The Collection of Medals Formed by Bill and Angela Strong

A fine campaign service group of eight awarded to Sergeant H. T. Giffen, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, late Royal Ulster Rifles, and onetime attached to the Parachute Regiment (A.A.C.) and S.A.S.

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, Palestine 1945-48, Malaya (14444105 Pte. H. Giffen, A.A.C.); Korea 1950-53 (14444105 Rfn. H. T. Giffen, R.U.R.); U.N. Korea 1950-54; General Service 1962, 3 clasps, Borneo, Malay Peninsula, South Arabia (22825728 Sgt. H. T. Giffen, R.A.O.C.), generally good very fine (8) £700-900

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

View
Collection

Hugh Thomas Giffen was born in Belfast in February 1926 and originally enlisted in the Royal Ulster Rifles in February 1944. Posted to the 1st Battalion, he witnessed active service in the North West Europe operations from December 1944 to February 1945, when he was wounded in the right elbow, and again from March 1945 until the War’s end. Transferring to the Parachute Regiment (A.A.C.) in February 1947, he served in Palestine and, by his own account, completed 84 jumps before removing to the Airborne Military Police and thence, in early 1951, back to regimental employ with the Royal Ulster Rifles and further active service in Korea 1951-53. Then in March of the latter year, he gained an appointment in 22 S.A.S. Regiment, with whom he served in Malaya, and was hospitalised with an infected foot after treading on sharp bamboo while on patrol in the jungle with 6 Troop, ‘B’ Squadron. Medically down-graded, he returned to the Royal Ulster Rifles, but transferred to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps at a later date and witnessed active service in Borneo and Aden as a Sergeant. Giffen was finally discharged in June 1968; sold with hand written career details.