Sergeant John W Sibley

John William Sibley served with 3rd battalion, The Parachute Regiment (3 PARA).

Corporal Sibley served with D Company (Coy) on Operation Corporate and was awarded a Mention in Despatches (MiD) for ‘displaying great bravery and disregard for his own safety’

The citation for his MiD reads:

In the early hours of Saturday 12 June 19982, the 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment were ordered to attack enemy positions on the Mount Longdon feature, eight kilometres to the West of Port Stanley on the Island of East Falkland.

During the assault, Corporal SIBLEY administered first aid to many men wounded close to enemy positions. On a particular occasion, disregarding his own safety, he moved forward under accurate enemy fire to tend four wounded men. This done, he organised their evacuation. His courageous example inspired all those around him. Corporal SIBLEY is very strongly recommended for Mentioned in Despatches.

In 1984 he went to Belize as C Coy, 3 PARA Medic and the Pegasus Journal August 1984 printed the following report

‘Doc Sibley's bin [sic] in his element out here. He's never happier than when he's stitching up one of the cowpokes who've bin gored by a wild Longhorn or rampant steer. He's also something of a local hero with the natives – they can't get enough of Doc Sibley's Elixir of Life which doubles up as horse liniment and is known for its healing properties relieving any known ache or pain.’

And a 3 PARA report from Pegasus Journal April 1986 reported

MEDICAL CENTRE

A One Act Drama

SCENE: Montgomery Square.

CO: "Well Doctor: you're going to win the RAP Competition this year, aren't you ?"

MO: "Eh, well sir, ah, m, you see. urn. er."

Sgt SIBLEY: "Yes sir. Of course we'll win."

CO walks away and RMO tries to strangle Sgt Sibley. Thus began a week of preparation and training for the Brigade RAP and Stretcher Competitions. Cpls Edwards. Stott and Harding-Dempster began training the Company Stretcher Teams covering every topic from basic lint aid to carrying a casualty over a Piranha-infested lake. Whilst Sgt Sibley made sure that the RAP was ready. (Rumour has it that the RMO was banned from Mons Barracks alter having been found "accidently" looking at the maps of the competition area.)

Competition day arrived with the RAP team rather bleary-eyed due partly to a 0330 start and partly to Cpl Stott having held his stag party the night before. But Dvrs Jock Mincher and "Rambo" Woolacot made sure we made it to the correct location. Sgt Sibley made sure everything went exactly as in the rehearsals while Ptes Lane and Mather handled casavac. The RMO however, was overcome with shock at finding that one of the judges was a QA and spent the competition sitting in a corner muttering to himself in Gaelic.

The results were not known until the very end. C Company just missed winning the Stretcher Competition and D Company came a very good third. (Support Company also put in an unforgettable performance.) The RAP won the EAGER TROPHY with Sgt Sibley collecting a crate of beer from the Commander (and wasn't seen for the next two days).

On 27 February 1987, Sergeant Sibley, died aged 37 years. He suffered a massive heart attack whilst nearing the end of a 20 mile run, he had been the medic tending others on the run.

Sgt Sibley was buried with military honours at Aldershot Military Cemetery