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Auction: 20002 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Space Exploration
Lot: 434

(x) "If, in years to come, any man says to you "I fought with the Arnhem Airborne Force" take your hat off to him, for he is of the stuff of which England´s greatness is made. The few of Arnhem will rank in glory with the few of the Battle of Britain"

A War Correspondent for the Combined Press refers

A rare group of ten awarded to Mechanician First Class F. Ward, Royal Navy, late Army Air Corps and Parachute Regiment, a veteran of Arnhem where he was taken Prisoner before effecting his escape; post-War Ward saw active service in four further theatres

1939-45 Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1945-48 (5350636 Pte. F. Ward. A.A.C.); Korea 1950-53, 1st type (C/KX. 859169 F. Ward L.S.M. R.N.); United Nations Korea Medal; Naval General Service 1915-62, E.II.R., 1 clasp, Near East (C/KX.859169 F. Ward. Mech. 1. R.N.); General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Borneo (KX. 859169 F. Ward. Mech. 1. R.N.); Navy L.S. & G.C., E.II.R. (KX. 859169. F. Ward. Mech. 1. H.M.S. Pembroke.), good very fine, together with his father's Special Constabulary Long Service Medal, G.V.R. (Frank N. Ward), extremely fine (11)

Frank Ward was born in 1926, but lied regarding his age and enlisted in the Royal Berkshire Regiment - as a 16 year old - on 9 January 1942. Transferred to the Army Air Corps on 4 March 1943 he served in North Africa from 15 May 1943-9 December 1943 before further active service in North West Europe. He served with the legendary 1st Airborne Division in Operation Market Garden, 17-26 September 1944, and was with Colonel John Frost´s 2nd Battalion at Arnhem Bridge during those heroic battles. Ward was taken prisoner by the German armoured units that swamped the small band of Paratroopers, but managed to escape in the chaos that ensued and made his way back to the Allied lines. A letter from General D.D. Eisenhower to Major-General R.E. Urquhart D.S.O., Commander, 1st Airborne, dated October 1944 gives a good insight to their work:

´For nine days they checked the fury of the Hun and when, on 26th September, they came out a proud and haughty band - paratroopers, air-landing men, glider pilots, clerks, cooks and batmen, soldiers all - 2,000 strong out of 7,500 that entered the battle.´

1,485 Allied troops were killed or died from their wounds as a result of Operation Market Garden, with 6,525 taken Prisoner of War. Post-War Ward went on to serve in Palestine before being discharged from the Army Air Corps on 6 September 1948. After a brief period in civilian life he joined the Royal Navy in time to serve in the Korea, eventually retiring in 1967 after a quarter of a century in the services; previously sold in these rooms with a few items of original documentation, from which these biographical details have been taken.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£1,900

Starting price
£1900