Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce post-War M.B.E., Helicopter Pilot’s A.F.C. group of four awarded to Major A. G. Wiles, Army Air Corps, late Sergeant Pilot, Royal Marines, who served with 45 Commando in Aden and Radfan, and as part of Naval Party 8901 on the Falklands - when he was taken hostage by 25 members of the El Condor Group in 1966, an event that was extensively covered in the National Press at the time. Qualifying as a Pilot in 1970, Wiles was attached for service with 660 Squadron, A.A.C., in Northern Ireland during 1973. An extremely skilled helicopter pilot, he went on to become the first Royal Marine member of the Blue Eagles aerobatic team, and was subsequently commissioned into the Army Air Corps. He finished his service career having logged over 10,000 hours on military aircraft, and in retirement he successfully competed in two World Helicopter Championships

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 2nd type breast badge, silver; Air Force Cross, E.II.R., reverse officially dated ‘1985’; General Service 1962-2007, 3 clasps, Radfan, South Arabia, Northern Ireland (RM.19939 A. G. Wiles. Mne. R.M.); Army L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., 2nd issue (Capt. A G Wiles AAC) together with General Service 1962-2007, no clasp (Lt A G Wiles AAC) first four mounted as worn, generally very fine or better (5) £3,000-£4,000

M.B.E. London Gazette 12 October 1987.

A.F.C. London Gazette 15 June 1985, the original recommendation states:

‘Major Wiles returned from a most successful two year attachment with American Army Aviation at Fort Rucker at the end of 1981 to assume command of Aircrewman Training squadron at the army air Corps Centre, Middle Wallop. His command of the Squadron has been exemplary in all areas. He personally instructs aircrewman students and TOW missile gunners and has flown 246 hours since January 1984.

His exceptional flying skills and utter dedication combined with a natural tactical ability have meant that he is the tactical demonstration team leader and lecturer for more than 20 anti-tank presentations on the behalf of the Director AAC to senior officers of many nations and industry. Major Wiles views and experience have been sought formally by the Royal Navy and the American Army in order to establish similar training establishments of their own.

He retains instructional currency on four helicopter types and his passionate interest in aviation resulted in his selection to be Team Leader for the Historic Flight. This Flight of Sioux, Skeeter and Auster needs dedicated and sympathetic leadership. He co-ordinates the displays, flies as leader and runs the accounts. Quite separately he led the 5 Scout display team, the Eagles. The selection of a robust but old helicopter was specifically to celebrate its 25 years of service. It’s cockpit ergonomics and general layout rendered it not wholly suitable for close formation work and indeed it had never been used as the display team aircraft for that reason. The selection of Scout was at Major Wiles own suggestion and he devised a quite excellent display. Nevertheless it was a measure of his inspiration and leadership of groundcrew and aircrew alike that enabled a small Squadron to mount so successful a 5 aircraft display team whilst still continuing normal training.

Major Wiles has performed at a total of over 100 shows this summer with the Eagles and Historic Flight. His dedication and hard work were greatly in excess of that which might be expected of even the most excellent officer. Always considerate towards those under his command even when the Squadron is under great pressure, his professional standards and flying skills never slipped. Meticulous in his planning, and handling of his aircraft he is driven by a desire for perfection in all that he does.

Major Wiles has made such an outstanding contribution to flying in so many areas with such unbounded energy and inspired leadership that he is most strongly recommended for an award.’

Alan Wiles was a native of Kent, and enlisted as a Junior in the Royal Marines in September 1960:

‘After qualifying as an S3 he was posted to 45 Commando in Aden. The desert heat was not a problem as within weeks he was sent to Dhala, a tented outpost in the pleasantly green and cool mountains close to the border with Yemen. Hearts and Minds patrols to the local villages became the order of the day, but on one such patrol he drank the local well water and as a result, over the next week became ill and slipped into unconsciousness.

He came round draped in a white shroud in a very dark and cool room. Convinced that he had been put in a morgue he screamed for help and woke most of the patients in the medical ward of RAF Hospital Steamer Point. He was very ill with a form of hepatitis, which kept him bed ridden in that same ward for over four months before being medevaced back to the UK. Worse was yet to come as he was banned from drinking alcohol for at least five years.....

Once back in the UK he quickly regained his fitness in time to deploy to Norway for Arctic warfare... Snow holes were not his scene and he volunteered and rejoined 45 Commando in the sunnier climes of Aden. 1964 was to be a busy year for the Unit and they embarked in January on H.M.S. Centaur heading south to quell a mutiny of the East African Rifles in Tanganyika... The assault into Dar Es Salaam’s Colito Barracks saw few Marine casualties particularly after a 3.5 inch anti tank rocket had been fired into the E.A.R. guardroom killing all inside. After a few days of mopping up, it was back to Aden via R & R in Mombassa. After a short respite in Aden, the unit deployed into the Radfan mountains at the start of the campaign to quell a dissident uprising in the area. On one occasion his patrol was short of water and it was Scout, piloted by a SNCO that resupplied them, which sparked his ambition to fly. Sadly, there were no NCO Pilots in the Royal Marines at that stage and only a handful of Royal Marine Officers flew with the Navy.

After a brief spell with 41 Commando at Bickleigh... he joined the ships detachment of H.M.S. Protector, the Antarctic Patrol Ship and forerunner of H.M.S. Endurance. Training had just started when there was a requirement for 6 of the detachment to form Naval Party 8901 and deploy to the Falkland Islands to train up the FI Defence Force. He joined the Party and took on the role of PTI alongside a cook, driver, weapons instructor, admin Colour Sergeant and his Recce Troop boss from Aden, Captain Ian Martin... the Party arrived in Port Stanley in early 1966....

During his time in the Falklands, an Aerolineas Argentinas DC 4 was hijacked over Argentina and landed on the racecourse just outside Port Stanley. He was going trout fishing as it circled to land, so thinking it was in distress, diverted the Land Rover to help. In short, the El Condor Group of 25 young men, commanded by a very attractive blonde woman, had hijacked the aircraft on an internal flight in Argentina and flown to Port Stanley intending to liberate the Islands from British rule. Alan and two other Marines were taken hostage, but were not too concerned as during the initial frisking, the terrorists had missed the explosive fishing aid in his pocket. The Argentinean passengers were soon released and much to Alan’s concern the Falkland Islands Defence Force, which at that stage closely resembled ‘Dads Army’ quickly surrounded the plane. After a long stand off, the group gave up and all ended well. Alan managed to confiscate some photographic film from their photographer and days later the Daily Express had exclusive photo coverage of the proceedings.

Shortly after this event, the Royal Marines asked for SNCOs to volunteer for Pilot training and he applied.... After completing an S1 course he joined APC 210 at Middle Wallop in early 1969.... he was awarded his Wings [15 January 1970] and posted to 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron in Singapore.... Exercises took him to the Philippines, Brunei and Hong Kong. He had his first engine failure just after crossing from Singapore into Malaya and managed to put the aircraft safely down onto a yam plantation. Sadly, the Wessex that came to lift his Sioux out all but destroyed the farmers Atap roofed house. Due to a delay because of unserviceability he flew the last British helicopter out of Singapore when British Forces withdrew and having found H.M.S Bulwark, took part in exercises in the Gulf and Kenya before returning to the UK.

After a Scout conversion he joined Brunei Flight at Coypool. Exercises in Germany and the Mediterranean followed, and he was loaned to 660 Sqn AAC for a tour in NI at Long Kesh. Sadly, while emplaning troops at Gosford Castle, a young trooper from the 17th/21st Lancers ran into the Scout’s tail rotor and was killed instantly. Subsequently, Scout tail rotors were painted black and white to give greater visibility....

1974 saw Alan joining the Blue Eagles as No. 2 and the first Royal Marine in the team. He was commissioned into the Army Air Corps at the end of the season [October 1974], posted to 657 Squadron in Soltau, Germany and without any formal training on the do’s and don’ts of being an Army Officer, was thrown in at the deep end and made flight commander of a 12 Sioux Flight supporting 7 Armoured Brigade.

In early 1978 he joined the QHI course at Shawbury and became the first Army student to sweep the board with the prizes and gain a distinguished pass. During his two years in Advanced Rotary Wing at Wallop he led a Gazelle display team and had the privilege of flying them up the Thames through ‘London at 200’ for the Lord Mayor’s Show.

Having put around the rumour that he was posted to Fort Rucker, it worked and he was posted to Alabama as the British Army exchange instructor. Promoted Major soon after arrival he was given command of Combat Skills, consisting of 105 Hueys, 76 instructors and 160 students....

In 1982 on return from the States he went to the Falklands to fly Argentinean Hueys captured in the conflict and on return took command of Aircrewman Training Squadron [See A.F.C. recommendation above for further details]... As part of an attempt to break the London to Paris record, he was given the opportunity to fly a Lynx live on Noel Edmunds ‘Late, Late Breakfast TV Show’, which went out early on Saturday evenings. He teamed up with Eddie Kidd of motorcycle fame, Michael Carlton, who owned and piloted a Hawker Hunter jet and David Boyce, who could run fast. He flew the final leg from Biggin Hill into the BBC studios and with the Lynx speed restriction removed flew on Tq and transmission limits, which made for an interesting arrival... They established a new record of 38 minutes and 58 seconds, which went into the Guinness Book of Records....

A posting to Northern Ireland Regiment as Regimental QHI came next and with just himself and the two Squadron QHIs in Theatre, the introduction of NVG and getting all aircrew up to speed proved challenging. His final three years in the Army were spent as the Senior Flying Instructor based at Netheravon.... With helicopter and fixed wing licences in hand, he left the Army in 1990... he was offered a job with Bristows at Wallop replacing his old Basic Rotary instructor, Ian McArthur....

In 1992 he teamed up with fellow Bristow Instructor and ex Navy pilot, Billy Campbell to enter Helimeet. With moderate success in winning all the civilian categories, they were invited to enter as a military crew in the next Helimeet and went on to win the overall flying competition. They participated as part of the British team in two successive World Championships gaining silver and bronze medals and the highlight was dropping just three points, out of a possible seven hundred during the navigation event in Moscow.’ (Flying Marines refers)

Wiles retired having logged over ten thousand hours on military aircraft.

Sold with the following related items and documents: Two Medals for the World Helicopter Championships, for 1992 and 1994 respectively, these housed in glazed frame; AAC cloth insignia; Letter of Commendation from United States Department of the Army, dated 18 January 1982; Central Flying School Certificates for The Llangollen Trophy, the Bristol Siddeley Trophy, and the Westland Trophy; a number of annotated photographic images from various stages of recipient’s career - including as being held hostage by El Condor Group; Blue Eagles First Day Covers for April and May 1974; and copied research.