SBS Nominal Rolls/Army Books do they exist?

I’ve been researching the SBS in WW2 for awhile now and over the years I’ve amassed a number of War Office diaries and one thing I’ve noticed is the lack of records relating to enlisted men.

Whilst many of the diaries cover the Command Chain and Officers in great detail and men due to return the unit from either hospital or leave there is noting relating the others ranks bar a unit strength tally broken down by rank, I guess my question is does such a document exist either as a nominal roll or more traditional regimental Army Book and where would it be found?

Having met personnel from the modern incarnation of the SBS and having asked them they were unaware of the existence of regimental archive akin to the SAS archive seen on the SAS Rogue Warriors documentary listing personnel and operations, if anyone is aware of such a resource I’d be grateful if they could steer me in the right direction

 

As far as I am aware SBS records held by the SBS Association were amalgamated with SAS records held in the archives of the SAS Regimental Association along with LRDG records sometime in the 2000s.
Somewhere I have a partial list of men waiting posting on disbandment in 1945.
Alan.

 

Hi Alan,

Thanks for the information, I’ll make an inquiry with the SAS Association, with would it be possible to have a look at that list?

 

Hope this will be of some use to you.

Alan.

 

This may be of interest, Book Review - The SAS and LRDG Roll of Honour 1941-47

 

Hi Alan,

That’s a great resource, can I ask where the nominal roll came from, is it exhaustive?

 

Sorry for the lateness of this reply as I am currently in hospital but as far as I remember the PDF was compiled from various sources but I would dare say many names are still missing.
Alan

 

No problem Alan, hope your ok and are on the mend

Ben

 

Hi Alan,

Do you know what date is the NA WO218 Nominal Roll ?


Best wishes,

Ian

 

Ian,

Alan rarely logs in, I suggest a PM might work.

 

Hello Ian,

The nominal roll (image) within post #4 of Alan (Seaforth) is dated "1/43" at the top so January '43.

It's from TNA Kew file WO 218/97, which covers the periods January - February 1942 and February - May 1943, so it's likely to have come from the latter period covered by the file.

1 Special Air Service (1 S.A.S. Regt) including 1 Special Boat Section. Raiding Forces... | The National Archives

For the pdf "roll" as it says "1943 - 1945" I would think war's end, prior to disbandment ( a cross reference search of name(s) on the list with any name matching CWGC entries would likely give an approximate date to the "roll". I've not checked yet but I'll have a look shortly).

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

EDIT; UPDATE: For the pdf I now think most likely a post-war compilation (and as Alan/Seaforth has said in his post #7, from various sources). Most of the SBS wartime casualties killed/died are included, but a few names are missing.

 

Thanks Jim,

I recognised a few names in #4. My thoughts re #7 were that Alan had compiled himself.

I'm not sure if Alan and BLyon82 are still on the forum ?


Cheers Ian

 

Ian,

If you hover over their avatar it will show you when they last logged in. Alan was April 2024 and BLyon July 2022. Contact via a PM might work.

 

Hi "Davidbfpo",

Many thanks.

Cheers Ian