ALASTAIR MacKENZIE

I was born in Dover, England into a Scottish military family and spent my younger years travelling with my family to Cyprus, Egypt, Malaya and Singapore. My Father retired to NZ from the British Army in 1959. I grew up in Wellington, NZ and attended Wellington College before joining the NZ Army in 1966.

I graduated into the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (RNZIR) as a 2Lt from OCS Portsea in Australia in 1967.

In late 1969 I married Cecilia and we were to be married for nearly 40 years.

I served in South Vietnam as an infantry platoon commander with V5 Company as part of 2RAR/NZ (ANZAC) from May 1970-May 1971. Sadly, I am the only surviving platoon commander of my Company.

1973 I resigned from the NZ Army and joined the British Parachute Regiment as 2ic of 3 PARA Patrol Company. I served with them, including two tours of Ulster (weird place, vicious weird people!) before passing selection and joining 22 SAS in 1976. I served four years with 22SAS including another two tours in Ulster and commanding the UK counter-terrorist team. After serving with 22 SAS I rejoined the PARAs as a Company Commander in 1 PARA.

In 1980, I emigrated to South Africa and I was appointed as the Regimental 2ic of the SADF 44 Parachute Brigade near Pretoria and also commander of the HQ Pathfinder Company - a polyglot unit with experienced soldiers from many countries, especially Rhodesia. I participated in a number of interesting operations in SWA and Angola.

For several reasons we left South Africa and, after some 12 months with a PMC in London and service with 21SAS, I re-joined the NZ Army as the battalion 2ic of 2/1 Battalion RNZIR. Career opportunities with the NZ Army were limited so, in 1985 after completing my contract I was offered an appointment with the Sultan of Oman's Special Forces based in the South of Oman. I served for nearly four very interesting years in Oman as Regimental 2ic and also commander of the Counter-terrorist Squadron, The Cobras.

In 1989, my family and I moved to England and I worked for some six years with British Aerospace/ Royal Ordnance based in Lancashire. In 2000 I established a specialist security consultancy and training company, AMA Associates Ltd, and worked with a number of my previous colleagues from Special Forces. I was fortunate that the Company was very successful and at the same time I continued military service with the Territorial Forces and retired as an SAS Lt Col. At the same time I was a magistrate at the local magistrate's court; and completed my PhD in Politics at Lancaster University.

Whilst in UK I toured Europe on my motorcycle and followed my Father's footsteps (or tank tracks!) from Normandy to Northern Germany with 11 Armoured Division. He commanded a Sherman Firefly tank destroyer and was 'Mentioned in Despatches' three times.

In 2005, Cecilia and I returned to NZ and bought a house at the water's edge in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds of NZ. My dearest wife died in 2007.

I am involved in NZ veterans' affairs and in 2006, in the NZ Year of the Veteran, three Vietnam Veteran friends whom included Dave Barr (www.davebarr.com) rode throughout NZ to collect funds for a NZ Vietnam Veterans' Trust. Unfortunately, I was not able to interest any major corporations in our venture but we gratefully collected some $50,000 from 'ordinary people'. I am also proud to have been a trustee for the Vietnam Veterans' and their Families Trust for the last five years.

I still carry out the occasional consultancy on maritime or aviation security matters but now have more time to indulge in the pleasure of writing, especially about the military history of World War Two and Special Forces. I also enjoy riding my Harley Davidson and my latest interest, gold fossicking!