NAM.2018-01-30-1

Filmed oral history interview with Anthony ‘Ant’ Middleton, 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers, Royal Marines and Special Boat Service (SBS); interview undertaken by Sophie Stathi, Kate Swann and Dominique Bouchard at the National Army Museum on 18/1/2018. Ant Middleton served in Northern Ireland (1999) and FYROM (2001) with the Royal Engineers, in Afghanistan with 40 Commando Royal Marines in Operation Herrick 7 (2007) and in Afghanistan in 2008 and 2010 with the SBS; subjects include demolishing the Maze prison in Northern Ireland with the Royal Engineers, Special Forces training and selection, motivations for joining, his roles as point man/lead scout and forward air controller in the SBS, women joining the Special Forces, his time in Afghanistan with the SBS and going after high value targets (HVT), the support from his wife during his service and joining as Chief Instructor the Channel 4 programme ‘SAS: Who Dares Wins’; associated with Operation BANNER, Northern Ireland (1969-2007) 1969-2007 and Operation HERRICK, Afghanistan (2001- ) 2002-2014 . [PARTIALLY CLOSED] 4000887 Ant Middleton joined the British Army aged 16. He started in the Royal Engineers with 9 Parachute Squadron, 5 Airborne Brigade. Born in Portsmouth, moved to France at age of ten and had an SAS survival handbook, moved back to England when 16. None of his family were in the Armed forces, but the excitement and independence appealed to Ant. Competitive as a child and teenager. Chose the Royal Engineers to get a trade - Ant was trained as a signaller and a carpenter, something to fall back on just in case the military didn’t suit him; did P Company straight after training; served in Northern Ireland and Macedonia; decided to leave the Army after four years and joined the Royal Marines. Royal Marines - joined at age of 24 and served with 40 Commando in Taunton; deployed to Afghanistan on Herrick 7 as Section Commander. Exposed to war, combat, injury and losing comrades; knew what was coming but couldn’t fully prepare. Northern Ireland - based in Country Antrim; role was to knock down Maze Prison and to help Parachute Regiment with patrols in Belfast. Peacekeeping tour, “hearts and minds”. Macedonia - collecting firearms off local ‘rebels’ to prevent civil war, set up posts where they would hand in their weapons. 4000888 Interest in soldiering was sparked when passed P Company training when in Royal Engineers; received ‘Best Recruit’ and ‘Best PT’ awards during Basic Training; when finished parachute training, role became more trade based than infantry focussed and that’s what influenced him to leave. First tour of Afghanistan with Royal Marines was when he realised he liked being in command and doing “hard-core soldiering”. Did snipers course, reconnaissance course to help him join the Special Forces. Wanted to be a ‘point man’ (first through the door). Spent two years with 40 Commando before going through Special Forces selection. SBS selection - wanted it so much that feels if he had failed he would have left the military altogether; 30-40% pass pre-selection; need athletes standard of fitness and positive mindset; took the process in “bite size chunks”, tried not to look too far ahead; teamwork; very competitive; combat experience gives you an edge, most do three to four years of military experience before going forward for selection; hardest part for Ant was escape and evasion section and Brecon Beacons; favourite part was the continuation training - practising in the Killing House; when you pass selection it’s just the beginning; 202 people in his selection cohort and 14 passed; passing selection was one of proudest moments of his life; chose SBS over SAS because learnt more with the Royal Marines than in the Army, loyalty; story of breaking a wall during escape and evasion section. Escape and evasion now themed around Afghanistan rather than Second World War; thinks he made it through selection because of self belief. Specialisms - on first tour of Afghanistan with SBS, Ant’s role was as point man; within two weeks of passing selection was training for Afghanistan and then 2 weeks later went on six month tour; Royal Marine sniper course; “soldiering but amplified”; talks in detail about role as point man; Special Forces do most dangerous tasks, but most protected. Hostage rescue training - short, sharp, fluid; about saving lives; takes a certain mindset; evidence collecting. Describes what it takes to be an SF soldier and how you build up trust within your troop. Talks about circumstances under which SBS is deployed and their most important role as defenders of the UK’s security. Talks about time with SBS in Afghanistan - example of having to switch roles mid-mission, flicking the switch from strike to hearts and minds. Talks about his role in Afghanistan. Talks about how he misses working in Afghanistan. Need to acknowledge your weaknesses. Relationship between SAS and SBS. Women in the Special Forces - if you can do the job it doesn’t matter what gender you are; you need to earn your place; shouldn’t dilute selection process; certain level of physicality required. 4000889 Left Special Forces in 2011 when he was 32 - felt he could pursue another career and had done all he could in the Special Forces, nothing more to give or learn; hard decision to make and felt he only got over it by doing the Special Forces TV programmes (’SAS: Who Dares Wins’). Military world and civilian world have to be treated as two completely separate worlds, need to learn to fit in, what’s excepted and what’s not, have to take a different approach to life. Very understanding wife - took burden of responsibility for family which allowed Ant to work without worrying, feels it was selfish but it had to be done. Special Forces members not allowed on social media or even the electoral roll - talks about comparison to now and the hundreds of thousands of followers he has on social media because of his TV work. Talks about how he got into ‘SAS: Who Dares Wins’ and some of his experiences presenting the show. Talks about reaction of Special Forces community to the show. Secrecy around Special Forces is necessary - public wouldn’t believe half the stuff he’s done; better public doesn’t know what needs to be done for UK security; SF integral to UK security, provide “blanket of security”. Public perception of SF - public should know SF troopers are family men but that they also protect the country; not superhuman; doesn't think there’s anything wrong with games like ‘Call of Duty’, hides the reality. Future of Special Forces - need to move with the times, but not change the selection process; need to concentrate on technology, but need the soldiers on the ground. Not going to get any better fighting force than the SF; should concentrate on the individual rather than the process. Talks about technology influencing equipment.

Macedonia (2001)

HERRICK, Operation, 2002-14 (Afghanistan 2001-2021), BANNER, Operation, 1969-2007 (Northern Ireland deployment 1969-2007)