Rhodesian Special Air Service

Rhodesian Special Air Service
Flaming sword symbol of the SAS
Active	1951 – December 31, 1980
Country	Rhodesia
Allegiance	British Empire (until 1965)  Rhodesia (1965–70)  Republic of Rhodesia (1970–79)  Zimbabwe Rhodesia (1979)
Branch	Rhodesian Army
Type	Special Forces
Motto(s)	Who Dares Wins
Colors	Light Blue
Engagements	Malayan Emergency Northern Rhodesia Aden Rhodesian Bush War

The Rhodesian Special Air Service or Rhodesian SAS refers to:

C Squadron, Special Air Service Regiment was formed during the Malayan Emergency by volunteers from Rhodesia. It was disbanded in 1953 and became the nucleus of "C" Squadron (Rhodesian) Special Air Service, operational from 1961. In June 1978 "C" Squadron (Rhodesian) Special Air Service became 1 (Rhodesian) Special Air Service Regiment until Rhodesia became Zimbabwe in 1980.

During the Malayan campaign (1951–1953), a group of men from Southern Rhodesia volunteered to go to Malaya and were initially known as "The Far East Volunteer Group" later to become the Malayan Scouts. While in Malaya, they became "C" Squadron (Malayan Scouts) of the already formed "A", "B" Squadron of the British SAS. When "C" Squadron concluded their tour of duty they came back to Southern Rhodesia and the unit was disbanded.

The formation of the Rhodesian SAS goes back to November 1959 when it was decided in the Federal Assembly to form a Parachute Evaluation Detachment to examine the practicalities of military parachuting and parachute training in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, with a view to the possible formation of an airborne unit. This was announced by the then Federal Minister of Defence John Moore Caldicott, but it was Sir Roy Welensky who was the reported driving force behind the reforming of what was to become the SAS.

In 1960 a detachment of RAF arrived under Squadron Leader E. Minter to conduct the training of the Parachute Evaluation Detachment (PED). By March 1960, the PED was complete and those on the course were presented their wings by the said Minister of Defence. The "experiment" was a complete success and in July decided to form a regular European Special Air Services Squadron. In late 1960, No 1 Training Unit was formed, and once assembled and trained they would form the nucleus of what was to become: 1 Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI) and "C" Squadron SAS.