British Mounted Queen’s General Service Medal with “Northern Ireland” Bar and South Atlantic Falkands Medal to a Guardsman of the Welsh Guards

$1,975.00

The medals are in very fine condition. Both medals are named to “24413381 GDSM K. Roberts WG”. The medals are mounted on a stiff card insert with pin back mount for wear. The ribbon of the South Atlantic Medal bears the rosette for combat service. From Wikipedia: “The medal with rosette was awarded for one day’s service within 35° and 60° South latitude or for at least one operational sortie south of Ascension Island, between 2 April and 14 June 1982 (2 April being the date of the Argentine invasion, 14 June being the date of Argentine surrender). This, generally, denoted service in the combat zone”. Also from Wikipedia, on the history of the Welsh Guards:

“In 1972 came deployment [of the Welsh Guards] to Northern Ireland, then embroiled in violence later known as “The Troubles”. During its tour of duty the regiment lost Sergeant Phillip Price in a terrorist attack by the Provisional Irish Republican Army on the Oxford Street Bus Depot in Belfast, one of a series of terrorist attacks in the city which became known as “Bloody Friday”. The following year the Welsh Guards were dispatched to the province again and during this period lost Guardsman David Roberts in a landmine explosion….In 1982, the Welsh Guards (CO Lieutenant-Colonel John Rickett) formed part of the 5th Infantry Brigade of the British Task Force sent to liberate the Falkland Islands from Argentinian occupation during the Falklands War. On 8 June they were on board the ill-fated Sir Galahad, which was accompanied by Sir Tristram, waiting to be landed at Bluff Cove though they were delayed from doing so. However, attack was imminent after the landing craft were spotted by Argentinian observers. At 2:00 am, five Dagger and five A-4 Skyhawk aircraft were seen over the Falklands. Shortly afterwards, the Daggers were the first to attack. Only a short time later, the Skyhawks reached Fitzroy, with three of the aircraft hitting the Sir Galahad two or more times with horrific consequences. Sir Tristram was also hit which killed two crewmen, both ships were ablaze. The attack on Sir Galahad culminated in high casualties, 48 dead, 32 of them Welsh Guards, 11 other Army personnel and five crewmen from Sir Galahad herself. There were many wounded, many suffering from horrendous burns caused by fire from the burning ships, the best known being Simon Weston. The burnt-out Sir Galahad was later scuttled at sea to allow her to become a war grave. On 13-14 June, the remainder of the battalion, reinforced by two companies of Royal Marines from 40 Commando, were given the objective of capturing Sapper Hill in the final stages of the Battle of Mount Tumbledown. Following a firefight at their helicopter landing zone, the force moved on to Sapper Hill but found it abandoned, thus taking the last defensible position before Stanley”.

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Item Number: 60028 Category: