COOPER, JM (#220)

Alan Pollock’s Rough Notes:

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Lt Col J M “Johnnie” COOPER MBE DCM & 3 MiDs of SCOTS GUARDS 8 GUARDS COMMANDO, original L Detachmant SPECIAL AIR SERVICE (later 1 SAS, 21 SAS, 22 SAS & GREEN HOWARDS), as desert driver/navigator with Lt to Lt Col David STIRLING on first SMALL SCALE raids, parallel with Paddy MAYNE’S 15 minute destruction of 20 aircraft at TAMET & Bill FRASER’S success against 37 CR42s on his return to AGEDABIA, deep behind the lines, often using synchronised bombing raids as cover; also on the audacious, abortive BENGHAZI RAID with the David STIRLING & Fitzroy MACLEAN party May42 & escaped the Germans (after being woken looking up a Schmeisser’s barrel), courtesy by camouflage of a moving herd of goats, when a larger force surprised them and as Lt Col STIRLING was CAPTURED:

Commissioned in the field with Rhodesian fellow navigator, Mike Sadler, he was sent to an OCTU; landed D-DAY (22nd birthday) by parachute with SAS to reinforce & train the MAQUIS & assist SABOTAGE at MORVAN nr CHINON, later DIJON, Sep44 crossed lines to fly back by USAAF Liberator. In RHINE CROSSING at.WESEL on 25Mar45 with 1 &,2 SAS & 8 Para; tasked from Celle to enter horrific BELSEN & prepare tor ARMY & RED CROSS TEAMS: post-war GREEN HOWARDS, 21 & 22 SAS, fought in Malaya, Oman & occupied Yemen.