Award Military Cross Lt. J.M. Wiseman, 1 S.A.S Regiment, D.C.L.I. (Sicily)

Award Military Cross Lt. John Martin Wiseman, 1 S A S Regiment, Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry (256809)

WO 373/3/539

SAS Special Raiding Squadron (SRS) - The Cliffs of Cape Murro di Porco Operation Ladbroke – Feat of Arms (operation-ladbroke.com)

 

Wiseman, John Martin (Oral history) | Imperial War Museums (iwm.org.uk)

Object description
British trooper served with North Somerset Yeomanry in Palestine and Syria, 1940-1941; officer served with Special Air Service in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and North West Europe, 1942-1944

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Kingston-upon-Thames and London, 1916-1939: family; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Period with A Sqdn, North Somerset Yeomanry in Palestine and Syria, 1940-1942: background to joining unit; move to Haifa; character of fighting against Vichy French in Syria, 1941; training at OCTU in Cairo. Recollections of operations with Special Air Service in North Africa, 1942- 1943: obtaining interview with David Stirling; memories of Paddy Mayne; attacks on coast road; mess incident with Paddy Mayne; organisation of desert raids; discipline in unit.

REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations with A Sqdn, Special Air Service in Sicily, 1943: training for landings, 1943; attack on guns at Cape Murro di Porco, 7/1943; award of Military Cross, 10/7/1943; landing at Augusta; action against Germans at Augusta. Aspects of operations with Special Air Service in Italy, 1943: role cutting road communications at Termoli; destruction of troop by shell hit on lorry at Termoli, c9/1943; return to GB. Recollections of operations commanding 1 Troop, A Sqdn, Special Air Service during Operation Houndsworth in France, 1944: training in GB prior to operation; landing in Dijon; role cutting railway communications in Lyons area; attitude of Resistance's treatment of collaborators; method of cutting railway lines; use of air drops; attempted German counter-attack; captured German who acted as his batman.

REEL 3 Continues: problems with relying on air drops; leaving France via Orleans; reasons why his men enjoyed operating in France; memories of Paddy Mayne. Attitude to having served with Special Air Service in Second World War.