Special Boat Service

Special Boat Service

The Special Boat Service is the maritime special forces unit of the United Kingdom Special Forces. Most of the operations conducted by the SBS are highly classified, and are rarely commented on by the British government or the Ministry of Defence, owing to their sensitive nature. The unit has traditionally been manned mostly by Royal Marines Commandos.

About Special Boat Service in brief

Summary Special Boat ServiceThe Special Boat Service is the maritime special forces unit of the United Kingdom Special Forces. The SBS can trace its origins back to the Second World War when the Army Special Boat Section was formed in 1940. Most of the operations conducted by the SBS are highly classified, and are rarely commented on by the British government or the Ministry of Defence, owing to their sensitive nature. The unit has traditionally been manned mostly by Royal Marines Commandos. It is described as the sister unit. of the British Army 22nd Special Air Service Regiment. Both units come under the operational command of HQ Directorate of Special Forces and undergo an identical selection process. They enjoy significant interoperability in training and on operations. The operational capabilities of the S BS and the SAS are broadly similar. However, the Sbs has the additional training and equipment required to lead in the maritime, amphibious and riverine environments. In April 1943, 1st SBS was divided with 250 men from the SAS joining the Small Scale Raiding Force to form the Special Boat Squadron under the command of Major Earl Jellicoe. They later trained with the Greek Sacred Regiment for operations in the Aegean Sea and the Battle of Leros. In November 2003, the unit was given their own cap badge with the motto \”By Strength and Guile\”. This follows opening up recruitment to all three services of the UK Armed Forces.

It was under command of Royal Marines Major Herbert ‘Blondie’ Hasler with the second in command of Captain D. J. Stewart as RMBPD. The Royal Marines Boom Patrol Detachment was formed on 6 July 1942, and based at Southsea, Portsmouth. The detachment consisted of 34 men and was based at Lumps Fort Fort Fort Lumps at nights and often exercised in the harbour at nights. They operated among the Dodecanese and Cyclades groups of islands in the Dodekan Campaign and took part in the Battle. of Lecos and Battle of the Leros in 1943. In September 1942 eight men of the. SBS carried out Operation Anglo, a raid on two airfields on the island of Rhodes; all but two of the men were captured after carrying out their mission. In December 1941, No1 SBS became attached to the Special. Air Service as the Folboat Section. In June 1942 they took part. in the Crete airfield raids, and later joined the SAS. They were absorbed into the SAS due to the heavy casualties they had suffered. in April 1943. They moved to Haifa, Greece, and trained with. the Sacred Regiment of the Sacred Band of Kos. In August 1943, they joined the. SAS to form Special Boat Squadrons under theCommando Major Earl. Jelliccoe and Major D.J. Stewart. In January 1944, they moved to the Greek island of Haifa and trained in the Sacred Sacred Band. In May 1945, they became part of the Greek Army Sacred Band for operations.