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Auction: 20002 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Space Exploration
Lot: 612

Three: Corporal M. J. Hawkes, Parachute Regiment and Special Forces Support Group, a confirmed member of the famous 'Task Force Black' and 'Task Force 42' who also saw Special Forces service in Lebanon and in counter-terrorism roles at home

General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (25169662 Pte M J Hawkes Para); Iraq 2003-11, no clasp (25169662 Pte M J Hawkes Para); Operational Service Medal 2000, for Afghanistan, 1 clasp, Afghanistan (25169662 LCpl M J Hawkes Para), extremely fine (3)

Michael John Hawkes enlisted in the Army on 28 July 2003 and served with the Parachute Regiment. Having seen his first tour of Northern Ireland from March-September 2005, he then saw his first Special Forces deployment as part of Task Force Black (latterly T-88). That famous unit drew in the finest operators in the grouped as follows:

TF Black - made up of an SAS sabre squadron, supported by a Company of SFSG (TF Maroon). Some SBS operators are thought to be attached to TF Black.

TF Blue - US Navy SEALs from DEVGRU (Seal Team 6).

TF Green - 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - or 'Delta Force'.

TF Orange - signals intelligence gathers from the ISA.

In Iraq from October 2005-April 2006, Hawkes offers the following detail of his service:

'First deployment with the SAS and as SFSG I was Second-in-Command of a 5-man team, with the following responsibilites, execution of quick reaction force twice weekly (5 minutes notice to move) and equipment checks. Responsibilities also included nightly house clearance. The supervision and care of detainees. Further training drills to maintain the required standard. To support members of the team in general purpose machine gun fire role for operations.'

It seems possible he would have served in the operation to rescue British activist, Norman Kember, and two Canadians who had been kidnapped in Baghdad. It seems possible he was also present during 'Operation Larchwood 4', 16 April 2006, that night, soldiers from B Squadron and a platoon of British paratroopers from the SFSG/Task Force Maroon launched the operation that was aimed at mid-level Al-Qaeda leadership, it had been developed out of raids carried out on previous days by Delta Force and the SAS against AQI in the outskirts of Baghdad, killing at least 7 insurgents. B Squadron inserted by helicopter and assaulted the terrorist-occupied farmhouse on the outskirts of Yusufiyah whilst the paratroopers set up a cordon, soon after entering the house a firefight broke out and 3 SAS soldiers were wounded by gunfire, the SAS regrouped and continued to assault the house but two more were wounded. However the SAS overcame this setback and took the house and the combined force killed a total of 5 terrorists and captured five men and several women and children, it also gathered valuable intelligence on Al Qaeda in Iraq including its leader. Returned from these operations he then found himself on a further 'black op' in Cyprus and Lebanon. Hawkes continues:

'Quick reaction force Second-in-Command. Practising dry training drills enabling us to undergo any given task including moving forward mounting to the coast of Beirut.'

This service in the Lebanon is confirmed in his Testimonial. September 2006 saw Hawkes on training operations in south Oman in preparation for his deployment to Afghanistan, March-August 2007. During this tour he served with Task Force 42. Hawkes then served with 'Land & Maritime' counter terrorism unit on service at home from December 2007-May 2008, being appointeed Fleet Manager for the SFSG from May 2008-October 2010. His final posting was as Regimental Policeman at Paderborn from October 2010. Hawkes was discharged on 21 January 2014; sold together with named boxes of issue, copied Certificate of Service, Testimonial, statement of his service, besides a number of photographs of his service.

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Sold for
£1,500

Starting price
£950