Major John Geoffrey Appleyard, DSO, MC*, MA

John Geoffrey Appleyard joined the RASC and served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the British Expeditionary Force.
'Geoff' Appleyard volunteered for the Commandos and was posted to No.7 Commando. He was later awarded the Military Cross. Following their disbandment he joined No.62 Commando (Small Scale Raiding Force)where he carried our further missions and was awarded a bar to his Military Cross.
In 1942, the now Temporary Major Appleyard was awarded the Distinguished Service Order as a result of several dangerous operations.
Having seen Appleyard three times in 11 months, the amused and impressed King greeted Geoff with ‘What, you again?’
Geoffrey Appleyard was appointed the first Second in Command of the 2 SAS Regiment following the disbanding of the SSRF in 1943.
During the night of the Allied invasion of Sicily, in July 1943, Appleyard supervised the dropping of SAS paratroopers. On the return flight over the Mediterranean, the Albemarle aircraft disappeared, and Geoff was declared missing presumed dead.
His body was never recovered.