Auction Catalogue

19 & 20 March 2008

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations and Medals

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

Lot

№ 1353

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20 March 2008

Hammer Price:
£230

Pair: Private R. R. Sweeney, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry

Korea 1950-53, Canadian issue, silver (SD-190616 R. R. Sweeney); U.N. Korea (SD-190616 R. R. Sweeney) nearly extremely fine (2) £180-220

Raymond Robert Sweeney was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 17 September 1830. A Boiler Scaler by occupation, he attested for service in the Canadian Armed Forces on 15 November 1948.

He was posted to the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in February 1949 and subsequently was ‘parachute’ and ‘arctic’ trained. Serving with the P.P.C.L.I., he was involved in a plane crash on 7 February 1950. As one of five members of the P.P.C.L.I. on board the plane, taking part in the Allied Forces Exercise ‘Sweetbriar’ - searching for a missing U.S.A.F. C-54, he survived the crash and with the others, maintained themselves in the hostile enviroment of the Whitehorse Yukon Territory until rescued on 10 February. ‘Headquarters Western Command, Edmonnton’, wrote, ‘The courage and initiative shown by these soldiers under dangerous and most difficult conditions reflects credit not only on themselves as soldiers but also on the Canadian Army as a whole’. It was also added that a copy of the commendation should be placed on the personal files of the soldiers concerned.

Recovering from his ordeal he married Beryl Augusta Patmore at Crossfield, Alberta on 15 April 1950.

As a Private in the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, he was posted to Korea in October 1951. He died in Korea on 25 March 1952 when the tent in which he was sleeping accidently caught fire. He was buried in the United Nations Military Cemetery, Tanggok, Korea. A Memorial Cross was subsequently issued to his wife.

Sold with a large quantity of copied service and related papers.