Answer
Paddy Ashdown was a member of the Special Boat Service (SBS), a special forces unit of the British Armed Forces. The SBS is a maritime special operations force that conducts a wide range of operations, including amphibious assaults, raids, reconnaissance, and counter-terrorism. Ashdown served in the SBS from 1962 to 1967, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions in Borneo during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.