Prince William attends funeral of Major Mike Sadler – the last of the wartime SAS ‘Originals’ who died at 103
PRINCE William attended the funeral of the last remaining original soldier of the SAS today.
Major Mike Sadler – who navigated the deserts of North Africa by the stars – died at the age of 103 in January.
The Prince of Wales, 41, visited Hereford Cathedral this morning as part of a memorial service for Sadler.
His extraordinary career included stints as a farmer, sailor, soldier and spy.
He parachuted into France after the D-Day landings, worked for MI6 and had part of the Antarctic named in his honour.
But perhaps his greatest claim to fame was his time as chief navigator to SAS founder David Stirling.
During his service, twice-married Sadler — who is survived by daughter Sally — didn’t have GPS, satellites or reliable landmarks in the vast, shifting sand dunes where the early SAS launched its raids.
So he relied on the sun, stars and a system of dead reckoning — measuring distance and direction.
In December 1941, just five months after the SAS was founded, Sadler took part in the first successful raid on the Wadi Tamet airfield, where a team of six men destroyed 24 Axis war planes and a fuel dump.
After the war, when the SAS was briefly disbanded, Sadler joined the Antarctic Survey and was awarded the Polar Medal. He later joined MI6.
He was portrayed in hit BBC drama SAS Rogue Heroes by Tom Glynn-Carney, 28.
The pair met in 2022 for BBC’s The One Show, when the actor admitted playing an expert navigator was a challenge on screen.
The war hero, who by then had lost his sight, replied with a laugh: “It’s not that difficult.”
Despite being captured by the Nazis, escaping and enduring a four-day walk across the dunes, Sadler added: “I enjoyed the desert. I loved the wide open spaces.”
It comes after Wills promised to “look after” the Princess of Wales as he made his first public appearance yesterday since her cancer announcement a month ago.
William gave a helping hand loading food and cooking in the kitchen at food distribution charity Surplus to Supper, in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey.
Volunteer Rachel Candappa, 71, handed two get-well-soon cards to the Prince addressed to the King and Kate.
William, who looked visibly moved, said: “Thank you. You are very kind.”
When Rachel told Wills to look after Kate he placed his left hand on her shoulder and promised “I will”.
