Brigadier Rollo Edward Crwys Price DSO CBE



Rollo Price won the DSO for courage in action when commanding the 4th Battalion Nigerian Regiment in Katanga in 1961. 'On his way from Kamina to seize the airstrip at Manono he fought 4 separate engagements. 'At each stage he moved openly around the battlefield and then, unarmed and accompanied only by an interpreter, he persuaded the armed and militant tribesmen to accept the troops peacefully. 'On one occasion he persuaded the garrison of a strongly manned roadblock to cease fighting, and when, at the airport itself, he came under heavy fire once again, he showed complete disregard for his own safety.

During World War 2 he was captured in North Africa and incarcerated in Italy. 'He managed to escape and live in the hills where he evaded capture for more than a year. 'He was mentioned in despatches. In his youth, Price had been a good athlete. 'He was a brilliant raconteur and could achieve a rapport with all sorts of people. 'He was also a talented cartoonist and poet.

1916 'Born on 6th April
1936 'Commissioned into South Wales Borderers
1937 'Served in Malta
1938 'Served in Palestine
1938 'India ' Landi Kotal and Cawnpore with 1st Btn
1941 'Iraq
1942 'Western Desert. In command of Company
1943 'Taken prisoner but later escaped
1945 'With 1st Btn in Palestine and Cyprus
1945 'Married Diana Budden. 'They had 3 daughters
1951 'Eritrea
1953 'Brigade Major of 5th Inf. Brigade
1956 'Company Commander with 1st Btn in Malaya
1959 '2nd in command 4th Btn Q O Nigerian Regiment
1961 'On the staff at HQ 43 Division
1964 'Commanded 160 Infantry Brigade
1967 'Gained the CBE
1968 'Commandant, British Troops in Malta
2000 'Died



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