RIP SAS Legend who trained many Greenjackets.

Died 28th March 2013 in his sleep.

Curriculum Vitae

1940 Kauata "Fred" Marafono born 13 December on the tiny Pacific island of Rotuma, 350 miles north of Fiji. One of five children. His father was a farmer after fighting for the British during the Second World War.

1957 Leaves Rotuma to study at agricultural college in Navuso, Fiji.

1961 Drops out of college to join the British Army. Serves in the King's Shropshire Light Infantry, where he becomes a corporal.

1963 Posted to Plymouth, where he applies to join the SAS.

1964 Begins a 21-year stint in the SAS.

1986 SAS founder Sir David Stirling recruits him to join his private security company.

1990 Stirling dies. Fred goes freelance.

1991 Begins a two-year stint providing security for a gold mine in Guyana.

1994 Arrives in Sierra Leone to help with a mining venture.

1995 Simon Mann recruits him to join Executive Outcomes.

1997 Joins Tim Spicer's private military company, Sandline International.

1998 Forms his own security company, Vanguard International, which works to support the Sierra Leonean government forces against the RUF rebels .

2006 Returns to the UK.

2011 Publishes From SAS to Blood Diamond Wars, co-written with Hamish Ross.

Respected by many Greenjackets.

RIP

Celer et Audax.

Edited by DWM.