18 Facts About Cedric Delves

Cedric Delves distinguished himself on 21 April 1982 when, as Officer Commanding D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service Regiment, he captured Grytviken on South Georgia without loss of life.

Major Cedric Delves commanded D Squadron Special Air Service Regiment during a brilliantly successful series of operations carried out in South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.

In spite of the difficulties, Major Cedric Delves was able to insert the necessary surveillance patrols into his area of responsibility overlooking Stromness Bay.

Cedric Delves was an inspiration to his men, and made a unique contribution to the overall success of operations in South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.

Cedric Delves succeeded Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Massey as commander of 22nd Special Air Service Regiment, when British Special Forces carried out the Death on the Rock operation which resulted in the death of three Provisional Irish Republican Army bombers in Gibraltar.

In 1993, Cedric Delves was appointed Director Special Forces and, by December 1995, he was leading Special Operations in Bosnia as Commander of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, a component of the Implementation Force.

Cedric Delves was appointed General Officer Commanding 3rd Division and promoted major general on 5 July 1996, in which role he was deployed to Bosnia in January 1998 as Commander of Multi-National Division.

Cedric Delves was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 31 December 1996, and awarded a Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service on 7 May 1999 for his service in former Yugoslavia between 22 June and 30 September 1998.

Cedric Delves became Deputy Commander-in-Chief at Land Command in the rank of lieutenant general in December 2000.

On 1 April 2001, Cedric Delves was appointed Colonel Commandant of the Small Arms School Corps.

Cedric Delves was appointed the British representative to United States Central Command in Tampa, Florida for the War in Afghanistan on 17 January 2002.

Cedric Delves had succeeded Air Marshal Jock Stirrup as focus changed from air operations to a campaign conducted largely by special forces on the ground.

Cedric Delves was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 2003 and, on 1 October, was succeeded as Colonel Commandant of the Small Arms School Corps by Lieutenant General Sir Redmond Watt, Delves having been appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief Regional Headquarters Allied Forces North Europe on 30 September 2003.

In December 2003, Cedric Delves lost a leg when he was crushed against a wall by a drunk driver in Maastricht in the Netherlands.

Cedric Delves retired due to disability on 17 March 2005.

In retirement, Cedric Delves became a Director of Olive Group, a security business.

Cedric Delves became Lieutenant of the Tower of London in March 2007, and was succeeded by Lieutenant-General Peter Pearson on 4 May 2010.

Cedric Delves joined the Board of Trustees of BLESMA in 2009 and was elected National Chairman in 2010.