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Auction: 20003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 183

(x) An impressive campaign group of ten awarded to Warrant Officer Class 2 P. J. White, Parachute Regiment, a member of the elite Pathfinder Force, whose escapades hark back to the pioneering days of the Special Forces

General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (24870364 Pte P J White Para); N.A.T.O. Medal 1994, 1 clasp, Kosovo; Operational Service Medal 2000, for Sierra Leone (24870364 Cpl P J White Para); Iraq 2003-11, 1 clasp, 19 Mar to 28 Apr 2003 (24870364 Cpl P J White Para); Operational Service Medal 2000, for Afghanistan, 1 clasp, Afghanistan (24870364 Sgt P J White Para); Jubilee 2002; Jubilee 2012; Accumulated Campaign Service 1994 (24870364 LCpl P J White Para); Accumulated Campaign Service 2011 (WO2 P J White Para 24870364); Army L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., Regular Army (24870364 Sgt P J White Para), mounted court-style as worn, good very fine (10)

Peter John White earned his General Service Medal for Northern Ireland in March 1991, serving a number of tours in the following years, for he qualified for the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal 1994 on 9 July 1997. He deployed to Sierra Leone in 2000, when the Pathfinder Force made a name for themselves, with the press getting their first coverage of this elite unit. An article entitled 'Snail soup and snake on the Pathfinders' jungle menu' takes up the story:

'Snail soup and cobra casserole were on the menu yesterday for members of the Pathfinder, the Army's secretive airborne reconnaissance unit now deployed at the cutting edge of Britain's military presence in Sierra Leone.

Based in the jungle a 20-minute flight from Lungi airport, the Pathfinders were acting as a tripwire, ready to spot any advance by rebel troops towards the British group's main positions at the airport.

...All around other members of the 25-strong Pathfinder detatchment were either manning observation posts, peering over the barrel of a general purpose machine-gun, or resting in hastily erected shelters. The scene was straight out of a jungle survivial book, with pallets made of whittled branches lashed together with palm leaves serving as bed while cover was provided by rain sheets overhead...Officers and men were indistinguishable as the unit uses covert tactics and expects its soldiers not to wear badges of rank or identifying marks in case of capture...The Pathfinders do not want to give their names. Although the unit has been around since the late Eighties, it has kept to the shadows and only recently joined the Army's full establishments as a recognised unit. Many of its members go on to join the SAS and do not court publicity.'

Later that tour, the unit engaged a force of 40 Revolutionary United Front Fighters who were advancing through the jungle at 0445hrs - killing at least four of them in a fierce jungle firefight.

White went on to see further active service in Iraq and Afghanistan, steadily being promoted and acting as Operations Warrant Officer providing the commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade with Long Range Human Intelligence (HumInt) with the Pathfinders on his tour from October 2008-September 2009. He was made a Warrant Officer on 7 January 2013; sold together with original Warrant Officer commission, confirmation of all awards, numerous Staff and Tour Reports, besides further research into the unit.

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

Sold for
£4,200

Starting price
£900