The Soldiers of The IX

The Special Boat Service

The Special Boat Service

Less well-known than their army counterparts, the Special Boat Service is the UK's naval Special Forces unit. Although the SBS is part of UK Special Forces – along with the SAS, SRR and SFSG – and its application can be made from members of the Army, Royal Air Force of Royal Navy, the vast majority of SBS operators tend to come from the Royal Marine Commandos.

History.

The SBS began its history during World War 2 as the Special Boat Section, an Army commando unit tasked with amphibious operations. The men of the fledging unit were not particularly well trained or equipped but they were enthusiastic, resourceful and cunning. Usually working in 2 man groups, paddling ashore on canoes launched from submarine motherships, the teams would seek out and sabotage high value targets such as rail and communication lines. The first of such raids took place along the shores of Italy and the Mediterranean islands.

The fledging special operations force also developed anti-shipping skills, using canoes to sneak into harbors and plant limpet mines on the hulls of enemy ships. In November 1942, one group of Royal Marines, who were to become known as 'The Cockleshell Heroes', carried out an audacious attack on German shipping, a raid that took them far up the Gironde river where they sank 4 enemy ships.

Their expertise at clandestine infiltration made the SBS the perfect choice for inserting and extracting secret agents in the European theatre and this was a task they carried out many times throughout the course of the war.

1950s - Korea

The Korean war saw the SBS teaming up with specially formed 41 Independent Commando Royal Marines and the US Army to create a joint raiding force. Operation Double Eagle was to conduct sabotage missions along the Korean coast, launching raids from submarines and warships. Railway lines, tunnels, bridges and general targets of opportunity were all blown up by the raiding parties, damaging the North Korean's lines of supply and communications.

The Cold War

The Special Boat Squadron, as it was then known, was kept busy during the long standoff between East & West. Known activities include:

• Inserting and extracting agents from Eastern Bloc coastlines.
• Intelligence gathering on Russian naval capabilities. An example of this is when a pair of SBS divers covertly photographed and examined the hull of a new Russian Battlecruiser when it docked in the port of Gibraltar.
• Role playing - along with the SAS, SBS would frequently play the role of Soviet Spetznaz (Special Forces) troops in mock attacks on NATO installations. Some believe that these exercises caused an overestimation of the Spetznaz's capabilities.
• Coastline Reconnaissance - beaches and harbors of potential hotspots around the world were clandestinely examined with the aim of preparing the way for amphibious landings.
• Training - SBS teams passed on their expertise to cold war allies and strategic friends. Amongst those instructed included the U.S. Navy Seals and the Sha of Iran's Naval Special Forces.

1970s - Counter Terrorism

The seventies saw a dramatic rise in terrorism throughout the world with politically motivated attacks in the Middle East and Europe. In 1975 Britain resolved to be ready to react to and prevent any acts of terrorism against its interests. The SBS were given the maritime counter terrorism role (MCT), with responsibility for protecting sea ports, ferries, cruise ships and oil platforms. The Special Air Service (SAS) would respond to all other incidents. In the event of very large installations being taken by terrorists, such as nuclear power plants, a combined response of SAS/SBS would be mustered.

In 1979 the increase in off-shore oil installations prompted the formation of 'Commachio Company', 300 Royal Marines trained to respond to terrorist incidents amongst North Sea oil fields. The SBS provided a section, 1SBS, to Commachio Company, whilst another stayed at Poole to cover all other MCT responsibilities.

1982 - The Falklands Conflict

The SBS saw action in the South Atlantic in 1982 when Britain retook the Falklands from the Argentineans. They carried out reconnaissance weeks ahead of the arrival of the main task force, laying up in hides cut into the barren landscape. The SBS, along with the SAS and Royal Marines were responsible for retaking South Georgia, which although militarily insignificant, was a great morale boost for both the approaching task force and the British public.

The night before the planned landing of British forces at San Carlos, the SBS cleared Fanning Head, a hill that overlooked San Carlos Bay. The Argentinean defenders were shelled up by Naval Gunfire whilst the SBS assault force were flown in. After calls for the Argentineans to surrender were answered with gunfire, the SBS attacked, killing 12 and taken more prisoners. This was a small but vital operation. The Argentineans on Fanning Head were manning heavy weapons that could have been brought to bear on the landing force.

Another notable incident occurred when a force of SBS assaulted an Argentinean spy trawler that had been shadowing the British fleet. The ship had been damaged by bombs and cannon fire from an earlier attack by Navy Sea Harriers and was listing badly when the assault force arrived in 2 Sea King helicopters. Using techniques developed for maritime counter terrorism, the SBS assault team fast-roped onto the deck and quickly secured the ship without any shots fired. Along with the shaken crew, vital intelligence documents were also retrieved and flown back to the fleet. This was the first air-to-ship storming of a hostile vessel in military history.

Towards the end of the conflict, with British forces closing on the capital, Port Stanley, a joint SBS/SAS mission was launched against Stanley harbor. The plan was to put in a diversionary attack from the sea, to draw Argentinean forces and attention away from the main defensive line. 

1987 - Formation Of M Squadron

The SBS's counter terrorism role is expanded with the amalgamation of 2 existing SBS sections into M squadron which now took over the MCT role from Commachio Company.

The SBS becomes the Special Boat Service and is taken under control of UKSF, an organization comprising the SAS, SBS and 14th Intelligence Company. All 3 services come under control of the Directorate of Special Forces (DSF).

Since then, the SBS have been active at many garden spots around the world.

You might be wondering what it takes to join such an elite force? Here’s a condensed précis of the selection procedure:

Qualification

To be eligible for selection, a candidate must be male, and must have have served in the military for at least 18 months and have 3 years left to serve.

Joint Selection

Stage 1 - Special Forces Briefing Course (2 Days)

Candidates are shown what to expect as a Special Forces soldier with a series of lectures and tests. Basic skills such as swimming, map reading and basic fitness are tested.

Stage 2 - Endurance (4 Weeks)

Kicking off endurance is a Battle Fitness Test which weeds out anyone without a basic level of fitness.
Designed to test fitness and determination, the first 3 weeks of selection take place amongst the barren hills of the Brecon Beacons in Wales. A series of timed marches is undertaken. Wearing heavy bergens, candidates must navigate themselves over the steep hills along a series of way points. Endurance not only tests stamina, but also the ability to keep going whilst suffering inevitable blisters, cramps and the tender affections of the frequently harsh climate. Over the 3 weeks, the marches get progressively longer, and the bergens get heavier. The climax of this phase is known as 'the long drag' - a 40 km march that must be completed in less that 20 hours.

Stage 3 - Initial Continuation Training (4 Weeks)

Basic SF skills of weapon handling, patrolling and demolitions are taught. Candidates who can't absorb and apply these skills are RTU'd. (Returned to Unit).

Stage 4 - Jungle Training

In the heart of thick rainforests in Belize, UKSF jungle training pushes the candidates to their limits of endurance. The particular skills needed to meet the demands of navigating, patrolling, fighting and surviving in dense jungle are taught and practiced. A series of exercises tests the student's ability to apply what they have learned.

Stage 5 - Combat Survival (4 weeks)

Combat survival features a series of lectures on escape and evasion techniques, followed by exercises in which the candidates are hunted down and captured by other troops (often Royal Marines or Parachute Regiment). Once captured, students are subjected to intense interrogation. Whilst waiting for tactical questioning (TQ), candidates are placed in stress positions, deprived of food and water and sleep and subjected to white noise. They are then interrogated and must only give their name, serial number, date of birth and rank. All other questions must be answered with a stock reply : 'I cannot answer that question'.

After Joint Selection

The few that make it through the 1st 5 stages of selection have achieved a major milestone. And this is where our candidates’ part ways. Those wishing to join the SAS are awarded their beige beret and then assigned a squadron and troop.

However, SBS candidates go on to face a final – and extremely rigorous – section which tests their ability in the water.

Swimmer Canoeist (SC3) Training Course

The SC3 course involves training in diving in all conditions, canoeing (often over long distances), underwater demolitions, beach reconnaissance and surveying techniques. Any man that has reached this stage of selection is technically in the SBS but is considered under probation and subject to being RTU'd if he fails to measure up.

If he passes that probation . . . the world is his oyster!

That completes our roundup of the soldiers of The IX. I hope you enjoyed the tour. Be sure to look out for aspects of the details we've discussed the next time you read any of the current books from the IX Series, as I'm sure you'll be delighted to spot them in the way each group of soldiers operate under the harsh conditions they face. 

And remember - Fight or Die! Death is only the beginning of the adventure. . .

The Soldiers of The IX

The United States Calvary

United States Cavalry

I found it surprisingly difficult to find the information I needed regarding the United States Cavalry, especially for the time period covering the events mentioned within The IX.

So, much of what you will read pertains to the history and development of such units.

America raised cavalry units for service during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Because of the great expense in maintaining mounted units these were not retained in the service afterwards and no longstanding traditions developed around them. In the forested lands of the East and where travel by river was common, mounted troops were not seen as having any advantages over ordinary infantry.

Prior to 1832 the only mounted units that served with the U.S. Army were state militia units who were called up for brief tours of service during emergencies. These units were limited to 90-days of service by law and lacked the skills and training needed to function as first class cavalry units. Once the plains became more populated the lack of mobility of infantry became a problem and in June of 1832 Congress approved a Battalion of Mounted Rangers. This experiment proved successful, and on March 2, 1833 Congress authorized a larger unit which this time was called The Regiment of U.S. Dragoons. Most European armies had dragoons, who were originally mounted infantry and structured and trained similarly to infantry units. Over time they evolved towards being light cavalry and Congress may have not been particular in its choice of the word “Dragoon” rather than “Cavalry” in naming the unit. Additional regiments of mounted troops were approved in the following years including one named the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen who were armed with the Model 1841 rifle rather than the more common musket of the period.

It was not until 1855 that the U.S. Army created units that were actually called cavalry. At the time of their creation they were distinct in being armed with Colt Navy pattern pistols, a new-fangled weapon for its time, but one that soon proved its worth. By the outbreak of the Civil War the regular army had five mounted regiments; two each of dragoons and cavalry and one of mounted riflemen. In August 1861 it was decided to rename all these units 'cavalry'. and they were numbered according to their seniority.
During the American Civil War additional volunteer cavalry were raised by various states and mustered into federal service. (272 regiments in all).
Early in the war, the then Major General Commanding the Army, Winfield Scott, discouraged the formation and acceptance of cavalry, his logic being the time and training it took to produce such soldiers when the war would be short. However, the later success of the Southern cavalry units soon changed opinion, and his policy was eventually reversed.

Early in the war Federal cavalry was judged not to have been the equals of the Confederates and was not used effectively. Stuart literally rode circles around the Union Army, frustrating the Union command and garnering a lot of publicity. However, what he achieved in the long run was a determination by his enemy to improve their cavalry arm, and by the 1863 Battle of Brandy Station it was Stuart who was surprised and given a bloody nose by the newly invigorated Union cavalry. Although the Confederates held the field and ultimately launched the Gettysburg campaign, the experience may have encouraged Stuart to try to regain his reputation with an over-extended raid that increasingly took him farther away from the main body of the Confederate Army of Robert E. Lee. His raid contributed to his ultimate failure to arrive on the battlefield in a timely manner and did little damage to the Union Army both materially or psychologically. When he did arrive he was checked by an equally aggressive (perhaps to the point of recklessness) Union cavalry leader in the person of George Armstrong Custer. Toward the end of the war the Union cavalry mounted destructive raids into southern territory, were armed with newly invented breach loading carbines that the industrial base of the South could not match and had perfected massive remount and veterinary capabilities that kept its troopers in the saddle and its artillery horses in their traces. The Confederate cavalry, on the other hand, was running out of horseflesh and found itself outnumbered and on the defensive. One can only wonder if Lee had had a better cavalry force available at the time of Appomattox might he have been able to slip away. However, the fate of the Confederacy was sealed before the first gun was fired, and the war would have ended with a Union victory so long as the northern population preserved the will to fight and had effective leadership.

During the Second World War tanks or assault guns were often rushed to the front and committed to combat with the paint barely dry so long as crews were available. This is not the case with cavalry mounts in the 19th Century. Immature and untrained horses are useless as cavalry mounts, and since wars last only so long they have to be fought with the existing inventory of animals. Combat, poor care, disease, stress, inadequate diet, lack of forage, hard road surfaces and carelessness all took their toll on horse flesh and the armies used up a large numbers of horses and mules. The price of animals steadily increased during the war, and there were standards written for purchasing agents of the quartermaster corps to follow in judging the fitness of the animals for service. The war did not distinguish between civilian and military horses either. Both armies often filched horses from civilians when operating in enemy territory. This was done both to supply the needs of the service but more important to deny their use to the enemy. At the end of the Civil War the Army sold its surplus of 104,000 horses at public auction.

With the end of the Civil War the United States embarked on a course of economic growth and westward expansion. In 1866 Congress authorized a total of 10 regiments of cavalry plus a corps of Native American Scouts. The 9th and the 10th Cavalry Regiments were composed of African-American soldiers and acquired the nickname of “Buffalo Soldiers.” In 1868 this force was scattered among some 59 outposts across the western states. Life was hard and conditions primitive. One cavalry officer commented in his memoirs that he never knew of any man, soldier or civilian, in the region who died a natural death. This was the period of the Indian Wars and cavalry units were employed were pursuing a foe who possessed a warrior ethos, superb horsemanship skills, superior knowledge of local conditions, and most surprisingly, often superior weapons purchased from white traders. The Native American tribes, despite their well-known successes such as the Fetterman Fight or the Little Bighorn, were as doomed as was the Confederacy to inevitable subjugation by sheer weight of numbers and persistence. The last act of hostility between Native American warriors and U.S. soldiers was the December 29, 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre which pitted the 7th Cavalry Regiment against a band of Lakota Sioux Indian including many women and children. Neither side was looking for a fight but a misunderstanding while the soldiers attempted to disarm the Indians touched off a fusillade of gunfire and the following massacre. It would be wrong to say that the Native Americans did not put up resistance or that soldiers did not die, but for the most part the characterization of the event as a massacre of Indians is accurate in that the soldiers fired on all the assembled natives indiscriminately. Even the Army was uncomfortable with the events, and General Nelson Miles, commander of the Department of the Missouri, denounced the colonel of the 7th Cavalry and relieved him of command.

As you know, I invented a fictitious long range reconnaissance patrol – the 5^th Company, 2^nd Mounted Rifles – who I thought would be a superb forum to bridge the gap between the ancient Roman army and the modern-day Special Forces team. To add the ‘real life’ factor, I thought it would be a nice idea to tie this improvised unit into our chronological timeline by committing them to a never reported special mission, vital to the actual peace treaty proposed by Abraham Lincoln when he was a Presidential candidate. That allowed me to introduce fictional characters linked to other persons from recorded history; Captain James Houston in particular who features broadly throughout the trilogy.

That completes this week’s overview of the soldiers of The IX. Next week, we’ll remind ourselves of the smallest contingent to be snatched away to Arden. The Special Forces guys of the Special Boat Service.