Hidden Amongst The Enemy: Selecting Stay Behind Soldiers

Our guest on Pod #003 is Iain Strachan.  Kev and Colin talk to Iain about joining the Army in 1979 and volunteering for the first stay behind Special Observer 22 week selection course at the height of the cold war in 1982. 

We cover the content of the course, the type of person required and the backgrounds of instructors from units such as the SAS, Commando and Airborne Brigades and Iain discusses SAS legend Geordie Lillico who was an instructor on course 1.  Later on we find out about the  Danish Jaeger Corps selection which he undertook as part of an exchange programme and digress to the legendary Rhodesian Selous Scouts.

In the second half we take a look at Exercise LIONHEART which was the largest field-training exercise for the British Army since 1945 with nearly 58,000 British soldiers and airmen taking part alongside NATO allies.  This exercise was the method of warfare that the Special OP Tp was created for, proved the role was needed and could be built on further.

We finish with Iain's book choice on Desert Island dits Moneyball: The art of winning an unfair game and his film Apocalypse Now.

Recommendations from the team include "My Journey Through The Troubles" a documentary about Northern Ireland and Behind The Lines another documentary about the selection course for the Royal Marines Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre from 1985.  Other books discussed are Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy and Selous Scouts Top Secret War by Peter Stiff.

Find out about the current serving unit at STA Patrols Special Observer.

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