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Auction: 20002 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Space Exploration
Lot: 649

A superb campaign group of three awarded to Marine P. Campbell, Royal Marines, who served with X-Company, 45 Commando in the Al-Qaeda-infested mountains of Afghanistan on Operation Jacana and in Iraq with the SBS - likely present with 'M' Squadron during 'Operation No Return' during the Zero Six Bravo patrol

Operational Service Medal 2000, for Afghanistan, 1 clasp, Afghanistan (Mne P Campbell PO56897D RM); Iraq 2003-11, 1 clasp, 19 Mar to 28 Apr 2003 (Mne P Campbell PO56897D RM); General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (Mne P Campbell PO56897D RM), mounted as worn, nearly extremely fine (3)

Paul Campbell was born in April 1974 at Sunderland and was a plasterer upon his enlistment in May 1999. Initially joining 42 Commando, he was soon drafted to 45 Commando and his Testimonial gives a good career biography:

'To Afghanistan in April 2002, where he participated in severala arduous high altitude search and destroy patrols in the extremely harsh mountain terrain frequented by Al-Qaeda.'

British Marines from Taskforce Jacana and local Afghan soldiers were deployed into Khost, close to the Pakistan border amid fears that Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces were plotting terrorist attacks from across the frontier. The Marines conducted patrols in populated and rural areas using a mixture of helicopter, foot and vehicle patrols and setting up checkpoints; this new method was to be 'unpredictable, operating in smaller sub-unit attachments operating in an area sometimes covertly and introducing that unpredictability and doubt into the minds of the Al-Qaeda and Taliban.' During the operation caves and bunkers containing arms, ammunition and supplies were found and destroyed. Over 100 mortars, a hundred anti-tank weapons along with hundreds of RPGs, anti-personnel mines, rockets and artillery shells and thousands of rounds of small-arms and anti-aircraft ammunition were found.

His Testimonial continues:

'On return to the United Kingdom Marine Campbell was promoted to Lance Corporal in recognition of his hard work and professionalism. He then went on to prove his leadership ability during operations in Iraq, where his Company operated independently in the Western Desert. Throughout this extremely stressful and tense operational deployment he clearly demonstrated that he possessed the mental and physical robustness to be an effective operator in the acutely testing and demanding desert conditions.'

Given that appraisal, his previous posting and in combination with the Clasp to his Medal, it seems most likely he was inserted with 'M' Squadron, Special Boat Service into Iraq during the Bravo Six Zero patrol. That patrol was a throwback to the originals of 'L' Detachment during the Second World War, with the 60 men being inserted to an abandoned airfield on 17-18 March. Setting off on 19 March they threw up cloads of dust and were eventually ambushed on the evening of 23 March. Some 100,000 enemy, with full armament were in the area and when ambushed F16 jet strikes in retalition was impossible. Forced to abandon their vehicles and the sensitive material and equipment in their hands, they broke into small groups and made for the border. They operated much like the legendary operators of Bravo Two Zero but were eventually extracted by helicopter, with two of the patrol making the Syrian border on a quadbike. The story was made public 10 years after the operation by Damien Lewis in Zero Six Bravo: 60 Special Forces. 100,000 Enemy. The Explosive True Story.

Campbell was deployed to Northern Ireland in December 2003 and latterly served on the Fleet Protection Group, based at Faslane, providing the protection and security for the UK's nuclear deterrent. He was discharged on 10 November 2005; sold together with copied Testimonial, Certificate of Service and copied research.

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Sold for
£1,100

Starting price
£600