SAS hero who was one of the first to storm the Iranian Embassy in 1980 is selling his medals and a floor plan from the legendary raid
Warrant Officer Ian White has revealed the floor plan he and his comrades used to storm in and kill the hostage takers in May 1980
AN SAS hero of the Iranian Embassy siege is selling his medals for £30,000 to help fund his retirement.
Warrant Officer Ian White is also auctioning a never-before-seen copy of annotated floor plans of the building showing the known location of the terrorists and hostages during the legendary mission.
WO White was one of the first of the crack team of commandos to enter the London embassy and bring an end the six day siege in May 1980.
The dramatic operation was played out live on TV to the nation, with black-clad troopers in gas masks seen scrambling along balconies as they moved to storm the London embassy.
WO White was one of the team on the roof who abseiled in through a skylight.
He and a colleague went from room to room using flashbang stun grenades to clear them.
He also spotted a gunman who had infiltrated the hostages as they were evacuated down the stairs while clutching a grenade.
Unable to shoot for fear of hitting the hostages, he shouted down over the stairwell balcony to colleagues below who shot him dead in a "hail of bullets".
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Five of the six gunmen were killed in the Operation Nimrod rescue.
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All but one of the 25 hostages alive at the start of the siege were rescued. Another was shot dead by the terrorists before PM Margaret Thatcher ordered the raid.
The operation is the most famous SAS action of all time and is the subject of the new movie called 6 Days, which stars Jamie Bell and is due for release soon.
WO White revealed that afterwards a member of the team asked Margaret Thatcher to "move your effing head" as news of the raid came on TV while she visited them.
The men also protested at having to drink Australian Fosters lager as they celebrated the success of the mission.
WO White, who went on to serve in the Falklands War, is now aged in his 60s and currently works in education in Wiltshire.
He has decided to sell his campaign medals at auction and use the estimated £30,000 proceeds for his retirement.
Ned Cowell, of auctioneers Woolley and Wallis of Salisbury, Wilts, said: "He probably just feels he has had these medals for long enough and the money would enable him to retire.
"Generally speaking, a lot of former service personnel are in fairly modest circumstances now and are not brilliantly looked after when they leave.
"Many medal collectors are military enthusiasts and the Iranian Embassy siege was the seminal SAS action of their post war years.
"It makes this medal group a truly historic acquisition for the collector."
Six Arab gunmen stormed the Iranian Embassy in South Kensington on April 30, 1980. They demanded the release of prisoners in Iran and safe passage out of Britain.
Iraqi tyrant Saddam Hussein supported the attack as he believed it would help him win international backing to invade Iran.
WO White was part of the SAS counter-terrorist team scrambled from their base in Hereford. That night they moved into the building next door to the embassy.
Over the following days the unit gathered intelligence and planned for an assault should they be called upon.
The commandos were each given a layout of three floors of the embassy and the known location of the hostages and terrorists.
The hostages were marked as X with the men held in the main office and the women in a room next door.
Two stick-men figures in the office represented PC Trevor Lock, who was tasked with guarding the embassy, and the most senior diplomat in charge who had been injured trying to escape.
The floor plan also highlighted the known position of two terrorists sentries guarding the second floor and the areas in darkness.
In a statement provided for the sale, WO White said: "Sadly as the terrorists began to run out of patience the killing of the hostages started.
"It was at this point we realised our long hours of training and expertise would be unleashed on the terrorists."
He said his assault team entered through a light well in the roof and he and a colleague named Toad set about clearing one of the floors.
He was then almost killed by friendly fire as he was about to turn into a corridor.
He said: "Toad placed his hand on my shoulder and stopped me. As he did so a hail of bullets passed in front of me. It was not until after I realised if I had taken that step I would have become a casualty."
He then helped put out a fire caused by the unit's explosives setting light to the curtains when they stormed the lower floors.
And he was deployed to the top of the circular staircase to help evacuate the hostages by passing them down the human chain of his comrades.
He said: "After the first few had passed us I heard the cry 'terrorist'. To my horror I noticed in that short time I had just thrown him down the stairs and in that moment I saw the grenade in his hand.
"I ran to the balcony which overlooked the main staircase. I and some of my colleagues shouted to the team below 'terrorist' and 'grenade'.
"This terrorist was met by a hail of bullets before he could release his grenade."
He said the hostages were sent out to the garden along with the only surviving terrorist who was among them. He was picked out by hostage Sim Harris and taken away.
WO White said: "Slight evidence of the 'Stockholm syndrome' was evident with members of the hostages already stating that this terrorist was a nice guy."
The 32 SAS heroes who took poart in the raid and 18 who were in support were taken to army barracks in central London for a debrief and to meet the Prime Minister.
WO White said: "Beer was passed around, Fosters. Where was the British beer, one of the team asked.
"Suddenly a presence swept the room, it was Maggie and her husband, offering a few words and a shake of the hand.
"A TV was then brought in and we could see what the media were making of this event. As we all crowded round the small TV a few words were spoken, 'Maggie can you move your effing head'.
"Give the lady her due, she just looked back and said sorry and moved out of the way so some of the team at the back could see."
WO White joined the army in 1970s and served in Northern Ireland and the Falklands.
His medals are the General Service with Northern Ireland clasp, South Atlantic medal, Regular Army Long Service and Good Conduct medal.
Mr Cowell said: "The medals themselves aren't that uncommon but it is who they belong to and the action he took part in that gives them their value.
WO White's fighting knife and leather scabbard are also included in the sale on November 22.
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