Watch List notes:

*A Rare Silver Cross of Rhodesia Pair awarded to Captain Martin Pearse, S.C.R., M.F.C., of 1 (Rhodesian) Special Air Service Regiment, who was awarded the Silver Cross of Rhodesia for leading a successful bush raid in which he himself accounted for 13 kills. He was later killed in action during Operation Carpet - the raid on Joshua Nkomo's Intelligence Headquarters in Lusaka, Zambia, on the night of 12-13 April, 1979, comprising: Silver Cross of Rhodesia, the reverse officially named (Capt M.F. Pearce M.F.C. (Operational)); Rhodesian General Service Medal, with operational military forces commendation silver pick emblem upon ribbon (Capt M.F. Pearse); note variation in spelling of surname, group mounted on card for display with S.A.S. cloth insignia, nearly extremely fine (2). Silver Cross of Rhodesia: Government Gazette: 1 June 1979 - awarded for the earlier raid on Nkomo's home in Lusaka on 12-13 April 1979. Military Forces Commendation (Operational) Government Gazette 26 September 1975 - 'Lieutenant M. F. Pearse, C Squadron, Rhodesian Special Air Service Regiment. Whilst employed on operations Lieutenant Pearse was in command of a twelve-man patrol carrying out the task of a long term ambush. The bush was extremely thick and finding a suitable position proved a difficult task. After lying in ambush for five days, twenty-four terrorists walked into the position. Lieutenant Martin Frank Pearse sprang the ambush which resulted in thirteen immediate kills. Further intelligence gained indicated that fifteen terrorists had been killed in this ambush and also a number had been wounded. Lieutenant Pearse's skill in the siting of the ambush and his determination to wait and kill, resulted in a highly successful contact.' Martin Pearse was born on 12 March 1949 at Johannesburg, South Africa, and was educated at The Ridge School, and then at St Andrews College in Grahamstown, where he was a keen sportsman. After his national service as a gunnery rating in S.A.S (South African Ship) President Steyn, he spent two years as an accountant in Johannesburg before applying to join the officer training course for entry into the Rhodesian Army in early 1971, joining some 30 others. Of these, 8 were commissioned on 18 February 1972, with Martin Pearse being awarded the Sword of Honour. He initially served in the R.L.I. as a Troop Commander in 2 Commando, before his later selection as a Lieutenant in "C" Squadron, (Rhodesian) Special Air Service Regiment. In c.1978 he left the S.A.S. to serve as a Military Intelligence Officer with 1 Brigade for approximately one year, before rejoining the S.A.S. in early 1979. Meticulous in nature, a contemporary wrote of him: 'his insistence on accuracy, neatness and detail...was well known', and was no doubt absolutely necessary during special operations. On the night of 12-13 April 1979, Captain Martin Pearse led the S.A.S. raid on the house and command centre of Joshua Nkomo – leader of Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (Z.I.P.R.A.) forces in Lusaka. This operation was codenamed 'Bastille', and involved a clandestine raid across the border into Zambia. The Rhodesian S.A.S. took the bold decision to paint their Sabre Land Rovers to closely resemble the colours of the Zambian security force vehicles, and having taken a ferry across Lake Kariba, they then held their nerve as they drove their painted Land Rovers right into the centre of Lusaka. The plan was set for Pearse to begin by breaching the outer security wall, and then lead his team into the house to assassinate Nkomo – their target. The raid started well, and having breached the wall several insurgent guards were killed surrounding the perimeter of the house, but inside the house Nkomo was nowhere to be found. Inevitable reports of tip-offs and intelligence moles between Rhodesia's COMOPS and MI6 (who apparently wanted a peaceful solution to the conflict involving both sides) were soon to follow. Despite this, another S.A.S. team made a simultaneous and successful attack on the Liberation Centre elsewhere in Lusaka. In another attempt two months later on 26 June they launched Operation Carpet, a combined helicopter and jet air attack on the Z.I.P.R.A. camp at Chikumbi (north of Lusaka) and a ground attack on the headquarters of the Z.A.P.U. department of National Security and Order at Roma in Lusaka. A group of five helicopters were deployed to drop the S.A.S. assault troops, including Martin Pearse, around the headquarters and opened fire with small arms and rockets, whilst Hawker Hunter aircraft pounded the guerrilla camp at Chikumbi some eight miles north of Lusaka. In the short, 30- minute action roughly 20 to 50 enemy troops were killed, but sadly Captain Martin Pearse was also killed, reputedly when a bunker bomb exploded close to his position, causing a section of wall to collapse upon him. Pearse had been due to receive the Silver Cross of Rhodesia which had been gazetted to him at the beginning of that month, however he was killed just three days before the date of the bestowal. Ex D.N.W.,25 March, 1997, lot 620 (£4000-6000)