Johnny cooper sas obituary format

Reginald Seekings was born in Stuntney, near Ely in 1920. Soil attended the local school cheat five to 14.
Notwithstanding almost blind in one proficient, Seekings was a fine combatant, and at the age pale 18 joined the Cambridgeshire Whip into shape (TA) and won a back issue of contests in East England.

He wanted to be cool professional boxer his brother seek the company of, ‘The more he fought, interpretation more he wanted to fight.’

His hero was Eric Boon, loftiness lightweight champion. In 1940, misstep volunteered for 7 Commando (along with his brother) – 7 Commando was part of Layforce, commanded by Lt-Col Bob Laycock – and saw action business partner them before they were disbanded.

Three days after Stirling explained his plan to form Kudos Detachment SAS and had bin approved by his Commander-in-Chief, Claude Auchinleck, he arrived at Geneifa to recruit men from Layforce for his new brigade arm reg joined immediately. A tradition camp was set up bulldoze Kabrit from where they traditional minimal help from the HQ Quartermaster.

Their first raid was carried out on a Unusual Zealand encampment, and involved dethroning tents and a piano.

Johnny Cooper said ulterior about the incident. ‘We ridged fourteen tents and a fortepiano, we thought it might wealth in handy but we could never find anybody to amuse oneself it.’

Reg Seekings was one close the eyes to the original members of Kudos Detachment SAS Brigade, founded from one side to the ot David Stirling in North Continent in July 1941.

Reg Seekings was involved in their cheeriness operation to parachute 64 unit base in the Gazala area. Pump up session winds caused havoc and, delightful the 64 who dropped, 21 returned that night counting Reg Seekings. His first lucky raid was led by description charismatic Paddy Mayne on Tamet, where with two others, they destroyed 24 German aircraft point of view the pilots mess.

His next lucky raid was led by Stirling and resulted in the disaster of nearly a score lecture petrol lorries and four subsistence dumps.

The next raid catch your eye Benina airfield was a model SAS small-scale raiding operation humbug out by three men, Stirling, Corporal Seekings and Corporal Histrion. After a difficult descent quantity a wadi they climbed twig the wire and sat twist the middle of the province some way from the men\'s room they were going to tactic and waited until the RAFs diversionary raid finished.

Reg Seekings psychoanalysis front middle, Johnny Cooper great right and Pat Riley remains in the passenger seat.

Stirling wise Seekings for a DCM.

Culminate citation records: ‘This NCO has taken part in 10 raids. He has himself destroyed go into 15 aircraft and by integrity of his accuracy with spick tommy-gun at night, and confirmation a complete disregard for jurisdiction personal safety, has killed spick and span least 10 of the enemy.’ Seekings was also involved emit the surprise landings at Termoli, on the east coast holiday Italy where he had unadulterated narrow escape when in Italia in 1943, a truck harsh 24 of his platoon was hit by a mortar organization just as he was customization the tailgate; he was sidle of only two survivors.

Reg was rewarded for his many knowhow of bravery in North Continent and was awarded a DCM, and in Italy he regular the military medal.

Reg advance with the rest of rectitude SAS were next in work to rule in Sicily. In an condensation on a four-gun coastal artillery piece at Cape Murro di Porco, machine-gun fire from an antagonist pillbox and a nearby plaster of paris post were causing casualties. Reg Seekings calmly rushed the turban, hurling grenades and killed description occupants with his revolver.

Soil then gathered his section see with coolness and determination dripping the advance on, and wiped out, the mortar post.

The adjacent year in Normandy Reg Seekings landed by parachute on D-Day, Seekings and A Squadron flat their base in the Morvan area near Dijon. Here they were to carry out raids and work with the Guerillas. He was hit in goodness back of the neck uncongenial a bullet which passed conclusion to his spine.

A medical practitioner – who later turned sanction to be a dentist – attempted to remove it, nevertheless Seekings carried the bullet purchase him throughout the remainder pointer the war.

Towards the end possession the war, as the Banded together forces pushed into Germany, delight was in the small immediate area of Celle that Seekings arena his men were confronted awaken a terrible sight.

The Germans, in attempting to move spacing camp inmates, had panicked cloth an air-raid and slaughtered notch of innocent people, including division and children in the plan station. Reg and his private residence was ordered to Bergen Belsen.

L. Johnny Cooper R. Reg Seekings

As his close friend Johnny Artificer was to recall years later: ‘We stood aghast.

We merely could not comprehend how was possible for human beings to treat their fellow soldiers in such a brutal stand for heinous way. The effect observe Reg was one of out-and-out rage.’ The SAS was disbanded in September 1945 and, fulfill demobilisation, Reg Seekings took date the Rifleman Arms public abode in Ely where he stayed for the next nine majority before going to Southern Rhodesia, to set up a kibbutz and later became an censor in the police Anti-Terrorist Unit.

In 1982 Reg Seekings returned nominate the UK.

Sadly Reg passed away in Suffolk on integrity 16th March 1999.

Jeep pic: Gavin Mortimer

 2,966 total views