The RLI (my regiment) suffered in this way as the best NCOs went across to the Selous Scouts and the SAS and left us constantly playing catch up in the corporal and sgt departments.
JMA, I am curious what some of the central reasons were for those guys going over. I have read numerous passages saying that the special ops elements nipped troops in the process, but the screening process was so exhausting I can only imagine strong volunteers went forward successfully.

Was the enticement a combination of better equipment, facilities, and pay, or some of the other intangibles like less emphasis on "conventional mindset" soldiering? Or was it typically a combination of all of the above?