Brilliant Woodiwiss - A very special soldier

Major Roger Woodiwiss

Major Roger Woodiwiss was the Operations Officer for 22nd Special Air Service Regiment (22nd SAS) from 1973 to 1976.

Major Roger Woodiwiss sadly passed away on Saturday 12th March 2022 at the age of 92. 

He was conscripted on 1st January 1948 and decided to go ‘regular’ being commissioned into the Dorsetshire Regiment, which later became the Devon and Dorset Regiment, on 16th December 1949. Roger served three tours with 22 SAS from 1955 to 1965 and then he returned to his regiment ending up as second in command. He again served with the SAS in UK from 1973 to 1976 during which time he made several visits to the British Army Training Team (BATT) in Dhofar.

He finally retired from the British Army in the rank of major on 1st September 1976 and moved to Oman to take up the post of Director of Purchasing in HQ SAF, which he held from October 1976 to November 1979. After a brief break he returned in June 1980 to HQ SOLF where he held the posts of SOII Finance (June 1980 – February 1991), Director Finance (February 1991 – September 1998), and Financial Affairs Adviser (September 1998 – December 1999). Roger classed himself as a ‘northern lurker’ and was very happy to be one.

Roger and his beloved wife Peggy were well known to many in Oman. Their two great passions were sports diving and mountain walking. Roger was chairman of the Muscat divers for many years and Peggy was the club’s matriarch, organising many of their outings, especially the traditional Christmas lunch on Shark Island. In later years diving gave way to mountain walking and their weekly expeditions to the Jebel Akhdar have become a legend.

Roger and Peggy’s knowledge of the jebel’s many walks, particularly of old ‘SAS’ routes and notably of routes to the summit of Jebel Shams, is formidable and it was fitting that one of their last walks was done in the company of Major General Tony Jeapes, former commander of 22 SAS and a lifelong friend. The Woodiwiss fame was legend and when HRH The Prince of Wales visited the jebel during the 1990s Roger was tasked with guiding his party.

Just before leaving Oman Roger attended his final Sultan Qaboos Military College passing out parade tea party in the HQ RAO mess, MAM, where he was honoured to be granted a farewell audience with His Majesty Sultan Qaboos.

Our thoughts are with Peggy and their three daughters at this sad time. There will be a quiet funeral on 30 March at Mendip Crematorium, Old Wells Rd, Croscombe, Wells BA5 3RR at 14:30.

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