A friend and veteran passed away.

[Herr General]

With this topic I would like to pay my respect to a great friend and veteran: Lt Colonel Harold Wallace Dee MBE. Known to friends as Geordie. Geordie passed away on Tuesday in the age of 87. I first met Geordie in 2005 when he visited the Monument of Tolerance in the Netherlands. Here he took part in a memorial service together with his former enemies; German and Austrian veterans.

He was very much a advocate for tolerance!

Below is what I remember of this military service. It might not be completely 100% correct because I’m doing this from memory and with the help of a few old notes.

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Lt Colonel Geordie Dee was a true soldier! He served more than 50 years in the British Army. A few years ago he send me a list of his medals. Together they give a good overview of his military carrier.

He fought and served in many wars and theatres of operations. During the Second World War he joined the Home Defence at the age of 15. In 1944 he enrolled into the No. 6 Commandos. In the Netherlands he saw (among other places) action in the Osen (Bell Island) river crossing near Roermond. His unit finished “their war” in Germany.

After the Second World War he stayed in the army and served as a sergeant in the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry Regiment during the Korean War. After the Korean war he was send to Kenya to help during the Mau Rebellion and the Kenya Emergency. During this conflict he gained the rank of company sergeant mayor. He was air lifted from Kenya for the Suez channel crisis in 1956.

He stayed in the Arab world and was enrolled as a Regimental sergeant mayor in the Trucial Oman Scouts. This unit was a paramilitary force raised by the British to serve in the Trucial States. The troops were mixed Arab and British. Due to a disagreement about land and associated oil rights, the Imam of Oman rebelled against the Sultan of Muscat.

“To sum up Geordie Dee he had a magnetic personality, a brilliant sense of humor,” said Terry Ward, a TOS who first met Dee in the early 1960s. “Rank meant little do him as long as you got on and did the job. If you didn’t do the job he might pull some rank on you. He retained that attitude right throughout. All he wanted was efficiency.”

His next posting was in Asia. As Regimental sergeant mayor in the The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation in 1962.

In 1969 he returned to the United Kingdom and served multiple tours in his beloved KSLI regiment during the conflict in Northern Ireland. He rose to the ranks as a captain, major and lieutenant colonel between 1969 – 1980. In 1973 he was invested as a Member of the British Empire for his leadership in the Northern Ireland conflict.

His last posting was in Cyprus in 1979. He retired fully in 1990. In 2002 he was awarded the Tower of Al-Qasmi 2nd class medal by the government of the Ras Al Khaima - United Arab Emirates. This for his loyal and distinguished service to the Trucial Oman Scouts in their formation years. (he was the honorary president of the Trucial Oman Scout Association)

His full medal entitlement:

1 Member of the British Empire (MBE, Military division)

2 The France and Germany Star

3 The Defence Medal

4 The 1939/45 War Medal

5 The General Service Medal 1918 version with clasp Malaya, Arabian Peninsula and Mentioned in Dispatches

6 The Korea Medal

7 The United Nations Service Medal for Korea

8 The Africa General Service Medal with clasp Kenya

9 The General Service Medal 1962 version with clasp Northern Ireland

10 The United Nations Cyprus Medal

11 The Long Service and Good Conduct Medal with clasp Regular Army

12 Tower of Al-Qasmi 2nd class medal from the Ras Al Khaima - United Arab Emirates

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He will be missed! Rest in peace Geordie!

[Chris Boonzaier]

Wow....

actually... what more can one saw... other than WOW!

[Mervyn Mitton]

Thankyou for this touching memorial post. A very full life - and one dedicated to his Country. God be with him. Mervyn

[David B 1812]

A very interesting and varied group of medals. And very impressive, also.

Thank you for the posting.

[gavinmedals]

Great memorial to him. RIP.

[peter monahan]

_{Wow! and R.I.P. Sounds like a great fellow.}

Edited April 11, 2013 by peter monahan

[Pylon1357]

My condolences to you and his family. I was fortunate enough to MAKE the time to go visit an old friend and Veteran of World War Two just yesterday. Ted will be 93 in June. Of course he is slowing down as his aches and pains grow more numerous and stronger, however he is very much alert and sharp as a razor.

[Paul R]

I am sorry for the loss of your friend. I am glad that you were able to share in some of his stories.