1st SAS girl: My blood and tears

Blackleaf

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Oct 9, 2004
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1st SAS girl: My blood and tears




Superfit ... Rachel in her combat gear - and civvies. The SAS undergo the toughest training of any army in the world. To join the SAS, you have to be THE very best. At the end of the third week of training, she was one of only just 20 remaining
Pictures: PAUL EDWARDS



By TOM NEWTON DUNN
Defence Editor
October 23, 2006


A STUNNING blonde who was one of the first two girl soldiers picked for the SAS told of her battle to join the Who Dares Wins regiment yesterday.

Fitness fanatic Rachel Kelsey astonished top brass by completing gruelling endurance tests for the elite force.

But despite her “blood and tears”, Rachel and another girl recruit were pulled out of training at the last minute — as chiefs got cold feet about them joining.

Rachel said of the tough selection course, which included treks of up to 23 miles carrying full kit: “As the only women in a group of almost 200 very fit men, we stuck out like sore thumbs.

“I was amazed to see the fittest guys I’d ever seen give up.

“Some were unlucky and got injuries. Others were booted off because they weren’t fast enough.

“Every single day when I got up I was convinced it would be my last. I was mystified that I still seemed to be making the grade.

“The worst moment came for me when my blisters got so bad that the rubbing tore my skin away and exposed a lot of raw flesh. I could feel the blood filling up my boots. The pain was so bad it made me cry. But that just spurred me on further because I was determined that none of the men should see me like that.” Londoner Rachel and her female comrade were among JUST TWENTY soldiers left at the end of the third week.


Admiration ... Ex SAS Andy McNab (whose face we won't reveal) meets Rachel

thesun.co.uk
 
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