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Auction: 20003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 146

(x) A very fine Battle of the Two Sisters 1982 M.I.D. campaign pair awarded to Marine P. Thomason, 45 Commando, Royal Marines

General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (Mne P Thomason P038632D RM); South Atlantic 1982, with rosette and M.I.D. oak leaf (Mne1 P Thomason P038632D RM), one or two edge bruises, good very fine (2)

M.I.D London Gazette 11 October 1982.

A hand written account by the recipient states:

'As part of the task force for the Falklands War 1982, I was a Marine, in anti-tank Troop, Support Company, 45 Commando RM. The troop was split and attached to the fighting Companys of X-Ray, Yankee and Zulu anti-tanks were normally armed with Milan anti-tank missiles, but because were were to yomp across the island it was decided by someone that the Milans wouldn't be up to it, so were were armed with the old 84mm Carl Gustav anti-tank weapon. I was the The No. 1 or Operator, Leonard Goldsmith was No. 2, Loader and ops support.

At the end of the long yomp across the Falklands our task was a night time assault on the objective, The Two Sisters - a large rocky saddle on a long ridgeline, it was heavily defended by Argie regulars with some Argie Special Forces well dug in, in a series of trenches and machine-gun nests. The approach to the objective was across low lying barron ground with very little or no cover. The night was clear with a bright moon, I thought the enemy would see us coming for miles across this terrain.

We got to about 300m off the objective before the enemy opened up with 05 heavy machine-guns, 7.62mm machine-guns, lots of tracers whizzing inches above our heads, which were quickly buried in the ground.

We threw everything we had back at them, 84mm, 66mm, GPMG, 7.62, as much lead as possible to win the firefight and move forward.

My Section was attached to X-Ray Company which was pinned down by heavy enemy fire, from several heavy machine-gun posts. Marine Dave O'Conner, GPMG Gunner with X-Coy, was putting down loads of covering fire with long lines of tracers fillling the air just above our heads. Me and Goldie were called forward to engage two of the machine-gun nests, we crawled forward about 60 yards with the tracers spitting and whizzing inches above, we took out the machine gun nests with two shots. For this action we were awarded each with a Mention in Despatches. Dave O'Conner also got awarded a M.I.D.

The Company picked up momentum, put loads of fire power down, including mortars, and moved forward taking the objective.

We held that position for a couple of days, constantly under mortar attack, before moving on and yomping into a surrendered Stanley. The initial assault took place on the night of 11th June 1982 & into the morning of the 12th June 1982.'

Perry Thomason was born on 5 August 1961, enlisted in the Royal Marines on 23 January 1973 and was discharged on 7 September 1983. His son, Dale served with Afghanistan as a Gunner with 27 (Infantry) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Sold together with original M.I.D. certificate, Certificate of Discharge, letters of congratulation (3), including from Lieutenant-General Sir Steuart Pringle, besides newspaper cutting, account of the action and photographs.

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

Sold for
£4,000

Starting price
£2600