Orders, Decorations & Medals - British Groups

Lot 3636    SESSION 13 (2.30PM THURSDAY 4TH APRIL)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - British Groups

Estimate $1,200
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $3,000

GROUP OF EIGHT: General Service Medal 1918-62 (GVIR), - clasp - Palestine; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45; Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (EIIR BR:OMN), with Regular Army suspender bar. 6978838 Fsr. J.Milligan. R.Ir.Fus. on first medal, second to seventh medals unnamed as issued, 6978838 Sgt. J.Milligan. Para. on last medal. Named medals impressed.; also unofficial issue, The Arnhem 50th Anniversary Medal 1994, unnamed. The group of eight medals display mounted, the sixth and seventh with sticky tape residue, some contact marks, otherwise very fine, the last single medal swing mounted, nearly uncirculated.

Together with Glider Pilot Regiment badge (KC); Glider Pilot Regt embroidered shoulder title; British Airborne (Pegasus) embroidered formation shoulder patch; Army parachute wings embroidered badge; Royal Irish Fusiliers embroidered shoulder title; Army Sergeant's stripes.

Sgt J.Milligan joined the Regular Army in 1936-37 and was posted to the Royal Irish Fusiliers. He served with that regiment in Palestine and also in North Africa in the early stages of WWII. While serving in Italy he volunteered for training as a paratrooper in 4th Parachute Brigade and was posted to 11 Paras. He returned to England and subsequently took part in the disastrous Arnhem landing with 1st Airborne Division. The Paras suffered high casualties and Milligan was taken prisoner with a group of South Staffordshire men near the Hartenstein Hotel and remained a POW until repatriated in 1945. He is recorded on POW records as Pte J.Milligan 6978838 A.A.C. (Army Air Corps). Post war he served as a sergeant with a parachute training unit until he discharged in June 1946.

With research.