The 1st New Zealand Special Air Service Regiment, abbreviated as 1 NZSAS Regt, is the special forces unit of the New Zealand Army, closely modelled on the British Special Air Service (SAS). It was formed on 7 July 1955. It traces its origins to the Second World War and the famous Long Range Desert Group that New Zealanders served with.
The New Zealand Government states that NZSAS is the "premier combat unit of the New Zealand Defence Force" and it has been operationally deployed to locations including the Pacific region, Afghanistan, and the jungles of South-East Asia. Individual members of the NZSAS have received honours and awards, most notably the Victoria Cross for New Zealand awarded to Corporal Willie Apiata. In 2004, the unit was awarded the United States Presidential Unit Citation for its contribution in Afghanistan.
The NZSAS was accorded regimental status in 2013. It has the responsibility of conducting counter-terrorism and overseas special operations and performing the disposal of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive hazards for military and civilian authorities.
History The NZSAS can trace its roots back to the famous Long Range Desert Group, a British/Commonwealth army unit which fought in the North African desert in World War II. New Zealanders also served in the original Special Air Service force during World . In February 1955, it was decided by the New Zealand Government that a squadron based on the British Special Air Service should be formed as part of the New Zealand Army, as an effective and economic contribution to the Far East Strategic Reserve and the British counter-insurgency effort in Malaya. Major Frank Rennie was appointed to form and command the unit, with the decision having been made to recruit mainly from the general public around a cadre of Regular Force personnel. Applicants had to be single, under six-foot (183 cm), weigh less than 185lbs (85kg), have their own teeth, good eyesight, and no criminal record. Over 800 applied, from which 182, including 138 civilians (though 101 had previous military experience) were selected for training beginning in June 1955. In late 1957, soon after the squadron's return to New Zealand from Malaya, the unit was disbanded, having been operationally replaced by an infantry battalion. The NZSAS was re-established in October 1959, with the unit celebrating its 50th Jubilee from 3–12 June 2005.
The NZSAS were granted the Freedom of the Borough of Thames on 27 September 1967.
As part of changes the NZDF's command structure, the 1st New Zealand Special Air Service Regiment was transferred to the command of the new Special Operations Component Command(New Zealand) on 1 July 2015
Unit location When the unit was first established in 1955, prior to the departure to Malaya all training was conducted at Waiouru Military Camp. Upon re-establishment of the squadron in October 1959, it was based at Papakura Military Camp, until the unit was relocated to Hobsonville Air Force Base in the mid-1990s, however the NZSAS Counter-Terrorism and demolitions training facilities remained at Papakura and Ardmore Military Camps. In 2001–2002 a new facility for the unit was built at Papakura Military Camp. The facility was named 'Rennie Lines', after the founding NZSAS Commanding Officer Major Frank Rennie and officially opened on 14 December 2002. The Battle Training Facility (BTF) was officially opened on 8 April 2016 in the Ardmore Military Training Area for counter-terrorist training to replace facilities over 30 years old.
Unit designation On 1 May 1955, after the Cabinet had given its approval the 'New Zealand Special Air Service Squadron' was formally established. From 24 August 1963 the unit was renamed to '1 Ranger Squadron New Zealand Special Air Service', in recognition of the 'Forest Rangers' who fought in the New Zealand Wars being one of New Zealand's first Special Forces units. The unit reverted to '1st New Zealand Special Air Service Squadron' on 1 April 1978. From 1 January 1985 the unit was known as '1st New Zealand Special Air Services Group' until its re-designation as a Regiment before February 2013.
Dress distinctions When the unit was established in 1955, approval was given for members to wear a maroon beret. The maroon beret was chosen as it was the then colour of the British Special Air Service beret. However, the British changed their beret colour to ecru (sandy-coloured) in late 1957, the same colour as had been worn by the SAS during the early stages of World . On 19 December 1985, approval was granted by the (then) New Zealand chief of general staff, Major General John Mace, who had previously deployed to Malaya with the original NZSAS Squadron, for the NZSAS to switch from maroon to the sandy-coloured beret worn by other Commonwealth Special Air Service units. A parade was held on 21 March 1986 to formally hand the new beret over to the unit.
To show the close association between the NZSAS and the British Special Air Service, members of NZSAS are authorised to wear black rank on all orders of dress except mess dress and to wear black web belts whenever web belts are ordered to be worn.
Retention issues In January 2024, The New Zealand Herald reported that the NZSAS was facing staff retention issues, with NZSAS members reportedly being offered NZ$30,000 in cash payments to dissuade them from leaving the unit. By May 2025, the NZSAS had disbanded its counter-terrorism commando unit, D Squadron, due to a high staff turnover rate. The New Zealand Police assumed its counter-terrorism role, with the NZSAS A and B Squadrons being placed on stand-by for counter-terrorism operations beyond the capabilities of the Police. By September 2026, the Herald was reporting that B Squadron had been reduced to a few operators. According to the journalist David Fisher, NZSAS and other New Zealand Defence Force personnel were being attracted to work as private military and security contactors due to lucrative salaries exceeding public service salaries.
Operational deployments Malaya 1955–57
On 20 November 1955 the NZSAS Squadron departed from New Zealand and after completing parachute training in Changi, Singapore, a 133-strong NZSAS Squadron was attached to the British SAS in Malaya. After undertaking jungle training in the rugged mountains of Perak, the squadron went on to spend approximately 18 of the 24 months it was in Malaya operating in the jungle to fight against pro-independence guerrillas of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA), the armed wing of the Malayan Communist Party (MCP).
SAS operations in Malaya consisted of going deep into the jungle, locating local people and moving them for their protection, then seeking out MNLA guerrillas in the area and 'destroying' them. From 2 April 1956 when the New Zealand Squadron became operational it was deployed to the Fort Brooke area, bordering the states of Perak and Kelantan. From late 1956 the squadron operated in the 'mountainous' area of Negri Sembilan, between the towns of Seremban, Kuala Pilah, and Tampin. In both locations the squadron was involved in successful operations eliminating the local MNLA groups. During the two-year tour New Zealand patrols were involved in 14 separate engagements with the MNLA, killing fifteen, capturing one and taking the surrender of nine others. The squadron suffered two fatalities. On 2 May 1956 while patrolling, Trooper A.R. Thomas was fatally wounded, and on 11 May 1957 Corporal A.G. Buchanan died of heat stroke while on patrol. The squadron returned home in December 1957. Within the NZSAS, they are known as 'the Originals'.
Thailand 1962
At the request of the Royal Thai Government a detachment of 30 men were stationed in Thailand from 2 June to 16 September 1962 during the Laotian crisis. The detachment was split into two Troops, with one working with United States Special Forces and the Marines at Udon in the north-east and the other deployed with a reinforced United States Army battle group at Khao in the central region. Neither Troop took part in any operations involving action against the enemy, but the deployment provided the detachment with an opportunity to train in jungle and mounted operations while working with American and Thai forces.
Borneo 1965–66
In late 1964, during the Indonesian Confrontation (Konfrontasi) in West Malaysia, the New Zealand Government authorised the deployment of a New Zealand Special Air Service detachment to assist with countering Indonesian Communist insurgents in Borneo. The unit was deployed alongside its British and Australian Special Air Service counterparts. The Detachments served under the operational command of the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment and were employed on reconnaissance tasks and ambushing operations including Operation Claret crossborder operations. These involved crossing the border into Indonesia to gain intelligence information and later deter the Indonesians from infiltrating across the border into Borneo.
In February 1965, the first detachment of 40 men under the command of Major W.J.D. (Bill) Meldrum, known as 1 Detachment, 1st Ranger Squadron, New Zealand Special Air Service, departed for Malaysia. However, as a result of a perceived operational security breach Meldrum was replaced by Major Brian Worsnop from 3 April 1965. After a period of training with 22 SAS, 1 Detachment inserted its initial patrols on 8 April 1965. 1 Detachment carried out patrols, stopping for a training break from June to July 1965, until it was replaced by 2 Detachment on 11 October 1965. 2 Detachment was commanded by Major Rod Dearing and again composed of 40 men. It performed similar tasks to 1 Detachment; 2 Detachment's later patrols were conducted in the Sabah area, "particularly rugged, steep and rocky". The detachment was withdrawn from operations on 10 February 1966, and was replaced by 3 Detachment which was commanded by Major David Ogilvy, who had previously deployed to Malaya with the original NZSAS Squadron. 3 Detachment conducted patrols from February, with the Detachment's last patrol conducted over the period 16 to 28 May 1966, which was also the last CLARET patrol conducted by the NZSAS. 4 Detachment arrived in Borneo in June 1966 under the command of Major David Moloney, just after CLARET operations had been stopped. As a result, this Detachment was utilised to continue a 'hearts-and-minds' campaign to gain support of local Punan tribes living near the border. On 12 August 1966 a formal peace treaty was signed by Indonesia and Malaysia and with the Confrontation finally at an end, 4 Detachment officially became non-operational on 9 September 1966. However the Detachment remained in Borneo until October 1966 before it returned to New Zealand.
Vietnam 1968–71
On 16 November 1968, a Troop from 1 Ranger Squadron, NZSAS known as 4 Troop, New Zealand Special Air Service, was deployed to the Republic of South Vietnam. The Troop consisting of one officer and 25 other ranks was based in Nui Dat, South Vietnam and served in the 1st Australian Task Force, attached to the Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) which had arrived in 1966. Up until October 1968 the Australian SAS were performing a much wider and more aggressive range of actions, however, the new task force commander who took over reverted the SAS role to intelligence gathering and some ambush patrols. After a build-up period, the first New Zealand commanded patrol commenced on 7 January 1969. The SAS squadrons supported the Australian and New Zealand infantry forces in Operation Goodward during January. At the end of February a new rotation of Australian SAS arrived and joint-operations continued.