John Robertson

Administrator
Staff member
  • SURNAME
Wiseman
  • FORENAME
John Martin
  • UNIT
Special Raiding Squadron (1 Troop) + 1 SAS (A Squadron)
  • RANK
Lieutenant + Captain
  • NUMBER
256809
  • AWARD
Military Cross, Croix de Guerre with silver star (Fr)
  • PLACE
Sicily 1943 (MC) Normandy 1944 (CdG)
  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent units Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and Army Air Corps
born 27.1.1916 Kingston upon Thames
educated St Paul's and Pembroke College,Cambridge
employed family spectacle manufacturers M.Wiseman and Company in civilian life
R.A.F.V.R. 1939
North Somerset Yeomanry 1939-41 (Trooper)
commissioned into DCLI 1941
L Detachment SAS September 1942 (2 Lt)
1 SAS (A Squadron) 1942-43 (2 Lt)
Special Raiding Squadron (1 Troop) 1943 (Lt)
1 SAS (A and HQ Squadrons) 1944-45 (Captain - Major)
WIA June 1944
married Jill Sinauer in 1945
married Eileen Finch (nee Gill) in 1994
died 23.8.2005
body donated to science
 

CITATION:

Military Cross : For the attack on the Coastal Battery 183239 on Cape Moro Di Porco on 10 July 1943 Lieut John Wiseman D,C,L,I, had Commando of the leading section of the forward Troop. While the Battery was under fire from our mortars, by clever use of ground he lead his section to the outskirts of the position without being detected and made his way through the wire. Immediately the mortar fire finished he went straight in achieving complete surprise, killing, capturing and wounding 40 of the enemy. By his good leadership and control he achieved this without sustaining a single casualty to his Section.

Although the darkness of the night made control difficult he maintained complete command and the information which he sent back was invaluable to the proper conduct of the operation.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7348677
Last edited by a moderator:
  • SURNAME
Wiseman
  • FORENAME
John Martin
  • UNIT
Special Raiding Squadron (1 Troop) + 1 SAS (A Squadron)
  • RANK
Lieutenant + Captain
  • NUMBER
256809
  • AWARD
Military Cross, Croix de Guerre with silver star (Fr)
  • PLACE
Sicily 1943 (MC) Normandy 1944 (CdG)
  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent units Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and Army Air Corps
born 27.1.1916 Kingston upon Thames
educated St Paul's and Pembroke College,Cambridge
employed family spectacle manufacturers M.Wiseman and Company in civilian life
R.A.F.V.R. 1939
North Somerset Yeomanry 1939-41 (Trooper)
commissioned into DCLI 1941
L Detachment SAS September 1942 (2 Lt)
1 SAS (A Squadron) 1942-43 (2 Lt)
Special Raiding Squadron (1 Troop) 1943 (Lt)
1 SAS (A and HQ Squadrons) 1944-45 (Captain - Major)
WIA June 1944
married Jill Sinauer in 1945
died 23.8.2005
body donated to science
Johnny was Jewish and this enormously affected his motives for joining up and volunteering for 'special duties'. After the war he returned to the family optics business (audio interview with Martin Sugarman, AJEX Archivist). He bequeathed his medals to our Jewish Military Museum, where they remain a treasured part of our collection . A pity he kept back his hat and SAS badge, which has been sold and disappeared into a private collection
 
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