British Groups

Lot 4046    The J.J.Atkinson Collection    British Groups

Estimate $1,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $1,400

GROUP OF FIVE TO LANCE NAIK BAHADUR KHAN, Royal Indian Army Service Corps Military Medal (GVIR) (TC-62649 DVR Bahadur RIASC); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star (8th Army); Italy Star; British War Medal 1939-45. Military Medal only named, impressed, others unnamed. Very fine.

MM: London Gazette 31 May 1945. 'In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Italy. At the end of December 1944 four ambulance mules and two drivers were attached to the R.A.P. of the 1/5 Royal Gurkha Rifles near POZZO sq.1417. Two of these had to go back for saddlery repairs leaving L/Naik Bahadur Khan to carry on alone. For several nights he evacuated the one or two wounded on a single mule making one trip each night. The track from the company position on the forward slope of the RIVA del GESSO M.R. 1519 was not only precipitous but dangerously narrow for a large ambulance mule loaded with two wide stretchers. The snow increased the danger of a fatal slip which might cost the lives of the two wounded men on the stretchers. Besides this the track and pass, being in full view of and known to the enemy, were subject to accurate mortar and machine gun fire. On the night of 31 December four casualties were to be evacuated. These could have been carried all together on the two mules but L/Naik Bahadur Khan considered that by so doing the danger of an accident was increased. He therefore volunteered to make two trips with a single mule though he fully realised that he was doubling the risk to himself. With infinite patience, courage and skill, regardless of danger and fatigue, snow and cold, he not only brought all the wounded to the A.D.S. but materially increased the confidence of all ranks in the ability of the muleteer and ambulance mule to evacuate wounded with the minimum of discomfort and danger.'

Together with copy of award citation.