22 SAS Blake, William

John Robertson

Administrator
Staff member
  • SURNAME
Blake
  • FORENAME
William
  • UNIT
  • RANK
Sergeant
  • NUMBER
23703088
  • AWARD
Mention in Despatches
  • PLACE
Dhofar 1976
  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Scots Guards
London Gazette 47031, 4th October 1976, Page 13449
 

CITATION:

Mention in Despatches : Lcpl Blake is a member of an SAS Squadron controlling irregular Arab troops in support of the Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF) from January to May 1975. On 6 January 1975 he was a member of a 4 man SAS liaison team attached to a company of the Sultan's Armed Forces taking part in a battalion operation in Western Dhofar. Lcpl Blake's company came under withering fire from 60 to 70 enemy in prepared positions firing heavy and medium machine guns, mortars and rocket launchers. The company received heavy casualties. Seeing 2 SAF soldiers badly wounded in an exposed position Blake crawled forward with bullets kicking the ground around him to give medical aid. Despite the fire Lcpl Blake remained with them throughout the battle. One of the soldiers was very seriously wounded and Lcpl Blake, a trained medic, inserted a drop into him. Still under fire he moved around in the open collecting field dressings and applied them to several other SAF casualties. Later he helped to carry both seriously wounded men to the rear and remained with them until they could be evacuated by helicopter.

The gallantry, coolness and personal example of this young soldier, combined with his medical skill and devotion to duty without doubt saved the lives of these soldiers.

WEB LINKS:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/47031/supplement/13449
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7488125
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7631435
Last edited by a moderator:
Top