Preserving the past for the future. Rare Original SAS Staffordshire Regiment. No 1 Four Pocket Dress Full Uniform with Peak Cap. A rare opportunity to obtain an original SAS personnel complete uniform belonging to Brigadier Simon James Knapper CBE MC (Military Cross Gallantry Award) Staffordshire Regiment.
This guy was an incredibly brave individual, the extensive ribbon bar to front of tunic comprising of the following awards MBE Military Medal, Military Cross, General Service Medal with double Oak Leaf, South Atlantic Medal with Oak Leaf and Rosettes, Golf Medal with Rosettes, Operational Service Medal Sierra Leone with Oak leaf, Operation Service Medal Iraq and Syria with Rosettes, Golden Jubilee Medal and Accumulated Campaign Service medal with Rosettes. The set comprises of four pocket Tunic, Trousers and Peak Cap. The tunic is made of heavy dark navy wool in beautiful finish condition with black silk lining, extensive medal ribbon bar award, Brigadier Red collar tabs, original screw down buttons intact shoulder broads are missing, all buttons are present and correct, to the right arm two beautiful patch insignias comprising of Black bullion gilder badge and SAS (Special Air Service) bullion gold and silver padded patch, has metal belt hooks to the reverse.
The trousers are black with red strip and has owners name inside. The peak cap is in fantastic condition dark navy blue with red stripe correct buttons to chin strap, the peak has golden bullion leaf spray and queens crown bullion with lion insignia atop, see photos.
Makers label Herbert Johnson 30 New Bond Street, London W1 with size 58 or 7 1/8. See below for extensive information of his Military Career which extends from the south Atlantic War through to Northern Ireland and Middle East War. Becoming very hard to find original tunics belonging to SAS personnel. Brigadier Simon Knapper was born in 1955 in Douglas, Isle of Man. He served as a platoon commander in the UK, Germany and Northern Ireland. Following command of the Close Observation Platoon in Londonderry from 1978-80 he was Mentioned in Despatches.In 1981 he joined 22 Special Air Service as a Troop Commander deployed immediately to the Falklands. With D Squadron, he took part in direct action operations including South Georgia, Pebble Island, Mount Kent and the diversion attacks around Port Stanley; receiving another MiD. Later he served with the SAS in Belize and Northern Ireland.
After returning to 1 Staffords as a Mechanised Company Commander he attended the Army Staff Course. Returning to 1 Staffords in 1990 as a Warrior Company Commander, he deployed to Saudi Arabia for the liberation of Kuwait. During the offensive A Company carried out the first British armoured infantry assault for which he was awarded the Military Cross. In 1994, following an SO1 Staff appointment at the Army Staff College, he took over command of 1 Staffords in Ballykinler, Northern Ireland.
During the next two years the Battalion experienced the lead up to the IRA cease fire and its subsequent breakdown; he was awarded the Queen? S Commendation for Valuable Service (QCVS). After promotion to Colonel he became the assistant Chief of Staff G2/G3 in headquarters Northern Ireland with wide ranging counter terrorist operational and intelligence responsibilities, for which he was later appointed Commander of The British Empire (CBE). In 1998 as Chief Directorate of Special Forces he was directly involved in a variety of Special forces operations and activities. Subsequently he deployed to Sierra Leone as the Assistant Chief of Staff (Operations) to the Sierra Leone Army. During this time he planned and ran the air relief of two besieged Army garrisons; instigated and controlled the reoccupation of the province of Kambia and kept 15,000 Kamajor Militia to the UN cease fire. He was awarded another QCVS. In 2001, as Brigadier, he took command of 3 Infantry Brigade in Northern Ireland. In support of the police, he oversaw the continuing campaign against Dissident republican terrorists and managed the gradual reduction of the military presence and infrastructure. He was again awarded the QCVS. In 2004 he took up a secondment post as Commander, British Military Mission to the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG). As a SANG officer he provided military advice at operational and tactical level and training assistance to develop an effective counter terrorist and internal security capability.In December 2006 he deployed to Afghanistan for 6 months where he worked in the British Embassy Kabul in a strategic planning role. In September 2007 Brigadier Simon Knapper took over as defence Advisor in the British High Commission Ottawa.
He retired from the army on the 10th December 2010. In very good condition, no moth holes that I can see present, please view photos to judge for yourself. Maybe a gift for someone special, birthdays , christenings , all occasions, for your own collection maybe. The item "Rare Original SAS Staffordshire Regiment No 1 Four Pocket Dress Full Uniform" is in sale since Saturday, September 4, 2021. This item is in the category "Collectables\Militaria\Other Militaria\Army". The seller is "churchillantiques" and is located in london. This item can be shipped worldwide.