He was decorated during World War II, commanded 22 Special Air Service Regiment in the early 1960s and ended his military career as Director of Army Aviation.
During this posting, and while reporting on enemy movement on the Gothic Line, he came into contact with General Sir Harold Alexander and Winston Churchill who had come up to survey the front.
[8] In October 1945, he was posted to the Palestine and was appointed officer commanding a squadron of the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment.
[1] On 19 April 1945, Wilson was awarded the Military Cross (MC) 'in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in North West Europe'.
[11] It was awarded for his actions while leading a patrol across the River Maas, near Nijmegen, Netherlands, on the night of 27 January 1945.
Wilson led the defence and after an hour-long skirmish, they had defeated the enemy and taken three prisoners with no casualties on the Allied side.
On 7 January 1949, he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) 'in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Palestine during the period 27 March 1946 and 26 September 1946'.