- SURNAME
Morrison
- FORENAME
Alastair George Angus
- UNIT
G Squadron (CO)
- RANK
Major
- NUMBER
474016
- AWARD
Military Cross, Officer of the British Empire
- PLACE
Oman 1970-1971 (MC), Mogadishu 1977 (OBE)
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Scots Guards
holder M.C.
22 SAS 1968-79 (Cap-Maj) (21/G Squadron + CO/G Squadron + 2-in-C + HQ SAS Group)
recommended for MBE, received OBE
co-founder,Defence Systems Ltd until 1997
co-founder Erinys
London Gazette 46085, 24th September 1973, Page 11399 (MC)
CITATION:
Military Cross : From December, 1970 until December, 1971, G Squadron 22 SAS, commanded by MORRISON, was engaged in almost continuous operations in the Oman and received the highest commendations for its professionalism and the outstanding success it achieved in Operations INTRADON and STORM.
From December, 1970 until April 1971 MORRISON was solely responsible for the pacification of the Musandam Peninsula, a remote, very mountainous region of Oman in which Government rule had never existed. Europeans had never penetrated its interior, its geography and tribes were unknown and yet dissident tribesmen were fomenting unrest with possible serious repercussions for the impending British withdrawal from the Gulf. MORRISON inserted his squadron skilfully into the area and for the next 5 months conducted a classified operation fraught with military and political pitfalls. The complete success of the operation carried out with acute political sensitivity and logistic economy was due to the leadership qualities displayed by MORRISON.
After a brief respite from the Musandam operation MORRISON again led his Squadron into action. This time he was responsible for direction and leadership of the first major assault on the Dhofari rebel stronghold in the mountains overlooking the Salala plain. Within days of arriving in the theatre his men were involved in daily and frequently day long, contacts against a numerically superior enemy equipped with modern automatic weapons, mortars and light artillery. He was personally responsible for co-ordinating the operations of a force of up to 200 local Dhofari irregulars, in addition to his own men, whose volatile nature and poor training put added burdens on his leadership. Throughout this period he displayed a composure under fire and a cheerfulness and resilience in times of stress that overcame the shortcomings of his guerrilla force and gained the respect and devotion to his own men.
MORRISON at only 28 years of age has consistently carried out responsibilities far above those normally associated with an officer of his rank and service and has crowned all his missions with unqualified success. His personal leadership and bravery in operations of an intensity, not experienced in the British Army since the Korean war, was a battle winning factor.
Place : OMAN
Date of Action : 1 December 1970 - 3 December 1971
How Employed : Squadron Commander, 22 SAS Regiment
Officer Of The British Empire : On Friday, 14 October 1977 Major A G A Morrison MC, AG 2i/c of 22 SAS, was acting as Commanding Officer in the absence of the CO visiting SAS units abroad. At an hour's notice he was answering the requirement of the Prime Minister to join the German Counter Terrorist Team at the main Airport of Dubai. He was to advise them on procedures, for overcoming an unknown group of terrorists which had hi-jacked a Lufthansa aircraft and was holding the passengers hostage against demands made on the W German government.
With no time to prepare Major Morrison was whisked away from an official reception in London. He was given a short briefing at 10 Downing Street and then moved to Heathrow Airport, joining one of his Sergeants. They then flew direct to Dubai.
On arrival he found the W German team commander Oberst Wegener and two of the team command group under armed guard in Dubai airport. With a good knowledge of Arabic and procedures of Arab protocol Major Morrison worked direct to the Minister of Defence of Dubai and after much political wrangling he secured the release of the W German representatives. With considerable political expertise he then represented the W German requirements to the Ruler of Dubai and secured permission to prepare and rehearse various contingency plans. To the surprise and delight of the W German representatives he recruited an emergency reaction team from the Dubai Royal Guard; he prepared contingency plans whilst his Sergeant trained this makeshift team to meet likely requirements.
It was entirely through Major Morrison's efforts, his political shrewdness, his knowledge of the Arab nature and his consequent persuasiveness that he reversed a situation from one which had the making of disaster for the West German Government into one whereby the W German Minister was able to negotiate from a position of strength.
When the terrorists suddenly took the Lufthansa aircraft from Dubai to Aden it was the German Minister who insisted that the 2 British SAS representatives munt continue to accompany the W German team to provide the benefits of their intimate knowledge of the Persian Gulf states.
Major Morrison was able to advise the German team on the best contingency plans for operating on the Southern coastline of the Arabian peninsular - Aden, the Yemen and Dhofar - since he had operated in all these areas during his SAS service.
Despite the fact that the W German team could not get into Aden, they accepted Major Morrison's advice and diverted to Jedda, Saudi Arabia. By this tine. Major Morrison was in the second day of the crisis. Because he was constantly required to advise the W German team, with their direct line to Bonn, on political, geographical and military aspects he had no sleep. His advice on all aspects was accepted and acted-on without question, by the W Germans at the highest level.
The departure of the Lufthansa aircraft to Mogadishu and the knowledge that the pilot had probably been murdered hardened the German revolve for positive action and the W Germans asked the British representatives to accompany them to Somalia despite political reservations, since the scene of action and moved to the Horn of Africa and a climax was near.
Again the British officer's knowledge of Somalia (stemming from SAS service on the Kenya/Somalia border) impressed the Germans and together they moved to Mogadishu to tie-up, finally, with the full German team from GSG9. The instant rapport which Major Morrison and Sgt Davies attained with the whole team; their knowledge, professionalism, political awareness and obvious leadership capabilities, led them to play a leading part in planning the successful assault on the aircraft and actually leading that assault with the British, special 'flash-bang' grenade. Still without clead they were flown-out with the German team (at their insistence) to meet the German Chancellor, Herr Schmidt in Bonn who paid them the highest compliment saying that without their assistance it would not have been possible to bring the hi-jacking to a successful conclusion.
Major Morrison's a conduct was in the highest traditions of the service. He served as an outstanding ambassador and leader in his country's cause.
Place : Dubai - Mogadishu
Date of Action : 14 to 16 October 1977
How Employed : Within 22 Special Air Service Regiment
From December, 1970 until April 1971 MORRISON was solely responsible for the pacification of the Musandam Peninsula, a remote, very mountainous region of Oman in which Government rule had never existed. Europeans had never penetrated its interior, its geography and tribes were unknown and yet dissident tribesmen were fomenting unrest with possible serious repercussions for the impending British withdrawal from the Gulf. MORRISON inserted his squadron skilfully into the area and for the next 5 months conducted a classified operation fraught with military and political pitfalls. The complete success of the operation carried out with acute political sensitivity and logistic economy was due to the leadership qualities displayed by MORRISON.
After a brief respite from the Musandam operation MORRISON again led his Squadron into action. This time he was responsible for direction and leadership of the first major assault on the Dhofari rebel stronghold in the mountains overlooking the Salala plain. Within days of arriving in the theatre his men were involved in daily and frequently day long, contacts against a numerically superior enemy equipped with modern automatic weapons, mortars and light artillery. He was personally responsible for co-ordinating the operations of a force of up to 200 local Dhofari irregulars, in addition to his own men, whose volatile nature and poor training put added burdens on his leadership. Throughout this period he displayed a composure under fire and a cheerfulness and resilience in times of stress that overcame the shortcomings of his guerrilla force and gained the respect and devotion to his own men.
MORRISON at only 28 years of age has consistently carried out responsibilities far above those normally associated with an officer of his rank and service and has crowned all his missions with unqualified success. His personal leadership and bravery in operations of an intensity, not experienced in the British Army since the Korean war, was a battle winning factor.
Place : OMAN
Date of Action : 1 December 1970 - 3 December 1971
How Employed : Squadron Commander, 22 SAS Regiment
Officer Of The British Empire : On Friday, 14 October 1977 Major A G A Morrison MC, AG 2i/c of 22 SAS, was acting as Commanding Officer in the absence of the CO visiting SAS units abroad. At an hour's notice he was answering the requirement of the Prime Minister to join the German Counter Terrorist Team at the main Airport of Dubai. He was to advise them on procedures, for overcoming an unknown group of terrorists which had hi-jacked a Lufthansa aircraft and was holding the passengers hostage against demands made on the W German government.
With no time to prepare Major Morrison was whisked away from an official reception in London. He was given a short briefing at 10 Downing Street and then moved to Heathrow Airport, joining one of his Sergeants. They then flew direct to Dubai.
On arrival he found the W German team commander Oberst Wegener and two of the team command group under armed guard in Dubai airport. With a good knowledge of Arabic and procedures of Arab protocol Major Morrison worked direct to the Minister of Defence of Dubai and after much political wrangling he secured the release of the W German representatives. With considerable political expertise he then represented the W German requirements to the Ruler of Dubai and secured permission to prepare and rehearse various contingency plans. To the surprise and delight of the W German representatives he recruited an emergency reaction team from the Dubai Royal Guard; he prepared contingency plans whilst his Sergeant trained this makeshift team to meet likely requirements.
It was entirely through Major Morrison's efforts, his political shrewdness, his knowledge of the Arab nature and his consequent persuasiveness that he reversed a situation from one which had the making of disaster for the West German Government into one whereby the W German Minister was able to negotiate from a position of strength.
When the terrorists suddenly took the Lufthansa aircraft from Dubai to Aden it was the German Minister who insisted that the 2 British SAS representatives munt continue to accompany the W German team to provide the benefits of their intimate knowledge of the Persian Gulf states.
Major Morrison was able to advise the German team on the best contingency plans for operating on the Southern coastline of the Arabian peninsular - Aden, the Yemen and Dhofar - since he had operated in all these areas during his SAS service.
Despite the fact that the W German team could not get into Aden, they accepted Major Morrison's advice and diverted to Jedda, Saudi Arabia. By this tine. Major Morrison was in the second day of the crisis. Because he was constantly required to advise the W German team, with their direct line to Bonn, on political, geographical and military aspects he had no sleep. His advice on all aspects was accepted and acted-on without question, by the W Germans at the highest level.
The departure of the Lufthansa aircraft to Mogadishu and the knowledge that the pilot had probably been murdered hardened the German revolve for positive action and the W Germans asked the British representatives to accompany them to Somalia despite political reservations, since the scene of action and moved to the Horn of Africa and a climax was near.
Again the British officer's knowledge of Somalia (stemming from SAS service on the Kenya/Somalia border) impressed the Germans and together they moved to Mogadishu to tie-up, finally, with the full German team from GSG9. The instant rapport which Major Morrison and Sgt Davies attained with the whole team; their knowledge, professionalism, political awareness and obvious leadership capabilities, led them to play a leading part in planning the successful assault on the aircraft and actually leading that assault with the British, special 'flash-bang' grenade. Still without clead they were flown-out with the German team (at their insistence) to meet the German Chancellor, Herr Schmidt in Bonn who paid them the highest compliment saying that without their assistance it would not have been possible to bring the hi-jacking to a successful conclusion.
Major Morrison's a conduct was in the highest traditions of the service. He served as an outstanding ambassador and leader in his country's cause.
Place : Dubai - Mogadishu
Date of Action : 14 to 16 October 1977
How Employed : Within 22 Special Air Service Regiment
WEB LINKS:
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/46085/supplement/11399 (MC)https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7631405 (MC)
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7633675 (OBE)
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7488094 (MC)
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