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Auction: 23001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 183

The campaign group of five awarded to Private J. Hamer, 1st (Airborne) Battalion, Border Regiment, a veteran of Operation Ladbrooke - the disastrous drop on Sicily - he went on to be one of the few men of his unit to come away from the famed events of Operation Market Garden (Battle of Arnhem) - during which he was photographed in the gardens of the Hartenstein Hotel - and thence share in the Liberation of Norway, Operation Doomsday

1939-45 Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, good very fine (5)

John Hamer was born on 13 April 1923 and was a labourer upon his joining the Border Regiment at Blackpool on 29 December 1941. At that time he stood at 5 foot 5 1/4 inches tall and at some point had had his fourth finger on his right hand amputated. He joined the 1st (Airborne) Battalion and qualified for his Glider Badge on 20 February 1942.

As part of the invasion of Sicily the Battalion took part in Operation Ladbrooke in July 1943, but suffered heavy casualties as many of their gliders were released too early and ended up 'in the drink', with many of their number being drowned. Hamer was lucky to survive his first action and was one of the 200 or so who made it in alive but had his Soldier's Service & Pay Book destroyed on 22 August 1943.

Little more needs to be said of their part in the actions of the Battle of Arnhem, but Hamer was emplaned with the Battalion as part of the 1st Airlanding Brigade to take part in Operation Market Garden. Having arrived in Horsa gliders on Landing Zone ‘S’ - just north of the Amsterdam to Arnhem railway line - on 17 September 1944, the 1st Borders encountered bitter opposition over the coming days with well over 100 of its men being killed in action and many more wounded or taken Prisoner of War. Luckily for Hamer, who would have ended up on the western side of the Oosterbeek perimeter, he was among those who made it back over the Rhine on 25 September 1944. Only nine Officers and 241 other ranks returned to Roughton Moor Camp. Whilst at Arnhem, Hamer was photographed in the gardens of the Hartenstein Hotel, together with a Polish Glider Pilot and a Para, an image which was featured in When Dragons Fly.

Their final posting was to Norway for Operation Doomsday in May 1945, with his campaign Stars confirmed in November 1945. He died in Barnsley in May 1994; sold together with his rather worn Soldier's Service & Pay Book (Army Book 64) and Liberation of Norway Certificate, in the name of '36007398 - Pte. J. Hamer. Border.', this sometime cut for mounting and a copy of When Dragons Fly.

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Sold for
£1,200

Starting price
£420