A Collection of Medals to Members of the Special and Airborne Forces

Five: Staff Sergeant R. Dove, Royal Tank Regiment, late Special Air Service

U.N. Korea; General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, Malaya, Arabian Peninsula, E.II.R. (22122080 Tpr., S.A.S.); General Service 1962, 2 clasps, South Arabia, Northern Ireland (22122080 S. Sgt., R.T.R.); U.N. Medal, UNFICYP riband; Army L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., Regular Army (22122080 Sgt., R.T.R.), good very fine or better (5) £1800-2200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Members of the Special and Airborne Forces.

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Roy Dove was called up for National Service in March 1949 and served for 18 months in 7 Royal Tank Regiment, following which he joined the County of London Yeomanry (Territorials) before enlisting in 5 Royal Tank Regiment in 1952. And it was whilst employed as an M.T. driver in the latter unit in Korea that he volunteered for 22 Special Air Service, passing his parachute and selection courses in Singapore before being posted to ‘A’ Squadron, S.A.S. in Malaya. He was subsequently employed in “Operation Termite”, participating in several deep penetration patrols into the jungle, more often than not via parachute from Valettas, or helicopters, a pioneering technique known to the S.A.S. as “Tree-hopping”.

Having then been demobilised from 22 S.A.S. in 1957, he re-enlisted into 2 Royal Tank Regiment in 1960, and served in Libya, Cyprus and Germany, until, in 1965, he was appointed House Sergeant to Major-General Ward, the C.O. of 1 Division, H.Q. & Signals. On Ward’s departure, he remained employed in a similar capacity to General Alan Taylor, later Deputy Commander of U.K. Land Forces, while in 1976, he joined 1 Royal Tank Regiment and served as Officer’s Mess Steward until his retirement - his C.O. then noting that he was ‘the most be-medalled soldier in the Regiment (I’ll be glad to see him go!)’. He added, too, ‘having served in the S.A.S. myself, I probably understand Roy Dove better than anyone else in the Regiment - he’s nuts!’