E Squadron: The Most Secretive Special Forces Unit in The World?

Send us Fan Mail In one specific section of his book, Tomlinson details that to qualify for the Increment, a certain amount of time must be served with MI6: “...SAS and SBS personnel must have served for at least five years and have reached the rank of sergeant. They are security vetted by MI6 and given a short induction course into the function and objectives of the service. If they have not already learnt surveillance skills, they take a three-week course at the Fort. Back at their bases in Hereford and Poole, their already substantial military skills are fine-tuned. They learn how to use improvised explosives and sabotage techniques, as well as advanced VIP protection skills, study guerilla warfare organisation and practise advanced insertion techniques - for example, high-altitude parachuting from commercial aircraft or covert landings from submarines. Advanced civilian qualifications are acquired: several of the SBS Increment have commercial ship's skipper’s tickets in their alias name, enabling them legally to hire, say, a fishing trawler.” Recruiters for E Squadron are also known to choose a wide variety of individuals to fill their vacancies, hiring from countries such as Fiji, Malta and Jamaica, as well as British citizens of India, Yemen and Nigeria, to name a few. Additionally, women are also regularly recruited in these positions, with hired individuals needing to be able to fit in anywhere, easily, with one source telling The Sun, “Women are often the best at this sort of work. If a group of blokes turns up, it always looks suspicious. We haven’t had a female Bond in the films, but there are already lots in real life.” Welcome to Wars of the World.... Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices