Mystery SAS Man?

Discussion in 'Postwar' started by Verrieres, Dec 13, 2008.

  1. Verrieres

    Verrieres no longer a member

    Hi,
    I posted this photograph on another thread however I have been unable to find any register of this mans death let alone military information.I know these fellows keep themselves to themselves and the Government say very little but does anyone out there have any information on this lad and the circumstances of his death?
    [​IMG]
    The picture was the only grave photograph from a set published on Flickr The picture was taken at Egg Buckland near Plymouth(St Edwards)Over to you chaps!
    Regards
    Verrieres
     
  2. AndyBaldEagle

    AndyBaldEagle Very Senior Member

    Verrieres
    Possibly died of wounds received in Falklands?
    Thats the only thing I can think of, is he on the ROH for Falklands Casualties?

    Andy
     
    brithm likes this.
  3. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    Maybe buried at Plymouth by family request. I thought all SAS men, where possible were buried in Hereford.
     
    von Poop likes this.
  4. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  5. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    My guess is he died from wounds. The SAS and SBS were at the sharp end as you would expect for quite a long time.

    His age is quite interesting. I think this would suggest he was either a Senior NCO or a Officer.

    I think all members are normally buried in Hereford unless the families request otherwise.

    Food for thought I wonder if he was in 21 or 23 SAS which are reserves and was killed on a exercise. I don't think any TA units went on Operations back then.

    Another thing worth considering when searching for details. He may not be listed as a casualty under the SAS's orbat. When the MOD release the details of a killed soldier after informing the NOK they give his parent unit to help mantain operational security. Its a bit obvious though when on special duties when more than one soldier is killed and the regiments listed are all different.
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    From a friend that might have known something

    Hi Drew,

    The conflict was almost completed with the exception of cleaning up by 22nd June...

    22nd June Tuesday
    Canberra returns from Argentina, and embarks 3 Cdo Brigade for return to England.
    Norland embarks 2 PARA and 3 PARA and sails for Ascension Island.
    Retired Army General Reynaldo Bignone replaces Galtieri as President of Argentina;
    Argentine army assumes full power, the Navy and Air Force withdrawing from the Junta.

    there is only one Nicholson listed on the SAMA website who was a 20 year old Welsh guardsman.

    There is a list of all SAS fallen at the clock tower in Hereford if someone wans o go look [​IMG] there is also a rememberence book.


    So anyone near Hereford? :)

    Cheers
     
  7. arkrite

    arkrite Senior Member

    By saying " the clock tower in Hereford " do you mean St. Martins church . That has a spire and ,I think, a clock.
     
  8. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    perhaps Northern Ireland?

    It happened a month before the Hyde Park bomb
     
  9. arkrite

    arkrite Senior Member

    2nd go. There must be a Coroners Report of his death somewhere. Could it be as simple as an off duty accident.?
     
  10. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

    By saying " the clock tower in Hereford " do you mean St. Martins church . That has a spire and ,I think, a clock.

    no, the clocktower is on the square in Stirling Lines

    All the names of 'pilgrims' who did not 'beat the clock' are on it.
    That is all those badged Hereford Holligans who died on Ops and Exercise

    or try looking in the SAS Association website > Special Air Service Regimental Association - SAS Memorials


    St Martins is the Regimental burial ground
     
  11. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    By saying " the clock tower in Hereford " do you mean St. Martins church . That has a spire and ,I think, a clock.

    I don't know.....I've never been but my friend has who suggested it :)

    Bill,

    I've just looked at the site and you have to write to a PO Box address :(
     
  12. ken griffin

    ken griffin Senior Member

    Andy,
    there no Ronald Nicholson, listed in the England & Wales civil registration for deaths in Jane 1982.
     
  13. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    I thought all SAS men, where possible were buried in Hereford.
    For some reason I'd never thought about there being an 'SAS Cemetery'.
    YouTube - SAS Regimental cemetery Hereford
    Thanks Gage, Interesting.

    I like the title of this thread.
    "Mystery SAS Man?"

    Aren't they all...
     
  14. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Why are we all assuming he died in service?
    Could be an ex-member.
     
  15. arkrite

    arkrite Senior Member

    Thanks Capt Bill. Only managed to get through the gates twice and then only as far as the Orderly Room. Both times it was to do with accidental off duty deaths. They are human like us and can make mistakes or die as the result of others mistakes. One thing bothers me about the headstone. If I look in graveyards for a servicemans stone I look for the white CWGC marker. This stone is black and highly polished. Am I wrong in finding this odd ?
     
  16. arkrite

    arkrite Senior Member

    Just remembered the SAS moved from the Old Camp , known to locals as Bradbury Lines , to RAF Credenhill see the entry in Wikedpedia. I would think they would have taken the clocktower with them.
     
  17. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    SAS(R) comprises:
    • 21st Special Air Service Regiment
      (21 SAS)
      HQ Squadron based at the Duke Of York Barracks in London
    • A Squadron ( Greater London)
    • B Squadron (Wales)
    • C Squadron (East Anglia and Eastern Wessex)
    [*]23rd Special Air Service Regiment
    (23 SAS)
    • HQ Squadron (West Midlands)
    • A Squadron (Scotland)
    • B Squadron (Yorkshire and Humberside)
    • C Squadron (North and North West of England)
    I doubt if he was a reservist looking at the above unless they have moved since the 80's.

    This is really bugging me know like the metal box thread :(
     
  18. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    One thing bothers me about the headstone. If I look in graveyards for a servicemans stone I look for the white CWGC marker. This stone is black and highly polished. Am I wrong in finding this odd ?


    Hi Arkrite,

    If, for instance, family want to provide their own headstone they can. Cwgc will provide one with family's consent. I have seen quite a few non-cwgc headstones for WW2 graves that come under their remit. I do believe that if the grave is no longer taken care of, or the headstone is in disrepair and family cannot be traced, that cwgc will replace it ... which happened in the case of my husband's grand aunt.

    I have been caught out searching a cemetery for standard headstone, when in fact it wasn't ... see post #7 http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-grave-photographs/15113-war-grave-uk-county-antrim.html

    Some who died after service seem to have headstones which are very close to the cwgc standard with slight variations. A few of these to be seen at Brookwood.

    The stone used also varies with whatever is available locally. Here in NI many are of a grey stone. http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll119/dbf_bucket/WAR%20GRAVES/P1000759.jpg

    Hope this helps,
    D
     
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  19. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Diane,

    Thanks for clearing that point up as I thought the CWGC would only provide the standard stone.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  20. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Is it usual not to have Service No. and Rank on the stone?

    In short is this format unusual?

    Cheers
     

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