South Atlantic group of 3 , 3 Para, served in Major Collett’s A Company who won one of the 2 MC’s to 3 Para for Mount Longdon. Recipient served for 23 years ending as Colour Sergeant. Awarded parachute wings from France and USA 10th Special Forces Group (ABN)Later a freelance Security Consultant , inc. Ivory Coast and N. Africa and on Maritime anti-piracy. With a good photographic record of his career

South Atlantic with Rosette (Pte. Para), UN Cyprus, C.S.M. clasp Northern Ireland (Sgt. Para.)

A. Williams, Para (later Colour Sergeant)

With good photographic record of his career, copies of his French & US Parachute Wings Certificates , copies of Certificates of Service confirming this full medal entitlement and Discharge

Served with mortars, with Major Collett’s A Company

The services of A Company are best encapsulated in Major Collett’s Military Cross citation (one of only 2 to 3 Para)

Military Cross : Major Collett commanded A Company 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment throughout the Falklands Islands campaign. After a long and arduous advance towards the Brigade’s major objectives, his company was deployed well forward of the battalion’s main position, in ground dominated by enemy-held features. For five days, his Company endured repeated attention from enemy indirect fire, but his position as a forward patrol base was too valuable to surrender. His calmness and leadership during this difficult period was exemplary, and his skill insiting of his position to take maximum advantage of a reverse slope was crucial in reducing casualties to a minimum. During the same period, active recce patrolling and one fighting patrol mounted by his Company all provided information invaluable in the final assault on the battalion’s major objective.

For the next attack, Major Collett’s Company was tasked to capture the ridge running North West from Mount Longdon. After a swift and tactically skilful advance, he led his company along a shallow valley known from previous patrols to be an enemy fire target for both machine guns and artillery, in order to achieve maximum surprise on his objective. His movement thus remained undetected until he was close to the crest of the ridge line, at which time his Company came under sustained and accurate fire from machine guns and snipers from the mountain several hundred feet above him. Several casualties were sustained from this and mortar fire, but he secured his position and drove off an enemy standing patrol nearby. After maintaining his position for several hours under extremely unpleasant conditions, during which time his Company provided highly effective fire support to B Company which was advancing along the mountain on their right flank, Major Collett was ordered to move up the shoulder of Mount Longdon and to pass through B Company to secure the Eastern pinnacles and forward slopes of the mountain. By this time his Company were very tired, but he rallied them brilliantly. Moving up the steep, rocky slopes of the mountain under continual harrassing small arms and indirect fire, he linked up with B Company on the high ground and issued orders to his platoon commanders for their attack. Narrow as the objective was, he was forced to attack with one platoon forward at a time, against heavy small arms fire. The enemy were also using direct fire missiles and mortars, but led by their Company Commander, his platoons successfully fought forward and as dawn began to break it was clear that at last the highest ground was ours. For the next three days, Major Collett’s Company maintained their vital hold on this objective, subjected to extremely heavy, accurate, and observed artillery and mortar fire from the East.

The performance of A Company throughout the operation against Mount Longdon and after its capture was outstanding, and reflected the fine and courageous leadership of their Company Commander. Always to the fore, his example of calmness and tactical good sense was an inspiration to all.

Lovely Paras group