror