A Good Series of Awards to Members of the S.A.S.

A Falkland’s campaign pair to Corporal D. E. “Don” Milton, Special Air Service Regiment and Royal Signals, who went on to serve as a mercenary in Colombia

General Service 1962, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (24127723 Sig. D. E. Milton, R. Signals); South Atlantic 1982, with rosette (24127723 Cpl. D. E. Milton, R. Signals (S.A.S.)) good very fine (2) £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Good Series of Awards to Members of the S.A.S..

View
Collection

As confirmed in Peter McAleese’s No Mean Soldier, The Story of the Ultimate Professional Soldier in the S.A.S. and Other Forces, “Don” Milton was employed as a mercenary by the Colombian Army to assist in an operation to eliminate Pablo Escobar, an important cocaine baron at his heavily-guarded villa. The operation, which was code-named “Phoenix”, was to be carried out by two four-man house-storming teams, one of which was commanded by Milton, the whole being transported by helicopters to within striking range of the target. As it transpired, disaster struck on “D-Day” itself, when the command helicopter with McAleese aboard, crashed into thick jungle. With “Phoenix” compromised, and one man dead, McAleese ordered his team to make haste to Panama; his autobiograhy, a copy of which is included, contains several pictures relevant to this Columbian operation, including scenes from a “live rehearsal” carried out at a La Gagua, Milton undoubtedly being among the balaklava-clad figures emerging from a smoking building.

Withdrawn