Miniature Medals

The unique Northern Ireland M.M. and Q.G.M. group of four awarded to Warrant Officer Louis Barnett, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and 14th Intelligence Company

Military Medal, E.II.R., 2nd issue (24064064 A/Cpl. L. C. Barnett, R.R.F.); Queen’s Gallantry Medal (24064064 C/Sgt. Louis C. Barnett, M.M. R.R.F.); General Service 1962, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (24064064 Cpl., 2 R.R.F.); Regular Army L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., 2nd issue (24064064 S.Sgt., M.M. R.R.F.) mounted court style as worn, very fine and very rare (4) £8000-10000

See colour illustration on front cover.

M.M. London Gazette 1 May 1973: ‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished service in Northern Ireland during the period 1st August 1972 to 31st October 1972.’

Q.G.M. London Gazette 14 September 1982: ‘In recognition of service in Northern Ireland during the period 1st February to 30th April 1982.’

The combination of Military Medal with the Queen’s Gallantry Medal is unique for Northern Ireland.

Louis Clive Barnett was born on 1 April 1948, and enlisted for the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers at Birmingham on 2 June 1965. During his Army career he served in the German Federal Republic, Hong Kong, Brunei, Singapore, Gibraltar, Berlin, Canada, Ascension Island, Falkland Islands, and in Kenya. He served his first tour in Northern Ireland from July to November 1972, and completed nine further tours there up to the end of March 1983, a remarkable total of 4 years 11 months service in Northern Ireland. He was discharged on completeion of his engagement, as Warrant Officer Class 2, on 31 July 1988, having served a total of 23 years 60 days. His Certificate of Discharge carries the following Testimonial:

“WO2 Barnett is a first class soldier whose loyalty, trustworthiness, total reliability and devotion to duty have always been in the highest tradition of the service. During his service he has spent many years employed upon duties of a highly classified, extremely sensitive and often very dangerous nature. His courage, the professional manner in which he has carried out these duties and his ever-present good humour have not only set a shining example to his colleagues but have also deservedly won him the respect of all those with whom he has had contact.”

Little is known of the circumstances behind the awards of Barnett’s two gallantry decorations. It is known that he was an instructor in photography at Ashford, home of the Army’s secret intelligence wing, and that much of his service in Northern Ireland was with 14th Intelligence Company, the élite Army surveillance unit which frequently worked deep undercover on operations against terrorists. It is also thought that he belonged to the Field Research Unit (FRU), which was set up with the sole purpose of recruiting and using informants in the fight against terrorism. It is believed that he won his Q.G.M. for a covert ambush incident at Stranmillis, near Belfast, being accompanied at the time by Staff Sergeant John Brum, Royal Green Jackets, who was also awarded the Q.G.M. in the same gazette. The group is sold with several copies of Barnetts Certificate of Service which confirms all his awards.