Sgt Labalaba, who was born in 1942 in Fiji, was recruited into the British army in 1961 and quickly made his way into the SAS. Known to his colleagues as a "gentle giant", he was part of a team of nine SAS soldiers based outside Mirbat.
On 19 July, 1972, a day before they were due to go home, they were attacked.
Knowing the unit was hopelessly outnumbered, Sgt Labalaba ran hundreds of yards to reach a 25-pounder artillery gun which is usually operated by four to six men.
He held out for two and a half hours against at least 250 fighters, repelling wave after wave of attacks. He was shot in the jaw and eventually died when a bullet passed through his neck.
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