Darley Dale SAS man who lived-up to motto, '˜who dares wins'

A Darley Dale man who served in the Special Air Service (SAS) died this month after losing his fight with pancreatic cancer.

Good friend and comrade John Rose said Mick Dakin, aged 71, had been diagnosed with a double malignant melanoma after complaining of a stomach ache just before Christmas. He died just six weeks after being diagnosed at Chesterfield Royal Hospital on February 5.

John described Mick as a quiet and unassuming man and said it was a little known fact that he had served in the early 1970s in the SAS.

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He added: “He is deeply missed and remembered for his cheerful sense of humour and how he always lived up to the famous SAS motto, ‘who dares wins’.

“Mick and I served through various campaigns but he will be remembered well for his service in Dhofar, Oman Campaign, from 1972 where he served with distinction and valour.

“He was a first-class and highly-respected mortar man - just a fantastic soldier and you could always rely on him. He was such a good friend.”

Mick, who John said was quite a private man, worked at Sainsburys in Matlock from the age of 65 until quite recently.

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The two friends had a tradition of meeting up with their families at bed and breakfasts around the Derbyshire dales every year and had already booked a holiday cottage for this summer.

Mick’s ashes will be spread at the Credenhill SAS camp in June.

He is survived by his wife Sally and two daughters, Caroline and Charlotte.

John added: “He is remembered, rightly, with esteem and missed by so many. Goodbye and God bless.”

Mick wrote an account of his time serving in the SAS which was published and is available through Amazon by clicking here.