- SURNAME
Slater
- FORENAME
Robert MacDonald
- UNIT
SSM + RSM
- RANK
Staff Sergeant (BEM) + Warrant Officer Second Class
- NUMBER
22892988
- AWARD
British Empire Medal, Member of the British Empire
- PLACE
1968 (BEM) 1971 (MBE)
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
London Gazette 44600, 31st May 1968, Page 6323 (BEM)
CITATION:
British Empire Medal : Ssgt Slater transferred from REME to the Special Air Service Regiment 13 years ago. During his service with 22 Special Air Service Regiment he has been almost constantly on operations and has seen much action in Borneo, South Arabia, Muscat and Oman and against the terrorists in deep jungle operations in Malaya. In one instant in the Oman operations of 1959 he personally killed a terrorist who was, with great bravery, holding up the final SAB assault to control a vital part of the Jebel Akdhar.
Ssgt Slater has given such splendid and outstanding continuous active service to this Regiment that a few highlights should be mentioned. After attending an Arabic course at London University he made it his business to fully understand Arab affairs and problems and during 1962 served alone amongst the Arab tribes and Federal Guard Units of South Arabia taking part in their local operations. He was frequently the only white man in the area. After one tour on highly classified operations in Borneo, Ssgt Slater returned to the Middle East where he operated well inside dissident territory during periods of 1964 leading a small SAS group, mostly in the Radfan area, during the height of the troubles.
Ssgt Slater returned again to South Arabia in 1966 and because of his particular skills, SAS aptitudes and outstanding qualities of leadership he was employed on purely intelligence lesions within South Arabia on hazardous tasks of a high political nature and entirely alone. The information he gained was of particular value to the high command and other agencies and his standard of reporting, even under the most trying conditions, was of an exceptionally high order. Ssgt Slater worked under particularly dangerous conditions affecting his own personal security. He was under suspicion by certain elements and was watched and shadowed. He was undoubtedly in danger of assassination whilst living alone with the Arabs at this time. Nevertheless, he carried on his tasks quite unperturbed, and continued to transmit his information and whereabouts in a calm and professional manner. His whole security and personal position was aggravated at this period by the critical phase of the British withdrawal from up country in South Arabia, together with the racial feelings and tensions that were running high. His methods of dealing with the local population and armed forces, his diplomatic but firm approach, and his quick reaction to difficult and potentially explosive situations saved his on a number of occasions.
Since then, with very little respite, Ssgt Slater has just returned from a further mission abroad to another country where he has carried out, as part of a very small specialised training team, certain covert instruction to a friendly country. This was a mission which was very highly politically------------------------------------------------------------------------
his extremely high instructional ability he proved outstanding qualities and devotion to duty.
His service in the Army, and the Special Air Service in particular, during the last 13 years has been of an outstanding and exemplary nature. He has been on almost constant operations in varied theatres often working alone or in small groups and he has shown courage, initiative and patriotism wall beyond the normal call of duty. His patience and understanding of difficult political and military problems has been outstanding for a person of his rank and seniority.
Place : South Arabia
Date of Action : 1959-1967
How Employed : Troop Sergeant and Liaison NCO
Member of the Order of the British Empire : In July, 1970, Said bin Taimur, the Sultan of Muscat and Oman was deposed in a coup and his son, Qabus, was established in his place. A new period of enlightened government was anticipated from Sultan Qabus and his personal safety was of paramount importance to the stability of the country. However, in the unsettled conditions pertaining at the time, his life was in danger from a variety of dissident and self seeking factions.
On 29 July WOII SLATER was given 12 hour's notice to move to Muscat with a two man Team and was personally charged with securing the safety of Sultan Qabus. The mission was not only fraught with political uncertainties, no little danger and little preplanned support, but it also bore enormous moral responsibilities; WOII SLATER was indirectly responsible for the future stability of Oman and for ensuring that HMG's interests, portrayed in the person of the new Sultan, were protected.
On arrival in Oman on 30 July, Slater was promoted local Captain in the Oman Gendarmerie and immediately set about the formidable task of providing personal protection for the Sultan and directing the complete restructuring of security arrangements in his various palaces and on the Sultan's extensive Journeys. These responsibilities included planning the expenditure of many thousands of pounds worth of building services.
Slater's zeal, professionalism and integrity throughout the next 4½ months earned him not only the utmost respect of senior political and military officials of the Omen Government but the implicit trust of the Sultan himself and he was frequently tasked with implementing the Sultan's personal wishes. These included the handling and safety of £400,000 in gold and bank notes without any supervision or accounting. In very trying climatic conditions and after extremely long and arduous working hours, Slater also trained local nationals in bodyguard duties to whom he has now handed over his responsibilities.
The present stability in Oman and the high regard Sultan Qabus has for British individuals and techniques is in no small measure due to the extra ordinary talents and personal characteristics possessed by WOII Slater. Seldom can a Warrant Officer have borne such extensive responsibility with such equanimity or performed such a complex task with such success. It is considered that Slater's services are especially deserving of recognition in view of the fact that he has enhanced his country's prestige and interests in an international sphere.
Place : Sultanate of Oman
Date of Action : 30 July 1970 - 12 December 1970
How Employed : Personal Security Officer to Sultan Qabus of Oman
Ssgt Slater has given such splendid and outstanding continuous active service to this Regiment that a few highlights should be mentioned. After attending an Arabic course at London University he made it his business to fully understand Arab affairs and problems and during 1962 served alone amongst the Arab tribes and Federal Guard Units of South Arabia taking part in their local operations. He was frequently the only white man in the area. After one tour on highly classified operations in Borneo, Ssgt Slater returned to the Middle East where he operated well inside dissident territory during periods of 1964 leading a small SAS group, mostly in the Radfan area, during the height of the troubles.
Ssgt Slater returned again to South Arabia in 1966 and because of his particular skills, SAS aptitudes and outstanding qualities of leadership he was employed on purely intelligence lesions within South Arabia on hazardous tasks of a high political nature and entirely alone. The information he gained was of particular value to the high command and other agencies and his standard of reporting, even under the most trying conditions, was of an exceptionally high order. Ssgt Slater worked under particularly dangerous conditions affecting his own personal security. He was under suspicion by certain elements and was watched and shadowed. He was undoubtedly in danger of assassination whilst living alone with the Arabs at this time. Nevertheless, he carried on his tasks quite unperturbed, and continued to transmit his information and whereabouts in a calm and professional manner. His whole security and personal position was aggravated at this period by the critical phase of the British withdrawal from up country in South Arabia, together with the racial feelings and tensions that were running high. His methods of dealing with the local population and armed forces, his diplomatic but firm approach, and his quick reaction to difficult and potentially explosive situations saved his on a number of occasions.
Since then, with very little respite, Ssgt Slater has just returned from a further mission abroad to another country where he has carried out, as part of a very small specialised training team, certain covert instruction to a friendly country. This was a mission which was very highly politically------------------------------------------------------------------------
his extremely high instructional ability he proved outstanding qualities and devotion to duty.
His service in the Army, and the Special Air Service in particular, during the last 13 years has been of an outstanding and exemplary nature. He has been on almost constant operations in varied theatres often working alone or in small groups and he has shown courage, initiative and patriotism wall beyond the normal call of duty. His patience and understanding of difficult political and military problems has been outstanding for a person of his rank and seniority.
Place : South Arabia
Date of Action : 1959-1967
How Employed : Troop Sergeant and Liaison NCO
Member of the Order of the British Empire : In July, 1970, Said bin Taimur, the Sultan of Muscat and Oman was deposed in a coup and his son, Qabus, was established in his place. A new period of enlightened government was anticipated from Sultan Qabus and his personal safety was of paramount importance to the stability of the country. However, in the unsettled conditions pertaining at the time, his life was in danger from a variety of dissident and self seeking factions.
On 29 July WOII SLATER was given 12 hour's notice to move to Muscat with a two man Team and was personally charged with securing the safety of Sultan Qabus. The mission was not only fraught with political uncertainties, no little danger and little preplanned support, but it also bore enormous moral responsibilities; WOII SLATER was indirectly responsible for the future stability of Oman and for ensuring that HMG's interests, portrayed in the person of the new Sultan, were protected.
On arrival in Oman on 30 July, Slater was promoted local Captain in the Oman Gendarmerie and immediately set about the formidable task of providing personal protection for the Sultan and directing the complete restructuring of security arrangements in his various palaces and on the Sultan's extensive Journeys. These responsibilities included planning the expenditure of many thousands of pounds worth of building services.
Slater's zeal, professionalism and integrity throughout the next 4½ months earned him not only the utmost respect of senior political and military officials of the Omen Government but the implicit trust of the Sultan himself and he was frequently tasked with implementing the Sultan's personal wishes. These included the handling and safety of £400,000 in gold and bank notes without any supervision or accounting. In very trying climatic conditions and after extremely long and arduous working hours, Slater also trained local nationals in bodyguard duties to whom he has now handed over his responsibilities.
The present stability in Oman and the high regard Sultan Qabus has for British individuals and techniques is in no small measure due to the extra ordinary talents and personal characteristics possessed by WOII Slater. Seldom can a Warrant Officer have borne such extensive responsibility with such equanimity or performed such a complex task with such success. It is considered that Slater's services are especially deserving of recognition in view of the fact that he has enhanced his country's prestige and interests in an international sphere.
Place : Sultanate of Oman
Date of Action : 30 July 1970 - 12 December 1970
How Employed : Personal Security Officer to Sultan Qabus of Oman
WEB LINKS:
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/44600/supplement/6323 (BEM)https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7632172 (MBE)
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7631568 (BEM)
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