Peter McAleese. 22 SAS .

The medals of Peter McAleese are up for sale. It is quite a stunning group to an interesting soldier:


A SUPERB AND ALMOST TOTALLY UNIQUE GROUP OF NINE MEDALS, awarded to a member of the '22 Special A

 

A bit more detail here about this man
SAS soldier's medals archive in March Fine Arts & Specialist Sale

TD

 

Well this wasn't my doing. They will have gone to a good home and the funds raised to a deserving party.

Note, price realised at hammer fall, no commission or fees applied.

Kind regards, always.

Jim.

 

Thanks Jim,

I had almost forgotten about this auction. You are not wrong about fees, I recently acquired a nice group of four to a soldier with the 10th Liverpool Scottish in WW1. WW1 Pair, plus his Territorial Force Efficiency Medal and his Special Constabulary Long Service all mounted as worn. I was very happy to pick these up at the lower estimate, but with fees, VAT etc. ended up paying around 30% on top.

 

Well but for the coronavirus pandemic I had thoroughly intended to attend this one, and I must confess, 'twas the booze that attracted me.

Fees seem to have climbed and climbed over recent years. For purchaser and seller a right royal pain in the bank balance, but I don't doubt that the folks who facilitate such sales need to make a living too. Prices up, fees down I say!

I think there were some particularly high prices achieved by other items in this sale, a bit of "cabin fever" maybe.

Next step is how the heck do I go and collect the hard stuff?

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

I agree with the cabin fever theory for sure. There were some big prices paid this month at both DNW and Spink.

 

A little update about this soldier today:

The Scottish mercenary hired to kill Pablo Escobar

 

Most recent interview/chat I think.



Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Thanks for posting this up Owen.

I am lucky, privileged even.

This was in Peter's care for a few years - and not his only one I might add
I am privileged that it was handed, given to me even, and I thoroughly intend to imbibe it at an appropriate occasion - soon.



The clock keeps ticking. God's speed, may the wind always be at your back. Definitely no mean soldier.

Jim.

 

I have been an irregular visitor as a friend to Peter's sheltered accommodation in Birmingham, after an introduction many years ago now by a South African who had served with him in Rhodesia and later in South Africa. The two obituaries "scratch the surface" about his experiences and professionalism - the Colombian episode gets a lot of attention. He was a fearsome man, in the mid-1990's locally he became known for running "troubled" pubs and soon the issues ended. No mention of his involvement in a private mission to kill Gadafy, though there is a book about that. Or his time leading an Auxiliary detachment in Rhodesia, black Africans recruited from the townships, whose discipline was soon to change. A raconteur and in more recent years less about military matters.

My favourite tale was when he was with the SADF and his unit was deployed to SW Africa, now Namibia, to launch an attack on a SWAPO base in Angola. The unit - paratroopers - called up reservists and trained for the mission - an assault on an entrenched camp. Off they went and he recalled parachuting with the flak coming up to greet them - wondering if he was too old for this. On the ground an attack was put in and contrary to expectations - SWAPO usually "bomb shelled" into the bush - there was a steady defence. The attack was stopped and air support called in - they sheltered meantime under fire. Once the air support had "done their bit" the attack was put in again - this time with resistance. The defenders were not SWAPO or Angolan military (the later often co-located with SWAPO). They were East German paratroopers who had been training SWAPO and knew there was no exit for them. They all died. Peter respected them.

There are some photos on his Twitter @Kiterofficial and the linked website (which is pared down now).

 

The griff, from the horses mouth, as it was.

Courtesy of IWM Collections.

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

McAleese, Peter (Oral history)

 

Wow, that's a good couple of afternoons listening!!