Special Sub-Topic: The Australian Special Air Service Authored by: YoungSmart Sub-topic of: Australian Military

The Australian SASR roots go back to the British SAS in WW2. How many years after the end of WW2 (1945) was the Australian SAS created?

12, the Aus SASR was created in 1957. The Australian Special Air Service Regiment was raised in Western Australia, 1957 with 53 servicemen!

Of the following, what is closest to the SASR's present day (circa 2003) primary role in Australia's defence force?

Elite Anti Terrorism/Counter Terrorism force capable of dealing with hostage situations. Whilst all of the above answers, except "help train young....", are in the SASR inventory, their main objective has been refined to Counter Terrorism.

In the jungle of Vietnam, the SAS (with the NZSAS) had a phenominal war record. A good way of showing this is by how many were killed to how many the SAS killed. So how many Aus SASR (and NZSAS) troopers were killed, and how many confirmed kills did they have?

1 SAS killed, 500 enemy killed. In 5 years of jungle fighting the SASR and NZSAS killed 500 enemy for the loss of 1 man (with 27 wounded)

Still in Vietnam, what was the price put on the heads of any SASR soldier?

U.S. $5,000. This was for any SASR soldier, dead or alive.

During Vietnam, the VC (VietCong) called the Aus SASR Ma Rung. Which of the following is closest to the translation?

Phantoms of the Jungle. A tribute to their fine work in the jungle. They were feared by all enemy.

A member of the SASR won a Victorian Cross during the Tet Offensive?

f. The only Victorian Crosses awarded to Australians during the war were to members of the AATTV (Australian Army Training Team Vietnam). Four members were awarded the Victorian Cross.

The Australian SAS barracks are in which state or territory?

Western Australia. They are based at Campbell Barracks, Swanbourne, Western Australia.

The beret that SASR recruits recieve once they have succesfully passed selection is what color?

Sand. Orginally it was a red beret with the crossed rifles of the Australian Infantry Corps.

During the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (2001-2003), how many Australian SAS troops were killed?

1. An SASR Sergeant's vehicle hit a land mine in Afghanistan! Our thoughts go out to his family.

Australia, Britain and New Zealand are the only countries to have ever had an SAS unit?

f. During the Second World War their were 5 SAS formations, of which 2 were French and 1 was Belgian. After 1945 the two French (the 3rd and 4th SAS) units went into the 2e Régiment Chasseur Parachutistes and 3e Régiment Chasseur Parachutistes respectively. Later, Rhodesia also had the SAS, who had a long and distinguished career with the Rhodesioan military.