British Pathfinders

[pardus]

 

[pardus]

Pathfinder Platoon in Afghanistan.

 

[Ravage]

Saw the Afghanistan vid, very informative. Also intresting to see the Jackal not perform in the harsh conditions - guess in th eend of the day equipment breaks down....

 

[dknob]

Wow.. awesome documentary. One of my favorites I've seen so far.

What a hard group of guys! Much respect. The concept of just rolling out in 5 vehicles into the desert for 6 weeks and resupplying via different FOBs in the AO is legit as fuck! I can't name any US units that actually do that.

 

[Crusader74]

Most end up in the SAS...hard as nails..

 

[dknob]

Most end up in the SAS...hard as nails..

you can tell!

 

[pardus]

Most end up in the SAS...hard as nails..

The selection course for the Pathfinders is pretty similar to SAS selection, very tough lads indeed.

 

[SpitfireV]

I always thought they were part of the Parachute Regiment. Didn't realise they were 16 Abn Brg.

 

[pardus]

I was told when I spoke with recruiters in the UK that as I was too old to join the Paras, I could join another branch, then go Pathfinder. Upon leaving the Pathfinders I would have the option to go to the Para Reg.

 

[SpitfireV]

:ehh:
"You can't join directly, you're too old, but if you sign up...here you can go there later, when you're not too old of course"

 

[AWP]

I always thought they were part of the Parachute Regiment. Didn't realise they were 16 Abn Brg.

Didn't they do a re-org a few years ago and that's when things changed? Like you I thought they were a Regt. asset and not a Brg. asset, but my cloudy memory says the UK did a re-organization earlier this year that could have changed things.

That or I need more coffee.

 

[pardus]

My convo with the recruiter was back in 2001 (ish), Pathfinders were separate then.

 

[Poccington]

Last I checked they were still a Bde asset.

Tough bastards all the same.

 

[digrar]

The Brigade had a pathfinder platoon until 77, then the onus was put onto the Battalions to have their own path finder platoons. The Brigade decided to re raise another pathfinder platoon (although it's probably closer to company size) in 85. The original one after WW2 was the precursor for G Squadron 22 SAS.

 

[pardus]

The Brigade had a pathfinder platoon until 77, then the onus was put onto the Battalions to have their own path finder platoons. The Brigade decided to re raise another pathfinder platoon (although it's probably closer to company size) in 85. The original one after WW2 was the precursor for G Squadron 22 SAS.

Are you sure about that, G squadron was Guards brigade based I thought.

 

[digrar]

That would have only been a cut and paste job, but here is another.

Post war the Regular Army's parachute force was reduced to the 16 Parachute Brigade. To provide this formation with a pathfinder capacity the Guards Independent Parachute Company was formed in 1948 on the disbandment of Composite Guards Parachute Battalion.[4] The Company deployed on a wide variety of operations between 1948 and 1977. It was deployed to Borneo during the Borneo Confrontation where it was used provide reinforcement to the SAS and its professional performance resulted in the formation of G Sqn of that regiment in 1966.[1][2]

1. ^ Peter Dickens. Secret War In South East Asia. Greenhill Books. p. 211. "In September, however, the Guards Independent Parachute Company under Major L.G.S. Head were allowed across the Sabah border to act offensively... ...This professional performance and others were to result in the formation of 'G' Squadron in 1966"
2. ^ Tony Geraghty (1980). Who Dares Wins. Arms and Armour Press. p. 52. "-while the Parachute Brigade's Guards Independent (Pathfinder) Company was sent to Borneo to learn something like an SAS role on the job (as was the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment). Later the Guards Company would provide the nucleus of the new G Squadron."

 

[pardus]

Cool, thanks for that.

 

[AWP]

Awesome necropost, pardus!

 

[pardus]

I'm a medic, I won't let it die!