WAND-TETLEY, Peter Michael

Rank: 
Lieutenant (later Captain)
Unit / Base: 
7 Commando
Middle East Commandos
Regiment/Corps: 
Wiltshire Regiment
Service: 
Army
Number: 
6463867
143484
Born: 
Monday, February 2, 1920
Birthplace: 
Farnham
Died : 
Sunday, March 16, 2003
Place died: 
Dorset
19 October 1939 attested into the Honorable Artillery Company [1].
26 April 1940 to 168th Infantry O.C.T.U. [1].
17 August 1940 commissioned Second Lieutenant, Wiltshire Regiment [1][2].
1941 attached No.3 Special Service Battalion embarked for the Middle East with Layforce [3].
Also served in No.7 Commando and the Middle East Commando [3a].
October 1942 posted to 1st SAS for three months before transferring to the Special Operations Executive (SOE) [3].
1943 awarded the Military Cross in recognition of gallant and distinguished service whilst part of an SOE operation to equip and train partisans in Greece [4][4a].
Recommendation
"Lieutenant Wand-Tetley with Major Reid and a Greek wireless operator was parachuted "blind" into the heart of the Pelopennese in mid April. All that was known was that there were small scattered parties of guerillas over a fairly wide area, but it was also known that area was fairly thickly covered with Italian troops. The party landed successfully but were unable, before daylight, to find some of the stores, weapons, and ammunition that had been dropped with them, and their wireless set was damaged.
At daybreak they lay up in a hide hoping that at night they would again be able to go out and continue the search. Unfortunately, they saw from their hide that Italian troops had found some of the parachutes and stores with the result that for the next fortnight they were engaged in a most unattractive game of hide and seek with the Italian troops who continually conducted organised drives. The search for the British party was given up at the end of a fortnight and, carefully, Wand-Tetley and Reid went out in different directions on reconnaissances to contact guerillas who had, of course, also lain hidden during these Italian drives.
Within a few weeks they had successfully got together about 150 guerillas and by dint of hard work and initiative the Greek W/T operator managed to get the wireless set working. As soon as contact with Cairo was established Reid and Wand-Tetley made known their requirements with the result that weapons, ammunition, equipment, and clothing were successfully dropped to them, although as one drop was taking place, they and their guerillas were attacked by about a Company of Italians. They beat this attack off under a full moon and were able to collect the majority of their stores.
This band therefore, due a large extent to Lieutenant Wand -Tetley's assistance, has been well equipped and organised, and is now in the course of training" [4a].
  • After being evacuated from Greece, he served as adjutant with the 7th Battalion Parachute Regiment in Singapore and Java for the last year of the war [3].
  • 1 January 1965 lately Under-Secretary (Establishment), Ministry of Establishments and Training, Northern Nigeria, appointed O.B.E. (Civil Division) [5]
Sources
[1] Record Cards British Army, Honourable Artillery Company.
[2] London Gazette 34928, page 5145.
[3] Daily Telegraph obituary published 22 May 2003.
[3a] Obituaries in Commando Association newsletter 117 (Sept. 2003).
[4] London Gazette 36146, page 3819.
[4a] Award Reciommendations / National Archives file WO373/46/116.
[5] London Gazette 43529, page 22.
[Additional] SOE Personnel File HS 9/1453/7.
 

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