- SURNAME
Shanks
- FORENAME
Thomas
- UNIT
B Squadron
- RANK
Lance Corporal
- NUMBER
24127563
- AWARD
Mention in Despatches
- PLACE
Dhofar 1975
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Parachute Regiment
born 1951 Glasgow
Captain, Royal Army Medical Corps 1980s
volunteer Army doctor Gulf War 1991
arrested for murdering ex girlfriend 1999
London Gazette 47031, 4th October 1976, Page 13449
CITATION:
Mention in Despatches : Tpr Shanks was a member of an SAS Squadron controlling irregular Arab troops in support of the Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF) from September 1974 to January 1975. On 6 January 1975 he was a member of a 4 man SAS liaison patrol working with a SAF company taking part in a battalion operation in Western Dhofar. His company was holding high ground overlooking flat open country across which a second company had to move. When this company was half way across the flat ground 60 to 70 enemy opened fire with heavy and medium machine guns, medium mortars and rocket launchers. The fire was devastating and the leading company suffered very heavy casualties.
The weight of the enemy fire demoralized the company with which Shanks was working and very little fire was returned. Shanks and 2 other SAS men ran forward to take over the GPMGs from the SAF soldiers. Under very heavy enemy fire Shanks continued to operate his machine gun whilst all around had their heads down behind the rocks,
During the engagement a number of soldiers became casualties and because of the fire none would move forward to help their comrades. Shanks left the comparative shelter of his fire position and moved among the soldiers collecting their field dressings which he took to the 2 SAS medics providing aid to the wounded. He then returned with extra ammunition still under fire to the GPMG and once again took over its operation. The accurate and controlled fire he returned without doubt helped to lessen the volume of enemy fire and so enabled the many SAF and SAS soldiers caught in the enemy killing ground to fight their way back to cover. When the patrol commander called for volunteers to go forward to collect the wounded Tpr Shanks was among the first to volunteer, running forward to the most exposed positions where the wounded from the second company lay. Throughout the engagement Tpr Shanks displayed out standing personal courage and carried out his duties with total disregard for his personal safety.
Place : Dhofar
Date of Action : 6th January 1975
How Employed : Trooper GD
The weight of the enemy fire demoralized the company with which Shanks was working and very little fire was returned. Shanks and 2 other SAS men ran forward to take over the GPMGs from the SAF soldiers. Under very heavy enemy fire Shanks continued to operate his machine gun whilst all around had their heads down behind the rocks,
During the engagement a number of soldiers became casualties and because of the fire none would move forward to help their comrades. Shanks left the comparative shelter of his fire position and moved among the soldiers collecting their field dressings which he took to the 2 SAS medics providing aid to the wounded. He then returned with extra ammunition still under fire to the GPMG and once again took over its operation. The accurate and controlled fire he returned without doubt helped to lessen the volume of enemy fire and so enabled the many SAF and SAS soldiers caught in the enemy killing ground to fight their way back to cover. When the patrol commander called for volunteers to go forward to collect the wounded Tpr Shanks was among the first to volunteer, running forward to the most exposed positions where the wounded from the second company lay. Throughout the engagement Tpr Shanks displayed out standing personal courage and carried out his duties with total disregard for his personal safety.
Place : Dhofar
Date of Action : 6th January 1975
How Employed : Trooper GD
WEB LINKS:
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/47031/supplement/13449https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7631437
NATIONAL ARCHIVES:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7631437
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