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Auction: 21002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 57

The G.S.M. awarded to Marine D. M. Wilson, 45 Commando, Royal Marines, who was killed in action at Wadi Dhubsan in Radfan on 26 May 1964: as is the custom in the Royal Marines on such occasions, his kit was subsequently auctioned amongst his comrades in ‘X’ Company and the proceeds sent to his next of kin - his cap badge and green beret raised £100

General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Radfan (RM.21814 D. M. Wilson, Mne. R.M.), nearly extremely fine

David MacDonald Wilson, a native of Liverpool, was killed in action at Wadi Dhubsan in Radfan on 26 May 1964, while serving in 1 Troop, ‘X’ Company, 45 Commando, R.M. His patrol was advancing down a steep-sided valley when it came under fire from several directions simultaneously and Wilson was shot in the chest and died almost instantaneously. The following account of the action appears on the Britain’s small wars website under the title ’45 in the Radfan’:

‘On 25 May, X Company, Four Five, flew up to join 3 Para on Arnold’s Spur. The Wessex helicopters of 815 Squadron, H.M.S. Centuar, had now come into the theatre of operations to relieve the R.A.F. Belvederes.

X Company, once established on Arnold’s Spur, began to make final plans for the raid on the Wadi Dhubsan. The Wadi Dhubsan lay some 2,000 feet below the Bakri Ridge and the sides were steep. To the west of Dhubsan, and half a mile south of the Bakri Ridge, lay the Jebel Haqla, a flat topped feature rising to over 1,500 feet, which dominated the surrounding wadis. It was known that the Wadi Dhubsan was a stronghold of the dissidents and was therefore the next objective. Throughout the afternoon, sections of X Company moved cautiously to the edge of Arnold’s Spur and began to reconnoitre their routes for the following day. C Company, 3 Para, moved to establish pickets on the Jebel Haqla as A Company, 3 Para, descended the steep escarpment to secure the western end of Dhubsan. X Company’s, Four Five, task was to advance 1,000 yards and conduct a sweep as far as the village of Hawfi. The pickets of 3 Para reported some fifty dissidents coming up the Dhubsan and did not make their presence felt. For the next 600 yards, X Company progressed in silence until suddenly Sgt. W. Patterson of 1 Troop spotted a group of dissidents way up on the steep ridge to the right. 3 Troop was in the lead on the wadi floor.

The leading sections under command of Cpls. ‘Jan’ Bickle and Terry Warterson took cover behind a wall and opened fire, sending the well armed dissidents scuttling behind a rock, dragging their wounded with them. The dissidents, from the protection of their well-concealed sangars, opened up from all directions to the front of X Company. The Marines slowly picked their way up the slope, dodging from rock to rock with the enemy fire increasing every minute. The high-pitched drone of a Scout helicopter, carrying the Commanding Officer and Intelligence Officer of 3 Para, could be heard approaching from the rear. The Scout became the target for a strong barrage of enemy fire and was hit on several occasions. The pilot, Major Jackson, skilfully kept the helicopter under control and landed it safely in front of 3 Troop and the Marines dashed forward to give it protection.

Lt. Col. Farrar-Hockley then ordered A Company, 3 Para, to move up on the high ground. Air strikes were authorised and X Company began to lay out bright red and orange fluorescent panels with the panels pointing towards dissident sangars, thus giving the Hunter pilots, approaching at over 400 m.p.h., a clear reference point to the target. Moving out from behind cover with the bright panels, Capt. R. Brind 2i/c X Company soon became the target for heavy fire and was shot through the thigh and stomach. He completed his task and was dragged to safety, before sustaining further injury through steady sniper fire, by Marines Brownett and Robertson and was treated for his wounds by one of X Company's Naval Sick Berth Attendants, SBA Williams.

1 Troop, commanded by Lt. J. Barr, came under the heaviest fire. The majority of the troops were down in the bottom of the wadi near the wall, where Marine Kimber with the GPMG had been keeping up a steady rate of covering fire; the Marines approached the top of the knoll. Marine David Wilson, the troop signaller, was shot through the chest by enemy fire and died almost immediately as Lt. Barr began to drag him behind a rock. 1 Troop suffered another casualty when Marine Dunkin was shot in the knee and his leg was later amputated.

As is the custom in the Marines on these occasions, the kit of Marine David Wilson was later auctioned amongst his comrades in X Company and the proceeds forwarded to his relatives. The Company group of 150 men raised £700 in the auction. His cap badge (on his green beret) fetched £100 … ’

Sixteen Royal Marines died on active service in Radfan 1961-67; sold with copied research.

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Sold for
£2,000

Starting price
£1200

Sale 21002 Notices
An official replacement is held in the Collection of the Museum of the Royal Marines. This the original issue.