SAS hero, 82, who took part in Iranian embassy siege and daring Falklands War raids dies – as colleagues share tributes
AN SAS hero who took part in the Iranian embassy siege and daring raids during the Falklands War has died.
Warrant Officer John Thompson, 82, died on Saturday evening after a period of ill health.
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John, originally from Liverpool, began his military career after joining the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers, where he successfully completed his parachute training, and was eventually posted to Cyprus on New Year’s day 1964.
He served with the United Nations in Cyprus before transferring to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Parachute Brigade, in 1969.
Five years later, in 1974, together with his Brigadier, he gained the rare distinction of being presented at a parade with the Republic of Korea Service Medal after a year there.
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In 1978 he successfully applied for and completed his SAS selection and was posted to Boat Troop, “A” Squadron.
In May 1980, he took part in Operation Nimrod to help free hostages being held by terrorists inside the Iranian Embassy in central London.
Mr Thompson was one of a SAS team flown into London by helicopter who then stormed the building by abseiling from the roof in a successful rescue bid that killed five of the terrorists.
Thompson and one of his three colleagues from A Squadron who were sent to the front of the building where they fired gas canisters into the embassy - and were pictured doing so.
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The raid by 55 SAS men lasted 17 minutes and all but one of the terrorists were killed.
One hostage was killed during the raid.
The following year Thompson moved to Boat Troop, “G” Squadron and was sent to the Falklands following the Argentine invasion.
Along with his colleagues, Thompson was dropped on the islands three weeks before the invasion.
He risked his life gathering intelligence on the Argentinian troop movements and spent the conflict taking out enemy patrols.
After the Falklands War he retired from the Army and worked as a bodyguard in the Middle East.
He also raised money for charity by running marathons and climbing to Everest base camp for Help the Heroes.
In 2013, he sold his medals for £17,000 after they were auctioned on the TV Show Dickinson’s Real Deal.
When was the Iranian embassy siege & what happened?
The Iranian embassy siege took place from April to May of 1980.
Panic was sparked when, on April 30, six gunmen took 26 people, including staff, a police officer and members of the public, hostage inside the embassy building.
The group demanded release of prisoners in the Iranian province of Khuzestan as part of a campaign for regional independence, as well as transport out of the UK.
Five hostages were released over the next few days after negotiations with police.
But it was decided by ministers that the gunmen's full list of demands could not be met.
Instead, the SAS would conduct a raid on the building to rescue the remaining hostages under the name Operation Nimrod.
Two teams of commandos stormed the building on the evening of May 5, abseiling from the roof and using gas grenades to clear the building.
Five of the six gunmen were killed and all except one of the remaining 21 hostages were rescued.
The final gunman, Fowzi Bedavi Nejad, spent 27 years in prison before being granted parole in 2008.
A number of the hostages signed a petition asking for his release, saying he "has been punished" and could not return to Iran as he would be shot "as soon as he got off the plane".
It is believed he now lives somewhere in South London under a new name.
The siege was the first time the SAS had been brought to public attention, with the service reporting a surge in applications in its wake.
It also inspired films including 1982's Who Dares Wins and even a Tom Clancy video game.
He said at the time: “I had a really great day although the auction was more nerve-wracking than being in the Army.
“I am going to share the money with my family and I also have a new granddaughter, Lucy, who is two weeks old, so I am going to invest some of the money for her future education when I am gone.”
David Dickinson added: “It was a terrifically exciting auction. Our challenge was to help a man who served his country for over 20 years in some of the most dangerous conflicts of the 20th century to get the best possible price for a lifetime of hard-earned medals.”
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One former colleague wrote on Facebook: “John was the former regimental chief clerk at Hereford before he passed SAS selection.
"A great guy, splendid soldier, all-round nice man and a friend to many. RIP Always a little further."
