Cedric Delves
Sir Cedric Delves | |
---|---|
Born | Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service | 1 March 1947
Military career
Delves was
Falklands War
Delves distinguished himself on 21 April 1982 when, as
For his leadership during these operations, Delves was awarded the
Major Delves commanded D Squadron Special Air Service Regiment during a brilliantly successful series of operations carried out in South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. Both operations proved to be critically important to the conduct of the two campaigns. In South Georgia, his soldiers had to operate in extremes of climate which bordered on the limits of survivability. In spite of the difficulties, Major Delves was able to insert the necessary surveillance patrols into his area of responsibility overlooking Stromness Bay. This was achieved in spite of one of his patrols becoming involved in two helicopter crashes, and another losing half its strength when it was scattered into the night by 100 mph katabatic winds. On 21st April after the engagement of the enemy submarine SANTA FE, Major Delves led his men into the Cumberland Bay East and captured Grytviken employing two of his SAS troops. By his quick decisive action and personal display of courage, he was able to accomplish the fall of Grytviken without a single loss of life. The next day he ordered his remaining troop to go ashore in Stromness Bay and accept the surrender of the remaining enemy forces in South Georgia. On the early morning of 15th May, Major Delves led his men in delivering a devastating blow to the enemy air capability on Pebble Island in the Falkland Islands. In a daring and well executed series of moves—described as a classic of its time—in which he was able to determine the layout of the enemy positions, he infiltrated the enemy defences and by skilful use of his own men and Naval gunfire, he and his men destroyed eleven aircraft on the ground and over a ton of explosive. On 21st May only hours after his Squadron had received a most cruel blow when it lost a significant proportion of its number in a helicopter crash, Major Delves led his men out once again in order to carry out a deceptive raid onto the enemy position at Darwin. So successful was he in his aim of drawing off the enemy reserves from the real landing position, that the enemy were heard to inform their higher HQ that they were under attack from at least a battalion of men. Following the successful establishment of the beachhead in San Carlos Water, Major Delves took his Squadron 40 miles behind the enemy lines and established a position overlooking the main enemy stronghold in Port Stanley where at least 7,000 troops were known to be based. By a series of swift operations, skilful concealment and lightning attacks against patrols sent out to find him, he was able to secure a sufficiently firm hold on the area after ten days for the conventional forces to be brought in. This imaginative operation behind the enemy lines provided our forces with psychological and military domination over the enemy from which it never recovered. In all the operations described, Major Delves led his men, coolly directing operations when under intensive fire from the enemy. He was an inspiration to his men, and made a unique contribution to the overall success of operations in South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.[7]
Later career
Serving with the
In 1993, Delves was appointed
Delves was appointed
By 1999 Delves was Chief of Joint Forces Operational Readiness and Training.
Delves was appointed the British representative to
In December 2003, Delves lost a leg when he was crushed against a wall by a drunk driver in Maastricht in the Netherlands.[10] He retired due to disability on 17 March 2005.[31] and relinquished the appointment of Colonel of the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment on 1 February 2007 on formation of The Rifles.[32]
Post-retirement
In retirement, Delves became a Director of Olive Group, a security business.[33] In April 2006 he was appointed to oversee intelligence operations with the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) during the time of the merger of investigative services of the Customs and Police.[34] He became Lieutenant of the Tower of London in March 2007,[35] and was succeeded by Lieutenant-General Peter Pearson on 4 May 2010.[36]
Delves joined the Board of Trustees of
Delves is also an accomplished photographer and regularly wins competitions.[38][39]
Family
Delves is married to Suzy.[40]
References
- ^ "No. 44699". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 October 1968. p. 11327.
- ^ "No. 45031". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 January 1970. p. 1357.
- ^ "No. 46419". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 December 1974. p. 12152.
- ^ "No. 48061". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 January 1980. p. 312.
- ^ "No. 48822". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 December 1981. p. 15924.
- ^ "No. 48360". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 November 1980. p. 15273.
- ^ a b "No. 49134". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 October 1982. p. 12844.
- ^ "No. 50583". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 June 1986. p. 8716.
- ^ Special Operations: Commanding Officers Archived 24 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "News in brief: Ex-SAS Chief run down by a car". The Daily Telegraph. 10 December 2003.
- ^ "No. 52173". The London Gazette. 16 June 1990. p. 6.
- ^ "No. 52200". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 July 1990. p. 11360.
- ^ "No. 52200". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 January 1991. p. 11360.
- ^ "Army Commands" (PDF). 26 July 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016.
- ^ From Bosnia to Baghdad: the evolution of US Army Special Forces from 1995 to 2004
- ^ "No. 54459". The London Gazette. 9 July 1996. p. 9225.
- ISBN 978-1554889815.
- ^ "No. 54625". The London Gazette. 30 December 1996. p. 5.
- ^ "No. 55477". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 May 1999. p. 5083.
- ^ Whitaker's Almanck 2000
- ^ Falklands SAS officer promoted to top army post Merco Press, 21 December 2000
- ^ MercoPress – Cedric Delves
- ^ "No. 56184". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 April 2001. p. 4898.
- ^ "Armed Forces: Officers 4 Jun 2007". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). United Kingdom: House of Commons of the United Kingdom. col. 162W.
- ^ a b "SAS chief takes top Afghan war job". BBC. 4 January 2002.
- ^ Written Answers House of Commons, 4 June 2007
- ^ "No. 56811". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 January 2003. p. 126.
- ^ "No. 56963". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 2003. p. 5.
- ^ "No. 57103". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 November 2003. p. 13566.
- ^ "No. 57076". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 October 2003. p. 12355.
- ^ "No. 57591". The London Gazette. 22 March 2005. p. 3517.
- ^ "No. 58284". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 March 2007. p. 4439.
- ^ "The security industry: Britain's private army in Iraq". The Independent. 3 June 2007.
- ^ "SAS man bolsters Britain's new FBI". The Daily Telegraph. 4 April 2006.
- ^ "No. 58265". The London Gazette. 6 March 2007. p. 3241.
- ^ "No. 59411". The London Gazette. 5 May 2010. p. 8081.
- ^ BLESMA – Sir Cedric Delves
- ^ National Geographic – Cedric Delves
- ^ Competition photography – Cedric Delves[permanent dead link]
- ^ "A better way to mend the broken man". The Sunday Times. 24 July 2005. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016.