A fine ‘Northern Ireland’ B.E.M. pair awarded to Corporal Joseph Sommerville, Cheshire Regiment, for gallantry when his patrol was ambushed by I.R.A. gunmen in the Creggan district of Londonderry in April 1978

British Empire Medal, E.II.R., Military Division (24332040 Cpl. Joseph Somerville, Cheshire); General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (24332040 Pte. J. Sommerville Cheshire), one or two minor edge bruises, otherwise good very fine or better (2) £1800-2200

B.E.M. London Gazette 11 November 1978:

‘In recognition of meritorious service in Northern Ireland during the period 1 May 1978 to 31 July 1978.’

To which should be added the following extract from an accompanying original congratulatory letter from Lieutenant-General Sir Timothy Creasey, K.C.B., O.B.E., H.Q., Northern Ireland:

‘As an Intelligence Patrol Commander of your Battalion in the difficult and dangerous Creggan area of Londonderry, you showed determination, skill and courage of a high order. Your actions when under fire from terrorists in April 1978 were worthy of high praise, and I am very pleased that your fine efforts have been officially recognised.’

And Corporal Sommerville’s own account of events that evening in April 1978:

‘Whilst serving with the 1st battalion, Cheshire Regiment in the Creggan area of Londonderry, my four man team was tasked with the carrying out of snap V.C.Ps (vehicle checkpoints) at the junction of Creggan Road and Marlborough Road, in the Rosemount area.

It was approximately 6-7 p.m. and getting dark; we had just done a V.C.P. at that junction when we moved up the hill to our next location.

The road, as you can see on the map, has a large wall on one side and a built-up parking area on the other. When we were approximately 50 feet from the junction two gunmen opened fire on us from the corner house on that junction. They fired a burst of 5-6 rounds - it sounded a lot more as the rounds were ricocheting off the wall.

In the initial contact one soldier was hit in the leg and at this time all the team returned fire.

It was whilst giving my Contact Report and treating the wounded soldier that the two gunmen opened fire again. This time I was still on my radio and had to give orders to return fire. You could see the firing point due to muzzle flash - this time it was two magazines used.

All of the team returned fire and the medics were on the way, while one member gave cover to me and one other, as we treated the injured soldier with the help of an off-duty nurse who lived close by.

Within minutes the military ambulance arrived and we joined other soldiers who had arrived to carry out follow up patrols and searches.’

In addition to the letter from Lieutenant-General Sir Timothy Creasey, the Lot is also accompanied by an original congratulatory telegram from Prince Charles, Colonel of the Cheshires, three investiture photographs and the recipient’s typed account of the incident, as quoted above, this with relevant map and locational images in Creggan.