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Auction: 7029 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 352

A Scarce Falklands ´Sir Galahad´ Casualty South Atlantic Medal to Driver C.J. Norman, Royal Corps of Transport South Atlantic 1982, with Rosette (24545087 Dvr C J Norman RCT), good very fine, with original named card box of issue and typed Medical Report from the ´Medical Centre, McMullen Barracks, Marchwood, Southampton, SO4 4ZG´, dated 11.2.1983 Estimate £ 1,200-1,400 24545087 Driver C.J. Norman served with the Royal Corps of Transport in the Falklands War. On the 7th of June 1982 Captain P.J.G. Roberts in Command of RFA Sir Galahad was given orders that his ship would be embarking over 400 troops for Fitzroy Creek, ´and that he would be joining RFA Sir Tristram which was already there; his ship would be moving troops and ammunition to a point where they would be ready to take part in the final assault on Port Stanley. RFA Sir Galahad was loaded with 350 Welsh Guards, 30 SAS, 90 soldiers from a Field Ambulance Unit, A Rapier Air Defence team and a Sea King helicopter, a total of over 600 embarked. RFA Sir Galahad continued loading equipment and ammunition until she sailed at 0200Z on 8 June. She followed roughly the same track as RFA Sir Tristram, through Falkland Sound only 8 miles from Fox Bay, an Argentinean outpost. For most of the passage the land could be clearly seen from the ship, RFA Sir Galahad passed through the narrows at Port Pleasant at 1050Z and by 1130Z, she was anchored 600 yards from RFA Sir Tristram. Both ships were 14.5 miles from Port Stanley and had passed within 10 miles on their approach. A Sea King helicopter ferried the Rapier Battery ashore from RFA Sir Galahad while the Mexifloat and the LCU discharging RFA Sir Tristram approached, loaded with ammunition, to take the Welsh Guards ashore. The Commanding Officer of the Welsh Guards detachment decided not to take his men ashore on that occasion and they remained aboard in the tank deck until 1630Z, when the LCU returned after taking the Field Ambulance troops ashore. At approximately 1715Z aircraft were sighted and heard and the ships went into action stations. RFA Sir Galahad was hit by at least three bombs, one of which went through an open hatch into her tank deck causing heavy casualties among the soldiers waiting to go ashore. Another bomb exploded in the galley killing the butcher Sung Yuk Fai and injuring several others. The third bomb in this initial attack went into the engine room where Third Engineer Officer A.J. Morris was killed. The immediate effect was devastating and shortly afterwards Captain Roberts gave the order to abandon ship.´ Norman was on board during the attack and ´had just left the Top Deck and gone into a companionway when the explosion occurred. He was blown outwards, through the closed door which was torn from its hinges.... He was stunned and dazed by the explosion... received a blow on the back from the door and was then thrown to the ground.´ (Medical Report included in the lot refers). Norman was evacuated with the rest of the casualties to H.M.S. Intrepid. Having suffered two killed, the stricken Sir Galahad was sunk on the 25th July to remain as a war grave.

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£2,600