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Britain
Rangers Return to British Army
2004-12-20
December 20, 2004: Britain has decided to copy the United States and create a battalion of rangers.
They get all the best toys. Plus, chicks dig Rangers.
Britain wants to use the rangers for the same purposes; to provide some mobile and well trained muscle to back up commando operations. Currently, Britain uses parachute or marine battalions for these tasks. But, as the United States has discovered, it's much more effective to create an elite infantry unit just for this purpose. Britain will take one battalion of their paratroopers and retrain them for this purpose. Britain will call the unit rangers. The original rangers, after which the American rangers are named, were actually a British unit. The first rangers (long range scouts, or "ranging men"), were American colonists, led by American Major Robert Rogers, fighting for Britain during the French & Indian war (1750s). When the American Revolution came along (1776), the rangers fought for the British, not against them (as one of many loyalist units). The rangers were revived during World War II as American versions of the British commandos. However, the American "commandos", while they had some successes, did not do well enough to be kept on after World War II. They were revived during the Korean war as long range scouts and commandos, but then disbanded. Same thing was going to happen during and after the Vietnam war. But instead, in 1974, the first battalion of modern (as they are now) rangers were created. So the rangers have come full circle, beginning in British service, and now returning to British service. The United States has three battalions of rangers.
I thought the SAS regiment was the British equivilant of the Rangers?
Posted by:Steve

#9  SAS/SBS is more like our SEAL teams than anything else.
Posted by: OldSpook   2004-12-20 11:52:03 AM  

#8  SAS/SBS is more like our SEAL teams than anything else.
Posted by: OldSpook   2004-12-20 11:52:03 AM  

#7  OK, this is what I was thinking about:
TA SAS and R Squadron
In 1947 the Artists Rifles was combined with 21 SAS to form 21 SAS (Artists) Vounteers.The 2 and one in 21 stood for 1 and 2 SAS (in reversed order). In 1959 23 SAS was born, a unit made up of the former MI-9 escape experts of World War II. The two Territorial Army SAS Regiments are still 21 and 23 SAS. These Regiments train to the limits like their sister unit, 22 SAS. They are made up of Territorial volunteers. A civilian can attempt to join the ranks of either 21 or 23 SAS. The two Regiments war time role is long range recon. Each squadron also has a member of 22 SAS attached to it. In early 1990's the TA SAS sent some of it's men to Bosnia to act as peacekeepers to help relieve the SAS of such tasks. This was done so 22 SAS could continue with missions, such as hunting down war criminals and performing reconnaissance(1). The team was a mixed group of volunteers from 21 and 23 SAS.
21 SAS is based in London. It does however have squadrons spread over much of England including: Dulwich, Hitchin, Bramley, and Newport. 23 SAS is based in Birmingham with other squadrons in Manchester,Leeds, Newcastle, Dundee, and Glasgow. The two regiments were cut from 5 squadrons a piece to only three in 1994.
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Although the wartime role of the TA SAS is long range reconnaissance, TA SAS soldiers have been known to train in CQB as well.23 SAS is also tasked with CSAR. The soldiers are taught about foreign weapons and explosives. They are also given extensive medical and communications training. These last to skills are essential for LRR patrols to master, since they would usually be operating deep behind enemy lines with little or no support. TA soldiers have recently been allowed to go to Jungle Warfare school in Belize, a school which is thought to also except TA SAS soldiers. Training in winter warfare is also taught to TA SAS soldiers; either in Norway or in the highlands of Scotland. The TA SAS used to send its troops to the International Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol School in Weingarten, Germany. However it is believed that this school is now closed.

That's why I thought that the TA SAS Regiment was the British version of the Rangers.
Posted by: Steve   2004-12-20 2:35:33 PM  

#6  So it took the Brits over 250 years to figure out that Robert Rogers was right. I wonder what happens when they discover those miracle workers, Sheridan, Sherman and George H. Thomas?
Posted by: Anonymoose   2004-12-20 12:33:17 PM  

#5  Pretty amusing, since we originally got the idea for the Rangers from the British Commandos in WW Deuce...
Posted by: mojo   2004-12-20 11:59:40 AM  

#4  SAS/SBS is more like our SEAL teams than anything else.
Posted by: OldSpook   2004-12-20 11:52:03 AM  

#3  I was under the impression that the SAS came in two flavors; the regular territorial SAS regiment, which operated openly like our Rangers, and the special operations SAS, which specialized in the black arts.
Posted by: Steve   2004-12-20 11:51:36 AM  

#2  The SAS is the equivalent of Satans hitmen.
Posted by: Shipman   2004-12-20 10:55:58 AM  

#1  I think the SAS would maybe be more like our special forces ... green berets, seals, delta force, etc.
Posted by: legolas   2004-12-20 10:54:46 AM  

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