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Auction: 25002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 29

The General Service Medal awarded to Lance-Corporal F. Benson, Special Air Service, late Royal Highland Fusiliers, who served in both Northern Ireland and Dhofar with the SAS, but who was tragically killed on a military training exercise in Chamonix, France on 23 July 1978

General Service 1962-2007, 2 clasps, Northern Ireland, Dhofar (23716825 L/Cpl. F. Benson RHF), court mounted for display, rod between first and second clasp, lightly toned good very fine

Frank Miles Benson was born on 28 September 1944, and joined the Army as a Boy Soldier in 1961 and joined the Royal Highland Fusiliers in 1983 when he had reached the age of 18. The Regiment was sent to West Germany in 1963 and were based at Mons Barracks in Iserlohn and two years later were to see service in Cyprus for a period of six months as the British battalion in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force. In 1968, the Regiment carried out a six-month deployment to Gibraltar on frontier duties following Franco's closure of the border with Spain and this was to follow with five tours of Northern Ireland in the 1970's.

Benson did his selection in 1970-71 taking around five months. Having passed selection he was posted to A Squadron, Mountain Troop and became an internal part of the Troop rising to the rank of Corporal and saw service on several early 1970's classified tours in Northern Ireland (Op Banner). He also undertook several operational Tours in Dhofar 'Operation Storm', primarily from 1971-76 (following Sultan Qaboos' coup in July 1970).

Benson was killed at Chamonix, France on 23 July 1978 during a military training exercise where the training involved mountain climbing. His colleague, Sergeant Stephen Johnson also fell to his death in the same exercise. Both Benson and Johnson are buried in the Hereford (St Martin's) Churchyard, Herefordshire, SAS Regimental Plot. He left a wife and young child.

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Estimate
£1,400 to £1,800

Starting price
£1200