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Auction: 9033 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 25

SOLD BY ORDER OF THE RECIPIENT The Unique Dhofar D.C.M. Group of Five to Lance Corporal, Later Captain, M.K. ´Taff´ Townsend, 22 Special Air Service Regiment and Royal Corps of Signals, For His Gallantry Whilst Under Heavy Machine Gun Fire During an Ambush at Sheerishitti, Western Dhofar, 6.1.1975 a) Distinguished Conduct Medal, E.II.R. (23722726 Cpl. M.K. Townsend R. Signals), edge bruise b) General Service 1962-2007, two clasps, Northern Ireland, Dhofar (23722726 Cpl. M.K. Townsend R. Signals) c) South Atlantic 1982, with rosette (23722726 Cpl M K Townsend DCM R Signals (SAS)) d) United Nations Medal for Cyprus e) Accumulated Campaign Service Medal (Capt M K Townsend DCM WFR), generally very fine or better, last in box of issue, otherwise group mounted court style as originally worn, with four related miniature awards, these also mounted court style; the Royal Mint D.C.M. case of issue; and an Official Replacement medal group of six to recipient including the Oman General Service Medal and the As Sumood Medal, the British awards stamped ´R´, good very fine or better, mounted court style as originally worn, with replacement Royal Mint D.C.M. case of issue, in original named card packaging; and the following documents: - Typed service record by recipient - Eight copies of Letters of congratulation to recipient on the occasion of the award of the D.C.M., including from: The Rt Hon The Viscount Head, G.C.M.G., C.B.E, M.C., Colonel Commandant, Special Air Service; Brigadier J.P. Watts, O.B.E., M.C., Director Special Air Service; Major-General P.E.M. Bradley, C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., Master of Signals and General Sir Edwin Bramall, K.C.B., O.B.E., M.C. - Copy of letter of thanks to recipient from Princess Diana, after her return from her visit to Angola, during which the recipient conducted the security arrangements and lead the operation for her security protection (lot) Estimate £ 40,000-60,000 D.C.M. London Gazette 20.7.1976 23722726 Corporal (now Sergeant) Melvill Keith Townsend, 22nd Special Air Service Regiment (Royal Corps of Signals). The Recommendation, dated 12.2.1975, states: ´LCpl Townsend was a member of an SAS Squadron controlling Arab Irregulars in support of the Sultan´s Armed Forces (SAF) in Dhofar from September 1974 to January 1975. LCpl Townsend was the leader of a 4 man SAS liaison patrol attached to a company of the Sultan´s Armed Forces taking part in a battalion operation in Western Dhofar on 6 January 1975. The company to which he was attached was on high ground covering the move of a second company across some open country to their front. When this company was half way across the open ground between 60 and 70 enemy in prepared positions opened fire at close range with heavy and medium machine guns, mortars and rocket launchers. The fire destroyed the leading platoon, killing the company commander and badly wounding the Forward Observation Officer (FOO). LCpl Townsend´s company was demoralised by the weight of enemy fire and he noticed that very little fire was being returned. LCpl Townsend ran forward with 2 other men under very heavy fire, seized the GPMGs from the Arab soldiers and returned the fire. At this stage it was almost the only fire being returned upon the enemy. Leaving the other 2 men he went back, still under fire, to the company´s 16mm mortar, led the team forward, established a fire position and persuaded them to begin firing. Once more he returned to the front to try and get the soldiers to fire their rifles. In order to encourage them he openly stood on a rock firing at the enemy with bullets cracking around him until ordered to take cover by a senior SAS NCO. Having by force of his personality persuaded as many soldiers as he could to put fire down on the enemy he realized that no artillery fire had been returned. LCpl Townsend then began shouting instructions to the FOO and personally controlled the artillery fire. The conduct and courage of this junior NCO throughout this very fierce engagement was magnificent. He undoubtedly saved the lives of many soldiers in the leading company, besides those of the company to which he was attached. It was an inspiring example of the highest gallantry and military ability.´ Remarks of Brigade Commander: ´This NCO´s fearless heroism on 6 January 1975 did much to prevent a setback becoming a rout. I strongly recommend the award. Remarks of Divisional Commander: ´Courage in the very highest traditions of the service. Very strongly recommended.´ Captain Melvill Keith Townsend, D.C.M., born Newport, Wales, 1944; educated at The Mount School Chepstow; joined the Royal Signals as a Junior Leader, aged 15, 26.10.1959; early postings included 24 Signal Regiment and 216 (Para) Signal Squadron for Para training, 1963-64; posted 22 Special Air Service Regiment for Selection, December 1966; initially served with 264 (SAS) Signal Squadron then with 9 Troop B Squadron, and also with 6 Troop B Squadron encompassing tours in Northern Ireland and Dhofar, including Operation Jaguar, under the command of Johnny Watts, from October 1971; the action for which Townsend was awarded the D.C.M. (see citation above) was an ambush at Sheerishitti, Western Dhofar, ´On 6 January 1975 Cpl. Townsend´s 4-man patrol was attached to the SAF company of which I was second-in-command. For much of the action he and I were separated as he was with company headquarters, while I was in charge of a detachment on a different position about 150 yards away. A second company was to pass between out two positions and secure the high ground beyond a clearing in front of us; we were to cover their advance. The second company was ambushed while it was out in the open, and all our positions came under a tremendous weight of fire..... The open area where the ambush took place was flat and featureless, apart from a few rocks which afforded minimal cover. This was an area of cultivated grassland, and the company which was caught out there in the open stood no chance when the firing started. It was an area about 300 yards by 200, overlooked on our side by two small hills; on one of these hills was our company headquarters and on the other the platoon strength detachment which I was in charge of...... When this action started our company headquarters apparently fell into some disarray and I believe that Cpl Townsend was largely instrumental in restoring order and rallying the soldiers by his leadership and personal example. It was a very unpleasant situation which he overcame with a display of great courage, inspiring those around him by his deeds. Later on in the action, by which time I had gone forward by myself into the open area to see what could be done for the men of the other company, he led his patrol forward under heavy fire to join me and assist with the evacuation of the many wounded..... On the far side of the clearing, about 250 yards forward of the tree-line, there was a small knoll and beyond that a deep wadi (ravine). It was from near the knoll that Taff and I, and his men evacuated the wounded. On the other side of the wadi, forward and to the left, rose much larger hills; these dominated the whole area and were where the enemy had their fire positions..... Again, his cool head and leadership were an inspiration, and he helped save many lives. I don´t mind admitting that I was practically at my wits´s end by this stage and his arrival was a tremendous boost to my spirits!´ (copy of letter from David Mason, included with lot, refers); The Royal Corps of Signals commissioned David Rowlands to paint a picture of Townsend´s D.C.M. action, called the ´Dhofar Incident´ in 1987, it currently hangs in the Headquarters Officers Mess, Blandford; upon hearing of Townsend´s award Johnny Watts wrote to him, then as Director S.A.S. back in the UK,´a most fitting and well earned reward for your gallantry in the Sheerishitti battle. However, if I remember rightly you were always a nutcase from the first day of Operation Jaguar - always wanting to go off and mix it with somebody!´; Townsend was posted back to the Royal Signals for promotion in June 1976, advancing to Staff Sergeant, and being posted to the Training Wing 11 Signal Regiment as QMSI Infantry Training Cell; requested to rejoin 22 SAS in 1981 and had to do Selection again, before rejoining 6 Troop B Squadron in time for service during the Falklands War; after the attack on H.M.S. Sheffield, 4.5.1982, by Super Etendards armed with Exocet missiles an ambitious plan was formulated for an assault on the aircraft at source on the Argentinian mainland; 9 members of ´B´ Squadron (including Townsend) drawn from different troops were to be dispatched as an advanced reconnaissance team; starting out from Ascension Island they were parachuted into the Task Force and were to make their way to H.M.S. Hermes from where a Sea King Helicopter would airlift them to their target area; the helicopter was to then cover its´ tracks by ditching on the Chilean coast, as if separated from the Task Force by a technical problem; the Sea King flew low under the coastal radar and managed to land within a few kilometres of the target to allow the SAS patrol to infiltrate on foot; the disembarkation was comprised, however, as a flare went up forcing the pilot to fall back on the alternative option of putting Townsend´s team down over the border in Chile before ditching his helicopter over the Chilean coast; the team attempted to rendezvous with agents in position in Chile, however, they were without success, and running low on rations they managed to rendezvous with a SAS reception team; the SAS advance team was not successfully inserted, and the launch of the operation (for which the Cabinet had to authorise) was cancelled; posted as PSI E Squadron 21 SAS (Artist Rifles), November 1982; commissioned into the Worcestershire and Sherwood Forester Regiment, December 1983; subsequent postings included as Officer Commanding, Officer Training BEMATT - Uganda and a UN Tour of Cyprus as Second in Command ´A´ Company 1st Battalion WFR; served as Training Officer with the battalion in Omagh, Northern Ireland, 1989, before being posted as Second in Command Training Depot Ulster Defence Regiment; Townsend left the Army in June 1992; was employed by Defence Systems Limited Operated as a Security Adviser for the UN and CARE in Rwanda and Tanzania, February 1995; relocated with DSL to Angola, where he was Security Adviser to several companies and embassies including the British Embassy, in the latter capacity he conducted the security operation and lead the close protection for Princess Diana on her visit to Angola, January 1997; after her visit she wrote the following to Townsend, ´I wanted to thank you very much indeed for your invaluable help with the security and transport arrangements during my visit to Angola this week. Thank you also for arranging the recce, which proved most valuable. I was deeply impressed by everything that I saw and by the superb work undertaken by the many wonderful people that I met. Any success that we may have achieved in helping to highlight the dreadful problem of landmines would have been impossible without your meticulous support.´; posted to Nigeria as the Security Manager for Haliburton, and then as Security Manager Haliburton West Africa; deployed to Afghanistan with Global Security and Control Risk, 2001; after other security employment Townsend retired in August 2009. Townsend´s medals were reported stolen from quarter, 12.11.1988, whilst he was still in service. An official replacement group was issued to him in January 1989. This is combined in the lot with the original group of issue which was subsequently returned to him.

Sold for
£100,000