What an amazing guy!!!!!

[ruddersrangers44]

When I came home one day last week "Dickenson real deal" was on,not my favourite show (honestly)but there was retired SAS Warrant Officer John Thompson having his medals valued with no thought of actually selling them but after being offered £10,000 and (speechless) he was persuaded to go to auction, when the hammer fell at £17,000 John said the money would go towards his family mainly his 2 week old grandaughter for her future in college.im not sure if it was more a case of the rarity of the medals themselves or more the case of who they were actually awarded to.
John joined the army in 1964 into R.E.M.E where he completed his parachute training and was posted to cyprus,John transferred to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps parachute Brigade in 1969,John was one of the very first to remove his beret in place of the UN blue type.in 1978 John applied and completed selection into the SAS where he joined boat group "A" squadron and then in may 1980 took part in operation "NIMROD" the taking of the Iranian Embassy siege,in 1981 John transferred to boat group "G" squadron which was selected for the "falklands"so by transferring john became the only member of the SAS to have taken part in both campaigns,he arrived 3 weeks before the TaskForce sending back intel and was never caught,John left the Army in 1984 aged forty after giving twenty years to his Queen and country,there is a documentry on later this year,I hope most of the details are right as I felt this man needs to be known,a real life true hero in my eyes..............

[Spitace41]

I would say it was most definitely a case of who they were awarded to in this case (and rightly so ) I presume the auction house had plenty of time to advertise this medal group and thus gave collectors enough time to do their research. I too would be interested to watch the documentary. He is obviously quite a guy

[KradSpam]

What an incredible guy, and group of medals. The medals of one of the embassy siege troopers, I can't think of anything better from modern times. I bet he got up to some mad stuff in Northern Ireland too, not to mention the Falklands. Hat's off to the bloke and I'm happy he got such a good price.

[ruddersrangers44]

You've nailed it Andy as a fourteen year old watching that live footage of them going into that Embassy just made the hairs stand up truely a legend as you said in our modern times,and yes the auction was sometime after the show hence the huge interest,and he's so bloody humble about everything he's achieved like it wasn't that much,I would have swopped with John instantly for his life and career.....what a gent......

[Tango]

The Falklands War is really what made me join the Army in 87...I have a lot of time for these heros/gents...Thanks for the info good shout. Cheers Terry.

[KradSpam]

https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/dickinson-s-real-deal

I just found it on itvplayer, not got to the medals yet. Dickinson is such a massive plank

[ruddersrangers44]

Patience Andy

[KradSpam]

That was very cool, thanks for posting!

[ruddersrangers44]

No probs Mate,we need more guys like this in our time..............Jake

[Paul D]

Not to take anything away from the CSM Thompson but many of the lads who did the Iranian Embassy seige and i knew a couple of them from the shot were killed in action in the Falklands when their helicopter crashed into the sea after the Pebble Island Op , most of the blokes who were involved in the seige fought down south as well.

Real shame he has had to flog them !!