SAS paratroopers with US helmets

[Eric Queen]

Just picked up this original private photo and thought it was pretty cool.

[Eric Queen]

Dark but you can clearly make out the SAS "Those who dare win" winged insignia on the beret.

[Eric Queen]

Isn't this a US T-5 parachute?

[Eric Queen]

And these look like US helmets to me. The are definitely not British. I have never seen any reference to the SAS using US equipment. Have never seen anything like it.

[aussie digger]

Interesting, also looks like US buckle boots.

[Timberwolf]

Also looks like rigger modified M43's pants. Could this have possibly been right before Operation Archway which was to help support the Rhine Crossing, hence the access to a lot of US gear?

[Rolf]

Do you know the time frame of the photo. The British did not use reserve parachutes in WW2. Of course they may have been doing joint training with US airborne.

The Canadians sent men to jump school at Ft. Benning but I don't believe the Brits went there at all. The Canadians didn't form a SAS unit until 1947.

[Eric Queen]

Unfortunately I don't. Can only guess that it is the 44/45 time frame.

 

And yes the British did not use a reserve chute in WW2 which makes it so interesting. I also thought it could be directly post war and using US left behind equipment but I just don't think so. The British had tons of their own equipment left over and I have never seen a photo of a British paratrooper using US gear, regardless of time frame.

[Ronny67]

Look at the Parachute Harness. No quick release, early type. This is Pre-Holland. SAS would have for sure been using up-to-date parachutes.

[paul.j]

I would say its Indochina

[American Graffiti]

Agree Indochina, trousers look like the French m47's

Great picture and mix of kit,

AG

[king802]

British troops were never in Indochina. I'd say this was immediate Post-war training. Pegasus is also being worn.

 

Regular SAS was disbanded in October 1945 - then in 1947 a reserve unit was formed.

The Regiment motto is also "Who Dares Wins".

[Andrei]

Look at the soldier in the background, he is a french para. Those troopers must be SAS from the Demi-Brigade Parachutiste SAS.

British SAS gave the french brigade 1000 para kits, helmets, smocks, webbing etc... prior its departure for Indochina.

[Eric Queen]

The Regiment motto is also "Who Dares Wins".

 

Yes, sorry I was writing from memory. You are of course correct. Thank you.

 

[Eric Queen]

Look at the soldier in the background, he is a french para. Those troopers must be SAS from the Demi-Brigade Parachutiste SAS.

British SAS gave the french brigade 1000 para kits, helmets, smocks, webbing etc... prior its departure for Indochina.

 

Thanks Andrei. That could be possible. Is there any way to confirm if these kits consisted of any US equipment?

[Andrei]

No US equipment in the british kits given to the french SAS brigade. US chutes were the standard equipment of the french airborne. I do not think that any british Type X chutes made it to Indochina.

[Rolf]

Look at the soldier in the background, he is a french para. Those troopers must be SAS from the Demi-Brigade Parachutiste SAS.

British SAS gave the french brigade 1000 para kits, helmets, smocks, webbing etc... prior its departure for Indochina.

 

Good eye, Andrei. Taking a closer second look I now see the trooper in the left background wearing his beret the traditional French style with the flash on the right. The Brits wore their flash over the left eye ... like the central figure.

[Eric Queen]

Also (and I am asking because I simply do not know) did the French SAS ever wear the "who dares wins" insignia on the beret? I was always under the impression that they wore the British wings with the crown cut off (like below)

[Andrei]

Yes, they did but on the maroon beret only.

[Brittroop]

This is a very interesting photo. As other forum members have said, this probably shows French troops in Indochina (or in France training for deployment) in the late 1940s, when they were equipped with old US and British kit, including US M1 helmets and T5 and T7 parachutes. The use of the Pegasus formation sign of British airborne forces results from the fact that two French parachute battalions (2 and 3 RCP) came under the command of the British SAS Brigade in 1944. They became, in British terms, 3 and 4 SAS, although they retained and preferred to use their French designations. They wore a black beret with a de-crowned British metal Parachute Regiment cap badge. This was changed in November 1944 to a maroon beret with a cloth SAS winged dagger badge, in recognition of their bravery during the D-Day campaign. The two battalions were very different. 3e RCP (3 SAS) were former Vichy troops, while 2e RCP (4 SAS) were original Free French forces, and they hated each other intensely. They even pulled their berets to different sides to emphasise their differences - 3 SAS to the right and 4 SAS to the left (although the French SAS never followed many rules of uniformity about where to wear badges or how to wear berets, and many exceptions can be found in photographs). The reason why the photo is so interesting is that, straight after the war, in 1946 the new French Army issued both new red berets and new design cap badges and wings, which were meant to be worn by all para units. Thus it was unusual to see any wartime SAS insignia being worn after 1946, although it did happen. My guess is that this photo is 1946 or 1947, before the reorganisation had taken full effect.

 

By the way, the post war Canadian SAS Company never wore any distinctive SAS insignia at all, and the Australian SAS did not come into existence until 1957. The photo does not show either of those two units.

[kammo-man]

A guy is wearing a Denison to the right.

Great historical shot.

The are French 47 pants.

You can clearly see the closing tab to the front.

owen