History
The unit's creation stems from the need to provide infantry support to the United Kingdom Special Forces, which became evident after the Battle of Tora Bora during which two Special Air Service (SAS) squadrons assaulted the al-Qaeda cave complex. Previously, this support was carried out on an ad hoc basis, with infantry units assisting special forces teams when needed.
During Operation Barras in Sierra Leone, soldiers from 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment were deployed alongside troops from the Special Boat Service (SBS) and D Squadron SAS. This was successful, as the SAS soldiers attacked the encampment containing the hostages while the soldiers from The Parachute Regiment attacked a second encampment.
In December 2004, it was announced that a unit would be formalised for this role as part of the wider future army structure. It was initially conceived as a battalion of "Rangers", similar to the United States Army Rangers.
The SFSG's formation was announced officially by the then Secretary of State for Defence John Reid in Parliament on 20 April 2006. Following the announcement, it was reported that a company of SFSG soldiers was operating in Iraq as part of the US-led Task Force 145.
As of late 2008 SFSG personnel have received two Military Crosses, one Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service, two Mentions in Despatches and 12 Joint Commander's Commendations. In August 2009, three soldiers from the SFSG were killed by a roadside bomb while on patrol near Lashkar Gar, Southern Afghanistan. A fourth soldier from the same patrol was injured in the explosion. In December 2009, an SFSG soldier was killed as a result of a suspected improvised explosive device in Sangin, Afghanistan.
Read more about this topic: Special Forces Support Group
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