Major Richard M Pirie

Written by Lt Col WP 'Pat' Conn OBE, friend of Richard Pirie. 

Major Richard Mitchell Pirie - Parachute Regiment I first met Richard Pirie in 2 PARA shortly after I was commissioned in August 1962 when he was a Captain, and shortly was due to return to the SAS. I believe that he was commanding one of the support platoons at the time, 3” Mortars I think. Arthur Brocklehurst took over from him I recall when he moved on. Dermot Affleck-Graves had the Anti-Tank Platoon and if I recall, Graham Farrell had the MMGs (Vickers). The battalion was commanded by Lt Col Neil Gordon-Wilson. Richard would have been 87 on the 24th March 2024.

On his return to the SAS he was busy. Richard PIRIE the `Duke’ as he was known to his troopers was deployed on operations in DHOFAR in command of B Squadron 22 SAS and also 'West'  group of the Sultan of Oman's Army as a part of Operation Jaguar. This combined force was composed of Omani, Baluch and British soldiers and included over 100 irregular Dhofari tribesmen; the whole force coming to more than 200 fighting men. His mission was to establish a base in the middle of a rebel held mountainous area and conduct offensive operations against a numerous, brave and well-armed enemy who had geography on his side; a difficult tactical task and with formidable logistic and command problems inherent in such a polyglot force. Then came the Battle of Mirbat on the 19th July 1972 when B Sqn was in the process of handing over to G Sqn when the proverbial hit the fan. That said, it is not my intention here to describe Operation Storm and the Battle of Mirbat at this point but it was an epic event.

During the next three months `The Duke’ achieved an astonishing series of successes; in over 70 contacts with the enemy,
* he inflicted 80 odd casualties with minimal loss to his own force,
* constructed two airstrips,
* established secure areas for civilian resettlement,
* nursed volatile tribesmen through the rigours of Ramadan,
* and inspired the deepest respect and affection from his multi-national force.

His personal conduct under heavy fire on frequent occasions was exemplary and his calmness and phlegm in crises became legendary. The success of pacification operations in Eastern Dhofar were due in considerable part to the professionalism, physical and moral courage and splendid personality of The Duke who had welded a diverse force into a highly effective operational unit, and who shouldered with equanimity responsibilities significantly more complex and challenging than his rank warranted. He was recommended for an MC, but this was downgraded to an MiD, I suspect on `political grounds’. Officially at that time, they were there as a part of the BATT in the Oman. Richard progressed and was the 2ic of 22 SAS when he was killed in a tragic vehicle accident in France on the 2nd December 1972. For the full story of Operation Storm it is worth reading the book For the full story of Operation Storm it is worth reading the book by Roger Cole (ex-B Sqn) and Richard Belfield, author and playwright.

Richard was commissioned as 2Lt 26 November 1960 and rose to the rank of Major 30 June 1971. (London Gazette).