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14 Intelligence Company




14 Intelligence Company was a UK Special Forces unit, part of the Intelligence Corps , operating in Northern Ireland from the 1970s onwards. It specialised in undercover surveillance against suspected members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army . Uniquely among British special forces units, it recruited women as well as men.

It has gone under a number of different names, including:

  • Mobile Reconnaissance Force (MRF)

  • 14 Intelligence and Security Company;

  • Army Support Unit;

  • Joint Support Group;

  • Joint Communications Unit Northern Ireland;

  • the Det (nickname).


The Unit is made up of 4 detachments hence the nickname 'The Det'. These are East Det based in Palace Barracks , North Det in Ballykelly and South Det based in Fermanagh . The main det is based in RAF Aldergrove in a hangar. The company is made up of men and women drawn from all the services, who participate in 'special duties' for periods of 9 to 18 months and beyond, along with 'hats', soldiers, such as clerks, signallers, or cooks, who perform more mundane duties.

In addition, members of the 22nd SAS Regiment or other special forces units can act as team commanders or work as attachments alongside the company.

The company has now apparently evolved into the Special Reconnaissance Regiment , and focuses more on overseas duties.

The det's activities have been described in books by former members James Rennie and Sarah Ford.


EXTERNAL LINKS

  • James Rennie, ''The Operators: On the Streets with Britain's Most Secret Service'' (ISBN 1844150992)

  • Sarah Ford, ''One Up: A Woman in Action with the SAS'' (ISBN 000638837X) (despite the misleading title)