A question about the SAS

[Andycoops]

There must be quite a few ex SAS here, as in ex Scandinavian Airlines Services pilots or crew...

[seajae]

will always be those that want to big note themselves with the BS claim of being ex SAS, dont know about the UK SAS but spent some time with the aussie guys in the dive wing back in the 70's when I was a lot better body wise. I found them to be very down to earth, the older guys would open up on some of what they had done but making out they were more than others was something they didnt do. I had a ball working with them and will always hold it up as one of the best times I spent during my service, maybe the bragging is a UK thing as I just didnt see it with the aussies, then again its more than likely those that never served or were in a basic unit, will always be BS from some that just like to big note themselves.

[Kinok Farang]

3 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

I met a guy in Patpong that kept alluding to being a spook, although he claimed he was English. Throughout the years I bumped into him now and again in bars until he started drinking regularly down Soi 22. 

 

He was arrested for having a chopped up body in his freezer and shot a policeman when they raided his business in Thong Lor.

 

Turns out he was on the run from the FBI for 40 years and was running a passport forgery business as well as other criminal activities!

 

Sometimes, the truth is stranger than fiction. 

Patpong,when men were men.

[Kinok Farang]

1 hour ago, sungod said:

 

Strange, lived there for 25 years and never met one, do you attract walter mittys?

Yes.

[Rampant Rabbit]

5 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

I met a guy in Patpong that kept alluding to being a spook, although he claimed he was English. Throughout the years I bumped into him now and again in bars until he started drinking regularly down Soi 22. 

 

He was arrested for having a chopped up body in his freezer and shot a policeman when they raided his business in Thong Lor.

 

Turns out he was on the run from the FBI for 40 years and was running a passport forgery business as well as other criminal activities!

 

Sometimes, the truth is stranger than fiction. 

Thats a  relief, thought it was a moderator

[jaideedave]

19 hours ago, VBF said:

Reminds me of an interview I had for a Middle East contract, which included accommodation and all meals.

I asked "What's the food like" - after a few seconds, the interviewer replied "It's OK until the chef gets hold of it".

 

He was correct - the most prized object on that camp was a bottle of HP sauce to add at least SOME flavour! 😩

I worked for a bit at Wafa Field O&G facility in Libya. The food was the worst ever.I couldn't identify most of the stuff on the steam table. Only thing I could eat was the spaghetti because ENI Italian co. was there.

As HSE I had to do hygiene reports on the galley etc. I told the guys if you could see and smell what I did you wouldn't eat there. No options of course.

[Ralf001]

2 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

Thats a  relief, thought it was a moderator

Katabeachbum kept his in wheelie bins !

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/537221-norwegian-man-confesses-to-accidentally-killing-phuket-girlfriend/

[Slinky1958]

I find it disrespectful when I see and hear.

Professional beyond imagination  putting their lives on the line. Ask what squadron and name who’s in the picture posted…… 

lets start with 22D and Rusty then ask his Nickname.

They usually just walk off big or small

 

[radiochaser]

On 1/20/2025 at 5:47 AM, Smokin Joe said:

One of the guys I served with in the Cub Scouts later joined the SAS (or maybe it was Delta Seal Team).

 

Here he is on a Hostage Rescue Raid.  He's third from the right.

 

You can't fool me.  He is the fourth from the left!

[radiochaser]

On 1/20/2025 at 6:27 AM, herfiehandbag said:

Not to mention the sizeable contingent from the CIA, and several dozen Navy Seals.

 

Sadly there is almost no representation from the 43rd Water Bottle Cork Repair Workshop, a little known logistical unit which served gloriously. They spent lots of time in 'Nam, Cheltenham!

I met a guy who was ex CIA.. His name was Tony Poe.   Up in Udon Thanii before his wife died and a relative convinced him to move back to San Francisco.  

 

https://www.nndb.com/people/157/000130764/tpoe.JPG

 

 

[rickudon]

On 1/21/2025 at 9:05 PM, norfolkandchance said:

Was that at RAF El Adem.

No, in a western suburb of Tripoli, where my employers were based. Was just trying to find another persons house, who had borrowed my jacket out in the desert one night, None of the houses had numbers! so had to walk around looking for one that fitted the description, Only found out they were secret police when the office asked where i had been, They asked me to describe the uniforms, said "you are lucky, that was the secret police, not many see daylight again".

[rocketboy2]

Met a few ex special forces guys in pattaya over the years.

Mr. Chang.

Mr. Singha.

Mr. Heineken.

Mr. Guinness.

[Farma]

Cant say I've met any SAS in thailand bars but

 

I knew 2 genuine Air America guys both deceased. One in Khon Kaen, the other in Pattaya.

 

Also met 2 genuine ex SAS but in Saudi.

 

One was head of the company security. The other was brought in after a terrorist attack on our compound. 

 

 He briefed us on ways to be aware of surroundings and get out of trouble.

[liddelljohn]

Official British records show that since its birth  in the 1940s  There has  only been  a total of  approx 78,000   SAS and SBS trained troopers  and operatives in over 80 years ,,,  at any one time in last 40 years the SAS  and SBS   has between 200 and 400 active  personel depending on Requirements and some retired or non active people working for other British government agencies  or on secondement to Allied agencies . They did have bigger numbers  during WW2  and  in the 1950s

 

However if you believe  all the bull<deleted>ers  the SAS  is bigger than the Chinese army ha ha

 

The same thinking can be applied  to USA Seals & Delta or marine Recon, French Foreign Legion , GSG9  , etc etc   ,, If You ever meet or  deal with the real special forces  people they are so self effacing and the perfect quiet grey men ..

[billd766]

On 1/21/2025 at 9:05 PM, norfolkandchance said:

Was that at RAF El Adem.

RAF El Adem was the worst camp I ever went to on detachment twice a year for live firing practice.

 

How anybody ever managed a 2 year posting without going loopy, I could never understand.

[Walker88]

In the old days, Bangkok had far more agency guys than now (as noted in another post, there's only two ex-spooks now, so rest assured nobody who saddled up to you in a bar and claimed he was agency is telling you the truth, unless maybe he worked in the Credit Union or 1st floor gift shop). I have been told by the old guys, before they passed, that the hangout used to be Mississippi Queen in Patpong. There were ops officers, Phoenix Program guys, Air America pilots, and liaison who worked together with the Free Thai movement (remember the Domino Effect was big back then, so the Thai Army had groups geared specifically to keep Thailand from falling). Bangkok was an R&R spot not only for mil, but also agency folks.

 

Some of the old guys ended up being used as extras when The Deer Hunter was filmed, in the scene when Christopher Walken goes out drinking.

[norfolkandchance]

11 hours ago, billd766 said:

RAF El Adem was the worst camp I ever went to on detachment twice a year for live firing practice.

 

How anybody ever managed a 2 year posting without going loopy, I could never understand.

RAF Masirah 76-77 unaccompanied till it closed down. Herc arrived once month with pink landrovers and troops. Spot of R&R and then back to the fray on the mainland.

Last two tours before demob spent on 31/617. LF and APC twice a year in Deci.

[billd766]

5 minutes ago, norfolkandchance said:

RAF Masirah 76-77 unaccompanied till it closed down. Herc arrived once month with pink landrovers and troops. Spot of R&R and then back to the fray on the mainland.

Last two tours before demob spent on 31/617. LF and APC twice a year in Deci.

We used to send a Beverly down route once a week in 1963/64. Fortunately I never got a jolly down there. I was on a 1 year singly tour at RAF Bahrain back then.

[kingstonkid]

On 1/20/2025 at 3:57 PM, PomPolo said:

Hahaha thank god it is not just me that notices this, funny you should say that I also met a getaway driver for a bank robbery last year.

 

Hey don't forget the Vietnam vets who settled here instead of going home LOL

 

There used to be a lot of them, but they have passed on

[tmd5855]

On 1/20/2025 at 4:10 PM, Utalk2mutt said:

Ex serviceman here and whilst I worked closely with them throughout my career mainly from a logistics perspective if someone claims they were SAS it is highly unlikely they ever were. These guys are the crème del la crème, highly disciplined and will not discuss their careers in any way. Lots of BS spread around by wannabes.

You are correct, they will not comment even when you know they are former SAS.

Worked for a drilling company who had me posted to a rig offshore Damman, Saudi in 2014. 

Where one of a few Brits and surprised to see the safety officer were a very quiet, laid back guy who I had to deal with while teaching/instructing Saudi's.

The office had let slip he were ex SAS and that the company had been approached to have him onboard, tried chatting with him and admitted he were an ex-Para after telling him about my elder brother who were ex 'B' company '2' Para

(Brother is 75 this year, I am in my 70th year)

Spoke with him every day and all I got out of him were an e-mail address, while he had my Thai/Uk mobile numbers and work history.  Then he just disappeared, never returned to the rig answered an email then nothing.  Office guys info were sketchy.

 

So any bull<deleted>ting blokes advertising they are ex SAS, get told I were a door gunner on the Shuttle Atlantis during the "Moon Wars", lost a lot of good mates.

Confuses the <deleted> out them....

[tmd5855]

On 1/24/2025 at 10:20 AM, billd766 said:

We used to send a Beverly down route once a week in 1963/64. Fortunately I never got a jolly down there. I was on a 1 year singly tour at RAF Bahrain back then.

Beverly.  Jeez you are old.

Big brother did his first jumps from one of them before shuffling off the back of a Hercules.

 

Some old blokes on here??

 

[tmd5855]

On 1/23/2025 at 2:28 PM, rocketboy2 said:

Met a few ex special forces guys in pattaya over the years.

Mr. Chang.

Mr. Singha.

Mr. Heineken.

Mr. Guinness.

You forget these.

Mr Sangsom

Mr Hongthom

Mr LongGon

Mr Lhakhow.

 

All have been in Thailand so long they have gone "Bush", there ex special forces dogs are called 'Leo'

[billd766]

1 hour ago, tmd5855 said:

Beverly.  Jeez you are old.

Big brother did his first jumps from one of them before shuffling off the back of a Hercules.

 

Some old blokes on here??

 

Well I am 80, and I first worked on Beverley's back in 1962 at RAF Thorney Island on 242 OCU. Clock up 25 years, Boy and Man, and thoroughly enjoyed it, apart from 4 month long jolly's to El Adem.

[PomPolo]

Brilliant response to this everyone, some good humour, very interesting and funny stories in there 🙂
The only thing I am surprised about is nobody posted:
"I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you"
🤣

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, PomPolo said:

Brilliant response to this everyone, some good humour, very interesting and funny stories in there 🙂
The only thing I am surprised about is nobody posted:
"I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you"
🤣

My dad was a commando during the war. many of the SAS were from commando units. Like many have said he never spoke about his service, even to family. From an old photo I knew he was 9th commando but everything else came from Mr Google. This is him at the Spean Bridge memorial about 25 years ago.

[PomPolo]

15 minutes ago, sandyf said:

My dad was a commando during the war. many of the SAS were from commando units. Like many have said he never spoke about his service, even to family. From an old photo I knew he was 9th commando but everything else came from Mr Google. This is him at the Spean Bridge memorial about 25 years ago.

A true hero @sandyf I don't think any of the posters would disagree with that one.

[Acharn]

When I used to hang out in the Thermae, most Americans I met claimed to have been Delta Force, LRRP (U.S. Marine Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol), Seal Team 6 or Special Forces. One guy even claimed to have served in the Phoenix Program, apparently thinking killing a lot of innocent people was a good thing. My good friend and I were the only two I knew who were normal; he was an avionics repairman in the Delta and I was a personnel sergeant in III Corps.