The platforms : an examination of New Zealand Special Air Service campaigns from Borneo 'confrontation' to the Vietnam War, 1965-1971 : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Defence and Strategic Studies at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Loading...
Date
2009
DOI
Open Access Location
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Massey University
Rights
The Author
Abstract
In 1955, the New Zealand Government authorised the creation of a Special Forces
unit to operate with British counterparts in Malaya to defeat a communist-inspired
guerrilla insurgency. Between 1956 and 1971 elements of the New Zealand Special
Air Service (SAS) were deployed on active service four times. These operational
deployments included periods of time in Malaya, Thailand, Borneo and South
Vietnam. The research illustrates the chronological progression of the New Zealand
SAS through two of its most influential active service campaigns by examining how
commitments to the Borneo ‘Confrontation’ in 1965 and 1966 directly and indirectly
influenced the deployment to South Vietnam between December 1968 and February
1971.
The mission of the New Zealand SAS in South Vietnam was to ‘assist in providing
long range reconnaissance patrols’ that would support the larger infantry elements in
defeating the Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army enemy. New Zealand SAS
soldiers participated in 169 Australian SAS patrols in South Vietnam. Of those, 137
were commanded by the New Zealanders themselves. The research describes what
the New Zealand SAS encountered during nearly two and a half years in South
Vietnam; from the tactical intensity associated with small five-man patrols often
observing or contacting much larger enemy formations, to the uncompromising
professional standards that were expected of all members regardless of situation or
circumstances and the influences of experienced Patrol Commanders, and the
frustrations and inflexibility which characterised the relationship with their Australian
counterparts.
The research also further examines the underlying issue of overall strategic success
and value of a small nationally-identifiable and strongly independent military unit that
was compelled to operate under the command of larger Special Forces coalition
counterparts and the impact different political, doctrinal, tactical cultural and
cognitive characteristics had on these joint-operational deployments. The size of the
New Zealand SAS contribution to the Australian SAS Squadron combined with the
command arrangements placed upon it, also dictated that the deployments were never
likely to be able to exert influence in any ‘independent’ or nationally-identifiable
sense, and the relationships, the types of patrol operations conducted, and the value of
these operations, would ultimately see many New Zealand SAS veterans largely
dissatisfied with the overall performance of the deployment.
Nevertheless, the strength of New Zealand SAS operations in South Vietnam came
from its practical application of unique New Zealand Special Forces methodology and
field-craft which had been fundamentally shaped and developed in Borneo. The New
Zealand SAS operations in South Vietnam and Borneo - the demonstration of the
highest standards of patrol techniques, tracking, reconnaissance, ambushing and fire
discipline, and above all, operational professionalism that has been the hallmark of
New Zealand's military history – provided the evolutionary ‘platforms’ from which
today’s highly skilled and enviable New Zealand Special Forces have emerged.
Description
Keywords
New Zealand Special Air Service, New Zealand SAS, Malaya, Thailand, Borneo, South Vietnam, Military history