The Collection of Medals Formed by Bill and Angela Strong

A rare post-war Palestine B.E.M. awarded to Lance-Corporal I. F. Craig, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 1st issue (14102298 L./Cpl. Ian F. Craig, R.E.M.E.), in its card box of issue, together with a R.E.M.E. sweetheart’s brooch, the pin stamped 15 ct., extremely fine (2) £700-900

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

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B.E.M. London Gazette 4 November, 1947.

Ian Francis Craig was born in Glasgow in July 1925 and enlisted in the R.E.M.E. in December 1945. Posted to Palestine with 3 Base Workshop, R.E.M.E., in August of the following year, he won his B.E.M. for gallantry during the famous attack on Acre Prison on 4 May 1947, when some 60 Irgunists and about 30 other underground fighters were freed in a well planned attack under Gideon Paglin from the outside, and Eytan Livni from within the fortress walls. R.E.M.E. sources take up the story:

‘During the events connected with the attack by armed Jews on the Acre Prison on Sunday, 4 May 1947, a party of four were returning to camp in a civilian lorry, driven by an Arab along the Acre-Safed road when they were hailed by a man wearing a Captain’s uniform and carrying a Bren gun. He shouted to them to jump out, but before the truck came to a stop he opened fire on them, killing the Arab driver. The truck ran gently down a ditch by the side of the road, and two of the party jumped out and ran for cover with their rifles into a cornfield while the “Captain” fired at them.

While this was going on, Lance-Corporal Craig, who had stayed in the back of the truck, loaded his rifle and crawled up to the tailboard and peeped over. The “Captain” was about 15 yards away and spotted Craig. He fired at him, but Craig at once shot him in the face. The “Captain” dropped his Bren gun and put his hands up to his face, spun round and fell after Craig had shot him again. He was later picked up dead. During this time Craftsman Ford, who had been riding beside the driver, jumped out and fell down a ditch beside the road. While he was rolling down the ditch a Jew, also in uniform, tried to club him with the butt of a rifle. Ford warded off the blow and the Jew ran away, Ford then joined forces with Lance-Corporal Craig and an Airborne soldier who had appeared on the scene and they set out to look for the Jews. They saw two men lying in the field, and one of whom rolled over as if to shoot. Ford shot him and on approaching close, found one dead and the other wounded. Two more Jews then stood up and Ford shot and wounded one of them. Two further Jews were then seen to get up from cover and run away. Lance-Corporal Craig shot at one of them who dropped after running on a few steps. The fighting then ceased and the party collected together again. Then after loading the dead and wounded into a police truck they proceeded back to Camp.’

Recommended for the B.E.M., Craig served in East Africa from November 1947 until April 1948, and was released on his return to the U.K., having in the interim been presented with his decoration by Brandt van Zyl, the last Governor-General of South Africa; sold with hand written service details, photocopied congratulatory letters from senior officers and picture of Craig being invested with his award.