Derek H Altass | ParaData

Derek H Altass enlisted into The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in January 1941.

He volunteered for the Special Services Brigade and was eventually posted to No. 6 Commando and took part in was Operation Torch. Initially posted as Missing in Action, he was taken a Prisoner of War in February 1943.

In March 1945 he escaped while working at a Paper Mill in Pitten.

Derek Altass re-enlisted into the army in 1951 and served with the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (3 PARA).

Company Sergeant Major Altass retired in March 1968 having served with 3 PARA in Cyprus, the Canal Zone (Egypt), Radfan, Suez, Borneo, Malaya and Bahrain.

CSM Altass was Mentioned in Despatches for Gallant and Distinguished Services in the Radfan Area (published in the London Gazette in May 1965.)

He emigrated to Australia soon after leaving the armed forces.

1951
The 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (3 PARA) (Company Sergeant Major)

Operations

Event

Borneo

Borneo (Kalimantan to the Indonesians) is the second biggest island in the world. One third of the island was three British dependant territories – Sarawak, the Sultanate of Brunei and North Borneo.

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Canal Zone Egypt

This had followed tension in Persia after British alarm at the nationalisation of its oil industry and fears for the safety of British nationals. The Brigade deployed to Cyprus in June aboard the Aircraft Carriers HMS Triumph and Warrior, the situation proving to be a false alarm.

Event

Cyprus (EOKA Campaign)

A continual round of village cordon and search operations, road blocks, curfews, law enforcement and riot control followed. Operations were directed against terrorist enclaves in the Kyrenian and Troodos Mountains and the Paphos Forest.

Event

Malaya

The ‘Emergency’ was the unofficial war conducted against Communist infiltration into Malaya between 1948 and 1956. Jungle areas were dominated by Communist Terrorists ‘CTs’ who press-ganged the local Aboriginal tribes for labour.

Event

North Africa (Operation Torch)

On 12 November the 3rd Parachute Battalion (3 Para Bn) jumped onto and seized the vital airfield at Bone between Algiers and Tunis, arriving barely before German paratroopers deployed for the same mission.

Event

Radfan

A concerted operation involving 3 PARA, 45 Commando and Federal troops to capture the Dhanaba Basin, a Radfan tribal stronghold, began at the end of April 1964. 3 PARA lost two killed and several wounded clearing the fort and village buildings at El Naquil in concert with 45 Commando.

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Suez (Operation Musketeer)

French paratroopers with part of the 1st (Guards) Independent Parachute Company were to capture two vital bridges leading south from Port Said and isolate the town.

Decorations

Photos_1

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Trophy awarded to CSM Altass, C Coy 3 PARA, Bahrain, 1964.

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Group photos_2

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Winners, Army (Egypt) Rugby Football Cup 1952/53 (Seven –A Side), 3 PARA.

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3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment Warrant Officers' and Sergeants' Mess, Egypt 1954.

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Warrant Officer Class 2 Derek H Altass

{ Charles Atlas, Jimmy }

28 Sep 1923 - 02 Jul 1979

Service History