Hello all,
Panther Al, the Special Air Service title comes from the beginning of the setting up of the commando forces. The Commandos were referred to as Special Service troops ( for example 3rd Commando Bde. was originally 3rd Special Service Bde. The name changed in 1944 to prevent the association with the SS), Special Air Service troops were additionally parachute trained, hence the Air title.
Sanjuro, great info on the PPA. I believe the official title was No.1 Long Range Demolition Sqd., RE
Two more units from WW2 you guys made me think of are The Raiding Support Regiment, they provided heavy weapons support for other special forces units. (The forerunner of the present day Special Forces Support Group). The other is Ian Fleming's 30 Assault Unit (also known as 30 Advanced Unit)the RM/RN intell unit that was charged with advancing with or even in front of the lead formations to seize intell and assets of the germans before they were destroyed (or the Soviets got them). The Army equivalent was T-Force which was made up of the 1st Bucks Rifles, 5 Kings (the merged 5th Bn. & 8th Liverpool Irish Bn.), & the 30th Royal Berks.
Oh almost forgot one other unit which was pretty conventional but developed a special forces mission. In 1940 the Kent Fortress Engineers were a typical TA unit however they became tasked with destroying oil reserves in The Netherlands, France, & Greece to prevent the Germans from using them. If you can get the book XD Operations it was written by their former CO and is truly an interesting read.
LouieD
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