Jim Almonds was one of the original wartime SAS men: a Coldstream Guardsman, commando, raider, prisoner-of-war escaper and later SAS officer.
Known as “Gentleman Jim,” he combined exceptional fieldcraft and courage with a restrained, quietly disciplined character.
Here's all you need to know about Jim Almonds.
Identity and early life
John Edward Almonds was born on August 6, 1914, in Stixwould, Lincolnshire.
He joined the Coldstream Guards at 18 in 1932 and later served with Bristol Police.
When war broke out in 1939, he returned to the Guards as a sergeant.
Joining the original SAS
Almonds was part of No. 8 (Guards) Commando before volunteering for David Stirling’s newly formed L Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade in July 1941.
He was among the roughly 65 men who began training at Kabrit near the Suez Canal.
Missing Operation Squatter
Almonds did not participate in the SAS’s first operation, Operation Squatter, as his infant son was seriously ill in hospital.
The mission ended disastrously, with most of the force killed, captured, or dispersed.
Desert raids and the Military Medal
Almonds played a central role in the SAS’s growing effectiveness after they shifted away from mass parachute insertions.
He participated in the Christmas Eve 1941 raid on Nofilia airfield and was awarded the Military Medal for his courage and resourcefulness.
Benghazi and capture
Almonds was involved in deep raids against Axis airfields and installations, including the Benghazi harbour operation in 1942.
He was captured the next day and sent to Italian prisoner-of-war camps.
Escapes from Italy
Almonds organised an escape with four others but surrendered when one man developed pneumonia.
He escaped again following Italy’s 1943 armistice, joining a downed American airman and guiding them through a minefield to reach American forces near Benevento.
This exploit earned him a bar to his Military Medal.
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Later life and legacy
Almonds returned to Stixwould, the village where he had been born.
His family continued the military connection: his son went on to command an SAS squadron, while his twin daughters both served as Army officers.
Almonds died at Lincoln County Hospital on August 20, 2005, aged 91.
He was described as the oldest surviving member of the original SAS complement.
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