Johnny Wiseman
Encyclopedia
Major John Wiseman MC (27 January 1916 – 23 August 2005) was a British
soldier
and World War II
Special Air Service
(SAS) veteran, where he saw action in the long range desert raiding parties of the North African Campaign
, then in front line support of the invasion of Sicily
and Italy
during which he was awarded the Military Cross
, followed by commando operations deep behind German lines following the Invasion of Normandy.
, and educated at St Paul's school and Pembroke College, Cambridge
, where he studied languages. In 1937 Wiseman went into the optical instrument business founded by his father, Max, who arrived from Germany in the 1920s. On the outbreak of war he attempted to join the Royal Air Force
, but was told to "wait until contacted". Instead, he chose to join the North Somerset Yeomanry
at the rank of Trooper
.
With the Yeomanry he saw action against the Vichy French forces in Syria
, opposing the Allied occupation of Lebanon
. His fluency in French
and German
earned him a place in officer training in Cairo
. Wiseman was eventually commissioned as an officer
with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
. On hearing of David Stirling
's newly formed SAS unit he sought Stirling out, who had a flat in Cairo.
. Wiseman saw action across North Africa
in SAS / Long Range Desert Group
joint operations raiding Axis
airfields and transport/communications infrastructure.
, as commander of a section in the Special Raiding Squadron (SRS) under Paddy Mayne
. Wiseman's unit scaled the cliffs of Cape Murro di Porco on the morning of 10 July 1943, in order to assault a coastal battery defending the beaches to be landed by the main Allied force. Achieving surprise, his small force killed, captured or wounded 40 of the enemy, while suffering no casualties themselves. In all, in 17 hours the SRS, in support of the British XIII Corps
, had killed over 200 Italians, captured a further 450, and silenced three batteries of guns.
By the time of the Allied operations in Italy, Wiseman was a Lieutenant
and a section
commander within 1 Troop. During a German counter attack on Termoli
on the east coast of southern Italy, Wiseman was the only survivor after a German shell killed 17 of his men in a direct hit on their truck, with Wiseman leaning out the window in the passenger seat talking to a runner
. The shell, probably a stray shot, had caused the single biggest loss of the SAS, and had likely been exacerbated by the fact many of the men had been carrying armed Hawkins grenade
s as they had been about to depart to shore up a defensive line.
commanding 1 Troop, A Squadron, 1 SAS. Wiseman was one of three troop commanders in A Squadron, which as the direct descendant of L Detachment
, considered itself the crème de la crème in the inter-rivalry of the SAS, which by now numbered 4 Regiments of various nationalities and levels of experience. In June 1944 Wiseman took part in Operation Houndsworth
, conducting operations behind the German lines in France, near Dijon
, disrupting the German's reinforcement of their forces in Normandy, assisted by the French Maquis
.
in September 1944, Wiseman was awarded the Croix de Guerre
, and on promotion to Major was given command of SAS Headquarters
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldier
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
(SAS) veteran, where he saw action in the long range desert raiding parties of the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
, then in front line support of the invasion of Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
and Italy
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
during which he was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, followed by commando operations deep behind German lines following the Invasion of Normandy.
Early life and army career
Wiseman was born in Kingston upon ThamesKingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
, and educated at St Paul's school and Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
, where he studied languages. In 1937 Wiseman went into the optical instrument business founded by his father, Max, who arrived from Germany in the 1920s. On the outbreak of war he attempted to join the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, but was told to "wait until contacted". Instead, he chose to join the North Somerset Yeomanry
North Somerset Yeomanry
The North Somerset Yeomanry was first raised in Frome in 1798. A condition of service was that it should not be required to march more than 10 miles from the town and it was soon disbanded in 1802...
at the rank of Trooper
Trooper (rank)
Trooper from the French "troupier" is the equivalent rank to private in a regiment with a cavalry tradition in the British Army and many other Commonwealth armies, including those of Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. Today, most cavalry units operate in the armoured role, equipped...
.
With the Yeomanry he saw action against the Vichy French forces in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, opposing the Allied occupation of Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. His fluency in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
earned him a place in officer training in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. Wiseman was eventually commissioned as an officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. Its lineage is continued today by The Rifles....
. On hearing of David Stirling
David Stirling
Colonel Sir Archibald David Stirling, DSO, DFC, OBE was a Scottish laird, mountaineer, World War II British Army officer, and the founder of the Special Air Service.-Life before the war:...
's newly formed SAS unit he sought Stirling out, who had a flat in Cairo.
Africa
Wiseman joined up with the SAS in their training base in Kabrit, EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Wiseman saw action across North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
in SAS / Long Range Desert Group
Long Range Desert Group
The Long Range Desert Group was a reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The commander of the German Afrika Corps, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, admitted that the LRDG "caused us more damage than any other British unit of equal strength".Originally called...
joint operations raiding Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
airfields and transport/communications infrastructure.
Sicily and Italy
Wiseman earned his Military Cross in action in the Allied invasion of SicilyAllied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
, as commander of a section in the Special Raiding Squadron (SRS) under Paddy Mayne
Paddy Mayne
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair "Paddy" Mayne DSO & Three Bars was a Northern Irish soldier, solicitor, Ireland rugby union international, amateur boxer, polar explorer and a founding member of the Special Air Service .-Early life and sporting achievements:Robert Blair "Paddy" Mayne was born in...
. Wiseman's unit scaled the cliffs of Cape Murro di Porco on the morning of 10 July 1943, in order to assault a coastal battery defending the beaches to be landed by the main Allied force. Achieving surprise, his small force killed, captured or wounded 40 of the enemy, while suffering no casualties themselves. In all, in 17 hours the SRS, in support of the British XIII Corps
XIII Corps (United Kingdom)
XIII Corps was a British infantry corps during World War I and World War II.-World War I:XIII Corps was formed in France on 15 November 1915 under Lieutenant-General Walter Congreve to be part of Fourth Army. It was first seriously engaged during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. On the First day on...
, had killed over 200 Italians, captured a further 450, and silenced three batteries of guns.
By the time of the Allied operations in Italy, Wiseman was a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and a section
Section (military unit)
A section is a small military unit in some armies. In many armies, it is a squad of seven to twelve soldiers. However in France and armies based on the French model, it is the sub-division of a company .-Australian Army:...
commander within 1 Troop. During a German counter attack on Termoli
Termoli
Termoli is a town and comune on the Adriatic coast of Italy, in the province of Campobasso, region of Molise. It has a population of around 32,000, having expanded quickly after World War II, and it is a local resort town known for its beaches and old fortifications...
on the east coast of southern Italy, Wiseman was the only survivor after a German shell killed 17 of his men in a direct hit on their truck, with Wiseman leaning out the window in the passenger seat talking to a runner
Runner (war)
A runner was a soldier responsible for passing on messages between fronts during war. This was arguably the most dangerous job of all, since these soldiers obviously had to leave the safety of a trench, bunker or any other kind of shelter in order to move from one front to the other. One example is...
. The shell, probably a stray shot, had caused the single biggest loss of the SAS, and had likely been exacerbated by the fact many of the men had been carrying armed Hawkins grenade
Hawkins grenade
The Grenade, Hand, Anti-tank, No. 75, also known as the Hawkins grenade was a British anti-tank hand grenade used during World War II. It was one of a number of grenades developed for use by the British Army and Home Guard in the aftermath of the Dunkirk evacuation...
s as they had been about to depart to shore up a defensive line.
Normandy
By the time of the Normandy landings, Wiseman had reached the rank of CaptainCaptain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
commanding 1 Troop, A Squadron, 1 SAS. Wiseman was one of three troop commanders in A Squadron, which as the direct descendant of L Detachment
History of the SAS
The History of the British Army's Special Air Service or SAS regiment begins with its formation during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, and continues to the present day. It includes their early operations in North Africa, the Greek Islands, and the Invasion of Italy...
, considered itself the crème de la crème in the inter-rivalry of the SAS, which by now numbered 4 Regiments of various nationalities and levels of experience. In June 1944 Wiseman took part in Operation Houndsworth
Operation Houndsworth
Operation Houndsworth was the codename for a British Special Air Service operation during the Second World War. The operation carried out by 'A' Squadron, 1st Special Air Service between 6 June and 6 September 1944, was centred around Dijon in the Burgundy region of France...
, conducting operations behind the German lines in France, near Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
, disrupting the German's reinforcement of their forces in Normandy, assisted by the French Maquis
Maquis (World War II)
The Maquis were the predominantly rural guerrilla bands of the French Resistance. Initially they were composed of men who had escaped into the mountains to avoid conscription into Vichy France's Service du travail obligatoire to provide forced labour for Germany...
.
HQ
On withdrawal of A Squadron back to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in September 1944, Wiseman was awarded the Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
, and on promotion to Major was given command of SAS Headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
.