DARE TO WIN HBDJ NEW ZEALAND SPECIAL AIR SERVICE NZ SAS MALAYA BORNEO VIETNAM WEAPONS EQUIPMENT UNIFORMS

HARDBOUND BOOK with DUSTJACKET by W.D. BAKER (106 PAGES)

INTRODUCTION (WW2 LONG RANGE DESERT RECONNAISSANCE GROUP LRDG � NORTH AFRICA, DAVID STIRLING)

BUILDING THE SAS (PAPAKURA ARMY CAMP)

SELECTION AND TRAINING (PRE-SELECTION COURSE, SWIMMING TEST, WEAPONS TRAINING, SELECTION COURSE, UNARMED COMBAT, FIELD CRAFT, LAND NAVIGATION. ROCK CLIMBING)

SPECIALIST ROLES (COUNTER-TERRORIST, PARACHUTE TRAINING, BOAT TROOP, TRACKING, DIVING, TERRITORIAL FORCE)

WEAPONS, EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORMS (MINIMI LIGHT MACHINE GUN LMG, STERLING MACHINE CARBINE, M79 GRENADE LAUNCHER, L4A1 BREN, L7A1, ENFIELD NUMBER 5 Mk.I, ENFIELD NUMBER 4 Mk.I, L1A1 SLR, M16A1 RIFLEPARKER-HALE 1220 TX SNIPER RIFLE, AUG, SHOTGUNS, PISTOLS, BROWNIN G9mm, GRENADES, EXPLOSIVES, VEHiCLES, PARACHTES, DIVING EQUIPMENT, PACKS, INFLATABLES ,KLEPPERS, SERVICE DRESS WINTER, SERVICE DRESS SUMMER, WORKING DRESS, COMBAT DRESS

MALAYA 1955-57

THAILAND 1962

BORNEO 1965-66

VIETNAM 1968-71

THE NZSAS � PAST & FUTURE

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Additional Information from Internet Encyclopedia

The New Zealand Special Air Service, abbreviated as the NZSAS, was formed on 7 July 1955 and is the special forces unit of the New Zealand Army, closely modelled on the British Special Air Service (SAS). It traces its origins to the Second World War and the famous Long Range Desert Group that New Zealanders served with.

The New Zealand Government states that NZSAS is the "premier combat unit of the New Zealand Defence Force" and it has been operationally deployed to locations including the Pacific region, Afghanistan and the jungles of South-East Asia. Individual members of the NZSAS have received honours and awards, most notably the Victoria Cross for New Zealand awarded to Corporal Willie Apiata. In 2004, the unit was awarded the United States Presidential Unit Citation for its contribution in Afghanistan.

The NZSAS was accorded regimental status in 2013. It has the responsibility of conducting counter-terrorism and overseas special operations, and performing the disposal of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive hazards for military and civilian authorities.

On 20 November 1955 the NZSAS Squadron departed from New Zealand and after completing parachute training in Changi, Singapore, a 133-strong NZSAS Squadron was attached to the British SAS in Malaya.[26] After undertaking jungle training in the rugged mountains of Perak, the Squadron went on to spend approximately 18 of the 24 months it was in Malaya operating in the jungle against communist insurgents.

SAS operations in Malaya consisted of going deep into the jungle, locating local people and moving them for their protection, then seeking out terrorists in the area and 'destroying' them.[28] From 2 April 1956 when the New Zealand Squadron became operational it was deployed to the Fort Brooke area, bordering the states of Perak and Kelantan.[29] From late 1956 the Squadron operated in the 'mountainous' area of Negri Sembilan,[30] between the towns of Seremban, Kuala Pilah, and Tampin. In both locations the squadron was involved in successful operations eliminating the local Malayan Races Liberation Army groups.[31] During the two-year tour New Zealand patrols were involved in 14 separate engagements with the enemy, killing fifteen, capturing one and taking the surrender of nine others.[6] The Squadron suffered two fatalities. On 2 May 1956 while patrolling, Trooper A.R. Thomas was fatally wounded,[32] and on 11 May 1957 Corporal A.G. Buchanan died of heat stroke while on patrol.[33] The Squadron returned home in December 1957.

At the request of the Royal Thai Government a detachment of 30 men were stationed in Thailand from 2 June to 16 September 1962 during the Laotian crisis.[34] The detachment was split into two Troops, with one working with United States Special Forces and the Marines at Udon in the north-east and the other deployed with a reinforced United States Army battle group at Khao in the central region.[35] Neither Troop took part in any operations involving action against the enemy, but the deployment provided the detachment with an opportunity to train in jungle and mounted operations while working with American and Thai forces.

In late 1964, during the Indonesian Confrontation (Konfrontasi) in West Malaysia, the New Zealand Government authorised the deployment of a New Zealand Special Air Service detachment[37] to assist with countering Indonesian Communist insurgents in Borneo. The unit was deployed alongside its British and Australian Special Air Service counterparts.[38] The Detachments served under the operational command of the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment and were employed on reconnaissance tasks and ambushing operations[39] including CLARET operations. These involved crossing the border into Indonesia to gain intelligence information, and later, to deter the Indonesians from infiltrating across the border into Borneo.

In February 1965, the first detachment of 40 men under the command of Major W.J.D. (Bill) Meldrum, known as 1 Detachment, 1st Ranger Squadron, New Zealand Special Air Service, departed for Malaysia.[38] However, as a result of a perceived operational security breach Meldrum was replaced by Major Brian Worsnop from 3 April 1965.[41] After a period of training with 22 SAS, 1 Detachment inserted its initial patrols on 8 April 1965.[42] 1 Detachment carried out patrols, stopping for a training break from June to July 1965, until it was replaced by 2 Detachment on 11 October 1965.[43] 2 Detachment was commanded by Major Rod Dearing and again considered of 40 men. It performed similar tasks to 1 Detachment, 2 Detachments later patrols were conducted in the Sabah area which was "particularly rugged, steep and rocky".[44] The detachment was withdrawn from operations on 10 February 1966,[45] and was replaced by 3 Detachment which was commanded by Major David Ogilvy, who had previously deployed to Malaya with the original NZSAS Squadron.[45] 3 Detachment conducted patrols from February, with Detachment's last patrol conducted over the period 16 to 28 May 1966,[46] which was also the last CLARET patrol conducted by the NZSAS.[47] 4 Detachment arrived in Borneo in June 1966 under the command of Major David Moloney, just after CLARET operations had been stopped.[48] As a result, this Detachment was utilised to continue a 'hearts-and-mind' campaign to gain support of local Punan tribes living near the border.[48] On 12 August 1966 a formal peace treaty was signed by Indonesia and Malaysia[49] and with the Confrontation finally at an end, 4 Detachment officially became non-operational on 9 September 1966. However the Detachment remained in Borneo until October 1966 before it returned to New Zealand.

On 16 November 1968, a Troop from 1 Ranger Squadron, NZSAS known as 4 Troop, New Zealand Special Air Service, was deployed to the Republic of South Vietnam.[51] The Troop consisting of one officer and 25 other ranks,[51] was based in Nui Dat, South Vietnam and served in the 1st Australian Task Force, attached to the Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR).[52] The troopers were primarily employed on Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrols (LRRP) to collect information for 1ATF and were sometimes additionally tasked to conduct ambushes of communist forces.[53] After a build-up period, the first New Zealand commanded patrol commenced on 7 January 1969.

Each tour of duty in South Vietnam was for 12 months. At the end of each year, the Troop was replaced by another Troop from 1 Ranger Squadron, NZSAS.[53] The first Troop was commanded by Captain Terry Culley, this Troop was replaced in full in late 1969 by a Troop commanded by Captain Graye Shattky. Members of this first replacement Troop took part in an operational Squadron parachute insertion on 15�16 December 1969.[55] The final rotation occurred in late 1970, when the Troop was again replaced by a new body of men commanded by Second Lieutenant Jack Hayes.[56] 4 Troop was withdrawn from South Vietnam on 20 February 1971, as a part of the New Zealand Government's withdrawal policy.[57] On 14 January 1970 Sergeant G.J. Campbell was killed in action, being the first and only fatal NZSAS casualty during the unit's time in Vietnam[58] with otherwise four wounded.

The NZSAS did a total of 155 patrols in their 26 months of service in Vietnam[60] and it was a NZ patrol that made the last contact with enemy forces before Australian and New Zealand SAS operations ceased, killing two Viet Cong soldiers north-west of Thua Tich on 4 February 1971.