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28-678: Until the late 1990s, candidates for the SAS and SBS underwent selection separately. Selection is held twice per year, in the summer and in the winter. Typically, less than 10% of candidates make it through the selection process. To be eligible for selection, a candidate must be under the age of 32, have served in the military for at least two years, have three years left to serve and be recommended for service in UKSF by their Commanding Officer (CO). This five-day programme tests basic fitness and skills such as swimming and map reading. The swim test consists of

56-471: A high water entry (10 m), treading water for 9 minutes, followed immediately by a 500 m timed swim, then a 10 m underwater swim to recover a small weight from the bottom of the water. Candidates are interviewed individually on their motivation for joining UKSF. The Aptitude Phase, commonly referred to as Hills Phase, takes place in the Brecon Beacons , with candidates based at Sennybridge Camp . This

84-467: A member of a four-soldier jungle long-range reconnaissance patrol (LRRP), deep behind enemy lines, for a month. Chris Ryan , former sergeant in the SAS, credits this training for saving his life after his patrol, callsign Bravo Two Zero , was compromised while conducting a reconnaissance patrol north of Baghdad . Ryan was forced to trek 300 km through the Iraqi desert to cross the border into Syria. This

112-470: A mountain range in Wales. The range includes South Wales's highest mountain, Pen y Fan (886 metres (2,907 ft)), its twin summit Corn Du (873 metres (2,864 ft)), and Craig Gwaun Taf (826 metres (2,710 ft)), which are the three highest peaks in the range. The Brecon Beacons have given their name to the larger Brecon Beacons National Park , and the range itself is therefore sometimes known as

140-618: A squadron leader from 2005, the School comprised 5 Flights. Military Training Flight is responsible for training all Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force airborne forces in static line training disciplines up to 12 000 ft. Specialist Training Flight is responsible for free fall parachute training and all static line parachuting that requires the use of oxygen. Instructor Training Flight teaches Parachute Jumping Instructors in all parachuting disciplines. Adventurous Training Flight delivers adventurous training courses to all Services through

168-704: Is located two miles (3 km) north of Merthyr Tydfil town centre. The Brecon Beacons are used for training members of the UK armed forces and military reservists . The Army ’s Infantry Battle School is located at Brecon, and the Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Service use the area to test the fitness of applicants. An exercise unique to the area is the ' Fan dance ', which takes place on Pen y Fan. In July 2013 three soldiers died from overheating or heatstroke on an SAS selection exercise. An army captain had been found dead on Corn Du earlier in

196-674: Is run by the Brecon Mountain Railway. The railway is a 1 ft  11 + 3 ⁄ 4  in ( 603 mm ) narrow gauge tourist railway on the south side of the Brecon Beacons range. It climbs northwards from Pant along the full length of the Pontsticill Reservoir (also called 'Taf Fechan' reservoir by Welsh Water ) and continues past the adjoining Pentwyn Reservoir to Torpantau railway station . The railway's starting point at Pant

224-481: Is the endurance and navigation portion of selection and tests for physical fitness, mental determination, and capacity for self-sufficiency. The Hills Phase lasts 4 weeks, with candidates having to perform increasingly difficult loaded marches , navigating between checkpoints individually using only a compass and hand-drawn sketch map. Exercise High Walk, known as the Fan Dance , is a 26 km march that takes place at

252-526: Is the lowest, and the other two nearly of a height, they are sometimes called Cader Arthur or Arthur's chair'. This implies that "Brecknock Beacons" referred to only three summits, including Pen y Fan and Corn Du. To distinguish the Brecons Beacons range from the national park, the range is sometimes called the "Central Beacons". The Brecon Beacons comprises six main peaks, which from west to east are: Corn Du, 873 metres (2,864 ft); Pen y Fan,

280-522: The Central Beacons to differentiate the two. The name Bannau Brycheiniog is first attested in the sixteenth century, and 'Brecon Beacons' first occurs in the eighteenth century as "Brecknock Beacons". Bannau Brycheiniog derives from the Welsh bannau , "peaks", and Brycheiniog , the name of an early medieval kingdom which covered the area. The English name is derived from the Welsh one; in

308-616: The Special Operations Executive , both men and women were also given parachute training by No.1 PTS to enable those who were to be dropped into occupied territory to do so safely. To maintain secrecy, these men and women were accommodated in separate secure premises in Bowdon and Styal and were trained in select groups. No.1 PTS moved from Ringway to RAF Upper Heyford on 28 March 1946 and has been based at RAF Brize Norton since moving from RAF Abingdon , where it

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336-760: The Agriculture of the County of Brecknock refers to 'the Vann, or Brecknock Beacon, the undisputed sovereign of all the mountains in South Wales', and an 1839 tithe map of Cantref parish labels the mountain simply 'Beacon'. A slightly wider definition was used in 1809 by the Breconshire historian Theophilus Jones , who wrote that 'of the lofty summits of the Brecknock Beacons, that most southwards

364-549: The SAS, and RM Poole for the SBS. Soldiers are taught advanced weapon handling with weapons used by UKSF, as well as weapons used by foreign militaries and adversaries. Patrolling, ambush, break contact, close target reconnaissance, demolitions, vehicle handling, close-quarters combat (CQB), battlefield casualty, and dynamic shooting drills are also learnt. Candidates who cannot learn and apply these skills are returned to their unit (RTU). The third phase of selection takes place deep in

392-487: The clock, throughout the day and regardless of the weather conditions. Candidates are forbidden from using paths and trails. Andy McNab , former sergeant in the SAS, stated that at the end of the Hills Phase, his group had gone from 220 down to 24 candidates. The second phase of selection consists of 14 weeks of SF tactics, techniques and procedures training, held at a candidates' respective unit, Stirling Lines for

420-480: The eleventh century the town of Brecon is recorded as 'Brecheniauc', which became "Brecknock" and "Brecon". In a paragraph on Brecknockshire, John Leland 's 1536–1539 Itinerary notes that: Blak Montayne is most famose, for he strecchith, as I have lerned, his rootes on one side within a iiii. or v. myles of Monemuth , and on the other side as nere to Cairmerdin ( Carmarthen ). Though this be al one montayne, yet many partes of him have sundry names. Leland ascribes

448-463: The end of the first week of the phase. It is used as the first major indicator of whether a candidate has the physical and mental aptitude to complete selection. The candidates climb Pen y Fan's west slope (facing Corn Du ) and then descend on the far side, known as Jacob's Ladder. The rest of the route follows the old Roman road, before going back on itself, ascending Pen y Fan again for the return leg. Candidates are allowed 4 hours 10 minutes to complete

476-465: The highest peak, 886 metres (2,907 ft); Cribyn , 795 metres (2,608 ft); Fan y Bîg , 719 metres (2,359 ft); Bwlch y Ddwyallt , 754 metres (2,474 ft); and Waun Rydd , 769 metres (2,523 ft). These summits form a long ridge , and the sections joining the first four form a horseshoe shape around the head of the Taf Fechan , which flows away to the southeast. To the northeast of

504-482: The jungle of Brunei or Belize . Candidates are expected to apply and demonstrate skills learned from continuation training, whilst in an arduous, humid, dirty, wet, hot environment, where toxic and poisonous animals and plants are rife, and a simple cut could lead to a problematic infection. Candidates are watched and assessed constantly by the Directing Staff (DS). Soldiers use live rounds, and simulate being

532-489: The medium of static line and free fall parachuting. In 2009 the School was renamed the Airborne Delivery Wing (ADW), commanded by a wing commander. In 2017, the Airborne Delivery Wing comprised the following Squadrons: Parachute Training Squadron, Performance Development Squadron (included RAF Falcons), HQ and Operations Squadron, Parachute Engineering Squadron and Support Squadron. The RAF Falcons are

560-458: The name "Banne Brekeniauc" to the hills surrounding "Artures Hille" (Pen y Fan), also calling the range the "Banne Hilles". The term "Brecknock Beacons" was used in the eighteenth century and referred to the area around Pen y Fan, which was itself sometimes called 'the (Brecknock) Beacon'. For instance, Emanuel Bowen's A New and accurate map of South Wales (1729) labels the peak as 'The Vann or Brecknock Beacon', John Clark's 1794 General View of

588-418: The only MOD sponsored display team and provide displays around the UK and worldwide and use a Dornier 228 as their dedicated jump platform. A large granite memorial to the existence, personnel and wartime achievements of No.1 PTS is on permanent public display in a small memorial park opposite Olympic House and Terminal 1 at Manchester Airport. Another stone memorial to No.1 PTS is at Tatton Park , located at

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616-461: The ridge, interspersed with long parallel spurs, are four cirques (Welsh: cymoedd , sing. cwm ) or round-headed valleys; from west to east these are Cwm Sere, Cwm Cynwyn, Cwm Oergwm and Cwm Cwareli. The Brecon Beacons range, Fforest Fawr, and Black Mountain form a continuous massif of high ground above 300 metres (1000 feet). The A470 road forms an approximate boundary between the central Beacons and Fforest Fawr. The Brecon Beacons National Park

644-516: The route. In 2013, three Army reservists died while undertaking the Fan Dance. They collapsed at the end of the march, after temperatures soared to 30 °C, while they had carried a rifle and bergen weighing at least 27 kg. This phase culminates with the 'Long Drag', a 64 km trek carrying a 25 kg bergen (not including food, water, and a rifle), that must be completed in under 20 hours, navigating from checkpoint to checkpoint individually and against

672-548: The year after training in freezing weather for the SAS. Airborne Delivery Wing The Airborne Delivery Wing is a Royal Air Force training unit that provides parachute training to all three British Armed Forces. It is based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. It was formed at RAF Ringway , now Manchester Airport , on 21 June 1940 as the Central Landing School and from 1 October 1940 it

700-590: Was based from 1950 to April 1976. Throughout its time in Oxfordshire, No.1 PTS has used the airfield at RAF Weston-on-the-Green , adjacent to the M40 motorway, as its drop zone. Prior to and during the period March 1949 to May 1950 the unit was used additionally for the training of glider pilots. The gliders were Airspeed Horsas, towed by the Dakota transports used for parachute training. (See also article "No 1 Parachute and Glider Training School" of 6 June 2012) Commanded by

728-1155: Was designated as the Parachute Training Squadron of the Central Landing Establishment . Following growth in the unit's task, it became an independent unit as the Parachute Training School on 15 February 1942. Following formation of a second school in India, the name No.1 Parachute Training School (No.1 PTS) was adopted on 27 July 1944. In 2009, the School was renamed the Airborne Delivery Wing. "Knowledge Dispels Fear" Between June 1940 and early 1946, No.1 PTS provided initial training to all 60,000 allied paratroopers who volunteered or were recruited for that role in Europe. In addition to British troops, men from many nationalities trained to jump at RAF Ringway and nearby Tatton Park including Americans, Belgians, Canadians, Czechs, Dutch, French, Norwegian and Poles. Agents of

756-631: Was established in 1957, the third of the three Welsh parks after Snowdonia in 1951 and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in 1952. It covers an area of 519 square miles (1,340 km ), which is much larger than the Brecon Beacons range. Over half of the park is in the south of Powys ; the remainder of the park is split between northwestern Monmouthshire , eastern Carmarthenshire , northern Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil , and very small areas of Blaenau Gwent , and Torfaen . A railway with narrow gauge trains

784-771: Was the longest escape and evasion in the history of the SAS. Mandatory for all UKSF. Operators are trained in High altitude/high opening and High Altitude Low Opening by the Parachute Training Squadron, Airborne Delivery Wing at RAF Brize Norton . For SBS personnel only, the SC3 course involves training and diving in all conditions, canoeing (often over long distances), underwater demolitions, beach reconnaissance and surveying techniques. Brecon Beacons The Brecon Beacons ( Welsh : Bannau Brycheiniog ; [ˈbanai̯ brəˈχei̯njɔɡ] ) are

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