The Sun.
The new Special Forces Support Group.
An elite tri-service group of Marines, Paras and RAF soldiers is ready for action to back up SAS squadrons on global missions, it was announced yesterday.
But the new Special Forces Support Group, has already tasted its OWN blood during a mass brawl in a nightclub.
Cops were called to separate up to 60 troops slugging it out in a cap badge rivalry punch-up which left many sporting black eyes and cuts.
A source said: “It was the Para boys versus the RAF — and the Paras won about 30-nil. They filled the guys in.”
The fight in Dover, Kent, involved crack soldiers individually hand-picked for their expertise who are meant to be above squaddie punch-ups.
The row began in a pub after RAF Regiment members bragged about how they beat the Royal Marines section of the unit in a tactics test.
The Paras came to the Marines’ defence and ended with both groups squaring up to each other in a back room of nightclub Studio 1.
The source added: “It serves them right for blabbing their mouths off over how good they thought they were, and they won’t be doing it again in a hurry.
“This sort of thing is only to be expected when you put so many blokes who are the best at what they do together in a unit like this. Everyone is used to being the king of the castle so it is inevitable there will be a clash of egos. Hopefully things will now settle down so everyone can get on with the day job.”
Clubber Jay Mackey, 18, said: “Loads of girls got involved in the fight, including my friend who was punched in the face and got a black eye.
“It was like a mass brawl. There were about 60 people involved.”
A manager at the club added: “It happened in the back room. Our own security broke it up.”
In a botched cover-up, red-faced MoD officials first tried to deny the fight. But they were forced to admit there was “a scuffle” after Kent Police confirmed the punch up.
PC Philip Harvey-Hendley told The Sun: “There was an incident in the nightclub between two sets of soldiers.”
Defence Secretary John Reid told MPs the battalion will “enhance the capability” of other British forces.
The SFSG is the third of three new special forces units created in response to new challenges posed by the War on Terror, to join the SAS and SBS.
It follows the creation last year of the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, which will concentrate on intelligence gathering — and 18 (UKSF) Signals Regiment, who provide communications.
thesun.co.uk
The new Special Forces Support Group.
An elite tri-service group of Marines, Paras and RAF soldiers is ready for action to back up SAS squadrons on global missions, it was announced yesterday.
But the new Special Forces Support Group, has already tasted its OWN blood during a mass brawl in a nightclub.
Cops were called to separate up to 60 troops slugging it out in a cap badge rivalry punch-up which left many sporting black eyes and cuts.
A source said: “It was the Para boys versus the RAF — and the Paras won about 30-nil. They filled the guys in.”
The fight in Dover, Kent, involved crack soldiers individually hand-picked for their expertise who are meant to be above squaddie punch-ups.
The row began in a pub after RAF Regiment members bragged about how they beat the Royal Marines section of the unit in a tactics test.
The Paras came to the Marines’ defence and ended with both groups squaring up to each other in a back room of nightclub Studio 1.
The source added: “It serves them right for blabbing their mouths off over how good they thought they were, and they won’t be doing it again in a hurry.
“This sort of thing is only to be expected when you put so many blokes who are the best at what they do together in a unit like this. Everyone is used to being the king of the castle so it is inevitable there will be a clash of egos. Hopefully things will now settle down so everyone can get on with the day job.”
Clubber Jay Mackey, 18, said: “Loads of girls got involved in the fight, including my friend who was punched in the face and got a black eye.
“It was like a mass brawl. There were about 60 people involved.”
A manager at the club added: “It happened in the back room. Our own security broke it up.”
In a botched cover-up, red-faced MoD officials first tried to deny the fight. But they were forced to admit there was “a scuffle” after Kent Police confirmed the punch up.
PC Philip Harvey-Hendley told The Sun: “There was an incident in the nightclub between two sets of soldiers.”
Defence Secretary John Reid told MPs the battalion will “enhance the capability” of other British forces.
The SFSG is the third of three new special forces units created in response to new challenges posed by the War on Terror, to join the SAS and SBS.
It follows the creation last year of the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, which will concentrate on intelligence gathering — and 18 (UKSF) Signals Regiment, who provide communications.
thesun.co.uk
