The history of British special forces SAS and the legend of Captain Price in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

British special forces SAS (Special Air Service) are an elite unit of the British Army, specialized in reconnaissance, sabotage, counter-terrorism and unconventional warfare operations.

Their motto is “Whoever dares wins”.

The SAS was established on a voluntary basis in 1941, under the command of David Stirling.

Initially, it was called “Detachment L” and had ambush and sabotage missions behind the front in North Africa and organized disinformation and undermining the morale of the Nazi enemy.

After the Second World War, the SAS was disbanded and re-established several times until it became part of the United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) in 1987.

The UKSF also includes other special units such as the Special Boat Service (SBS) – the special forces unit of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy and the Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR).

The SAS has one active regiment (22 SAS) and two reserve regiments (21 SAS and 23 SAS).

The 22nd SAS regiment is organized into four squadrons, each squadron having four crews of 16 soldiers each. Each crew specializes in one area: mountaineering, parachuting, amphibious operations or mobility operations with vehicles and heavy weapons

To join the SAS, candidates must go through a rigorous selection process that tests their military skills, physical fitness, endurance, initiative and will. The selection lasts about six months and has a very high failure rate. Those who succeed become members of one of the most prestigious and effective special forces in the world

The SAS participated in numerous conflicts and missions in various areas of the globe.

Among the most famous are:

• the intervention of the Iranian Embassy in London in 1980, when they freed 26 hostages taken by terrorists;
• the Falkland Islands War in 1982, when they destroyed Argentine planes at Pebble Island Airport;
• the Gulf War in 1991, when they raided Iraqi Scud missile facilities;
• the war in Afghanistan after 2001, when they fought against the Taliban and al-Qaeda;
• the Iraq war after 2003, when they captured leaders of Saddam Hussein’s regime and fought the insurgency

SAS is recognized for its professionalism, courage and efficiency.

He received numerous awards and medals for his acts of bravery.

It also influenced the formation of other special forces in the world, such as Delta Force from the USA or GIGN from France

SAS is subject to a strict confidentiality policy from the British government.

Its members are not allowed to divulge details about their missions.

There is little official information about their activity and much rumor and speculation.

Some of these have been revealed by former SAS members who have written books or given interviews, but not all are true or complete.

CHARACTER Captain Price from the Call of Duty Modern Warfare video game series developed by Activision was inspired by a real soldier: John McAleese.

McAleese was a member of the British SAS special forces who participated in the 1980 rescue of hostages from the Iranian Embassy in London.

He was one of those who placed the explosive at the embassy window and entered the building to neutralize the terrorists.

McAleese had an impressive career and a distinctive moustache, which were taken over by the character in the game.

The character of Captain Price is also influenced by other popular culture sources, such as the film A Bridge Too Far, in which a British officer named Price appears with a similar moustache.

Additionally, Price’s moniker, Bravo Six, is a reference to the movie Platoon, in which Captain Harris has the same moniker.

The character Captain Price first appeared in the 2003 Call of Duty game as an SAS officer during World War II.

He returned in Call of Duty 2 as a captain of the 7th Armored Division.

In Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the character was reimagined as a modern-day SAS captain involved in the fight against jihadist terrorism.

He went on to appear in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 as a leader of an international force called Task Force 141 during World War III between the United States of America and Russian ultranationalists .

In 2019, the character was revamped again in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which takes place in an alternate timeline and in a more realistic setting.

This time, he is played by actor Barry Sloane.

Source – Britannica