Keystone of 22 SAS by Hoe Alan;

Author:Hoe, Alan; [Неизв.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Military
Publisher: Casemate Publishers & Book Distributors, LLC
Published: 2019-04-29T20:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Return to the Jungle

In March 1955 Major John Woodhouse returned to Malaya to witness some changes. No. 22 SAS Regiment was now under command of Lieutenant Colonel George Lea (later lieutenant general). Lea was a big man in every sense of the word; he was not a volunteer for the role of CO but he accepted the job with alacrity and was already stamping his character on the regiment. He was well aware of Woodhouse’s reputation as a jungle warrior, excellent trainer, shrewd tactician and unsurpassed leader. He was mentally debating whether to put him straight into command of one of the British squadrons of which there were now three, or to keep him at RHQ to oversee an increase in strength. In the event the increase was not to happen until later in 1956 when a squadron made up exclusively of members of the Parachute Regiment was established and a New Zealand SAS Squadron was formed and committed to Malaya.

Not only was it a different regiment to which Woodhouse had returned, he was also a different man. His study of Mike Calvert and his methods, the exposure to the ‘Z’ Reservists, his growing relationship with Dare Newell, his understanding of the low esteem in which the SAS was then held by certain departments of the War Office and his periods of quiet reflection in the mountains of Wales and the rolling countryside of Dorset had served to crystallize his thoughts on the future of the SAS. His confidence had grown considerably, and in conversation or debate he made his well-thought-out points forcibly and with eloquence. The Malayan campaign was not going to last forever and though he had no doubt that the efforts of his regiment would become more and more significant as the expertise grew, what would the future hold? The War Office had already ordered the disbandment of the wartime SAS Brigade on the grounds that there would be no requirement in future conflicts for Special Forces; they could just as easily repeat the disbandment order whenever the Malayan campaign came to a conclusion. After all, the current SAS Regiment was manned by jungle fighters with little apparent desire for conventional soldiering. Those thoughts were constantly at the forefront of his mind over the coming years. It was time to think even more deeply about those conversations on the night train and begin to ‘sell’ them as he had advised the regimental officers at the time.

George Lea lived in the officers’ mess in Ampney Road and he and Woodhouse spent much time there in conversation over the first few days. Since Calvert’s departure the SAS had benefited from two very effective commanding officers. Both Lieutenant Colonel John Sloane and Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Brooke had left their mark. The administrative system was, though still far from perfect, much improved and base discipline was significantly better. The regiment now had its own signallers and overall communications were much improved.

The business of parachuting into trees had been perfected and a number of operational jumps had been made without serious injury.

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