Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 20001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - conducted behind closed doors
Lot: 592

A fine campaign group of three awarded to Corporal C. R. Garrow, Royal Regiment of Scotland, late Black Watch, who was twice wounded on active service, the second occasion being hit in the head by a Rocket Propelled Grenade in Afghanistan - his wounds were so severe that they resulted in a medical discharge

N.A.T.O. Medal 1994, 1 clasp Kosovo; Iraq 2003-11, 1 clasp, 19 Mar to 28 Apr 2003 (25095663 Pte C R Garrow BW); Operational Service Medal 2000, for Afghanistan, 1 clasp, Afghanistan (25095663 Cpl C R Garrow Scots), mounted court-style as worn, pin removed, good very fine (3)

Corrie Rudy Garrow was born on 6 May 1982 and enlisted in the British Army on 25 February 1999. Having served in Kosovo, he was posted to Iraq with the Black Watch for the opening stages of the Iraq War, when the unit took the city of Basra. Garrow was wounded during the operations, falling 7ft from a Warrior which resulted in him losing consciousness and breaking his right cheek bone. During that tour his friend Private Kevin McHale was killed on 29 October 2004. Garrow wrote online:

'Kevin was a very good mate we served in both Iraq and Kosovo we started together in Inverness I remember me and the Jake Ball we drunk till the sun came up I will never forget him I miss him. I spent the night with him in the UK Warminster he told me he was going back out to Iraq. I never knew that was the last time I [would] see Kev I hope he is in a good place now your good mate Jake Bag!'

Garrow himself would see further active service in Afghanistan with the Royal Regiment of Scotland, personally selected with Captain Phil Morgan who deployed straight after Christmas 2007 as the Advance Party. Garrow was wounded again in action on 1 April 2008 whilst serving with 'B' Company, 4th Battalion, as recalled in the Medical Report:

'Having been involved in several contacts, he sustained frag injuries to the face, neck and chest when an RPG detonated on the side of the Warrior he was providing top cover for. There was no retrograde amnesia and he tells me he did not lose consciousness. He tells me his colleagues pulled him down through the turret and he remembers continuing fire impacting on the side of the vehicle, but doesn't remember the journey to the regimental aid post but does remember the subsequent Chinook flight to Bastion.'

Having been casevaced to Camp Bastion he immediately had a shrapnel fragment removed from his left eye before being removed to England and being discharged to his grandmother in Scotland. The injury ended his career as recalled in the Report from Headley Court:

'Clinical Information:
Rocket propelled grenade attack in Afghanistan. Loss of consciousness and shrapnel injuries to the face. Now progressively worsening irritability and short-term memory loss and right-sided frontal headaches.

Conclusion:
Extensive shrapnel injuries to the peri-orbital and frontal regions. No intracranial metal. No focal abnormality seen in the brain stem, cerebellum or cerebrum.'

It appears from The Highlander that his wounds occurred in the action fought after having captured 'The Garden' - a known Taliban stronghold and weapons cache - during which a sustained enemy attack from two points started just before last light. They were hit by RPG fire and forced to dig in, killing the enemy who got to within 50 yards of their trenches before reinforcements arrived. The tour overall cost 'B' Company 9 wounded in action, Garrow being medically discharged on 8 August 2009; sold together with copied Certificate of Service, Injury Report, Headley Court report, besides research and photographs.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£800

Starting price
£320