Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Seven: Colour-Sergeant A. E. Barker, The Buffs, later attached to the Malay Regiment serving with Ferret Force in Malaya 1948-49

India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Burma 1930-32 (6284102 Pte., The Buffs); General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, Palestine, Malaya (6284102 Cpl., The Buffs); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence & War Medals; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Regular Army (6284102 Col. Sjt., Buffs) mounted as worn, together with a good quantity of original documentation including Soldier’s Service & Pay Books, Certificate of Service, Soldier’s Release Book, several photographs including two of Barker with Ferret Force fighters in January and November 1949, and his wife’s Defence & War Medals in their named box of issue, good very fine and rare (9) £600-700

L.S. & G.C. Medal with Gratuity announced in AO 19/1948, as recorded in Barker’s Soldier’s Service & Pay Book by the Captain & Adjutant of Ferret Force.

Ferret Force was formed in mid-1948 to act, as its title suggests, in the jungle against terrorist guerillas. It was composed of European civilians, British, Gurkha and Malay troops, backed up by Chinese liaison officers, and Dyak and Iban trackers from Sarawak. Each group would be split into four sections, commanded overall by a European who knew the area well and, more often than not, had a fund of invaluable local knowledge, sometimes even of jungle lore.

During its short period of existence, Ferret Force discovered twelve permanent guerilla camps and proved what even a scratch force could achieve. However, the force was expensive in manpower and not considered compatible with the growing military presence in that area of operation and was accordingly disbanded. Valuable lessons had been learnt and Ferret Force’s commander, Lt.-Colonel W. C. Walker, subsequently established a jungle warfare training establishment, later called the Jungle Warfare School, and many members of Ferret Force later joined the SAS in Malaya.