Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine post-war O.B.E. group of eight awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel G. McK. MacDonald, Indian Army, who was wounded during 153 Gurkha Parachute Battalion’s airborne drop on Elephant point near Rangoon in May 1945, but afterwards participated in another airborne operation to recover Allied P.O.Ws: subsequently engaged in the Malaya and Borneo operations, he added a “mention” to his accolades for a gallant action near Batu Anam in July 1951 - an action in which a dozen terrorists were killed and another taken prisoner

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge; 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, E.II.R., M.I.D. oak leaf (Maj. G. McK. McDonald, 2 G.R.); General Service 1962, 2 clasps, Malay Peninsula, Borneo (Major G. McK. MacDonald, 2 G.R.); Nepal, Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu, 4th Class neck badge in silver, in its fitted case of issue, together with a pair of wartime “India” airborne shoulder patches, centre-piece on the last off-centre, otherwise very fine and better (8) £800-1000

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1976.

Gordon McKenzie MacDonald, who was born in June 1922, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Black Watch in 1942, but transferred to the 4th Gurkhas in the same year and then volunteered for the Gurkha Parachute Regiment and was posted to 153 Gurkha Parachute Battalion.

Gurkha Airborne

As part of 50th Independent Parachute Brigade, the unit was present at the battle of Sangshak (21–26 March 1944), which lasted six days, the Brigade suffering extremely heavy casualties - 40 officers and V.C.Os and 545 other ranks. The breakout on the night of 26 March 1944 saw the remnants of the once-proud Parachute Brigade fight its way south and then west through the Japanese-infested jungles to Imphal. But it achieved its task of keeping the outflanking Japanese forces from surrounding Imphal and destroying IV Corps. Despite the losses it suffered in Sangshak, the paratroopers formed ad hoc units and continued to participate in actions to destroy Japanese forces near and around Imphal until its withdrawal in July.

Imphal aside, MacDonald was also actively engaged in his unit’s first airborne operation towards the end of the War, when it was parachuted into Elephant Point, Burma, in May 1945, as part of “Operation Dracula”.

At 02:30 on 1 May, two C-47 transport aircraft took off from Akyab, transporting several pathfinder teams and a platoon tasked with defending the initial drop zone at Tawhai. The rest of the largely Gurkha composite battalion boarded 38 Dakotas and took off 30 minutes later, and at 05:45 jumped over the drop zone. At this point it encountered no Japanese opposition, and after it had rallied, advanced towards Elephant Point and the artillery battery. It halted 3,000 yards in front of the battery to allow B-24 Liberators from the U.S.A.A.F. to carry out a preliminary bombing attack on the battery. Unfortunately, despite officers and other ranks wearing yellow recognition panels and carrying orange umbrellas to identify themselves, ‘C’ Company was bombed and strafed by the bombers, causing a number of casualties. As a result, a Forward Air Controller attached to the Battalion ordered a halt to all further bombing runs on the battery.

After moving through torrential rain, the Battalion reached Elephant Point at 16:00, and close-quarters fighting then took place, with flame-throwers being used against several Japanese bunkers guarding the battery. About 40 Japanese soldiers and gunners were killed during the assault, and the Battalion also sustained several casualties, among them MacDonald with a gunshot wound to his leg. After the battery had been secured the Battalion dug in around Elephant Point and awaited the arrival of the relief force, which landed at Thaungang at 15:30, with a supply drop following it several minutes later. The Battalion remained where it was through the night, although high tides submerged a number of trenches and forced it to higher ground. By the dawn of 2 May, after it had cleared a number of nearby bunkers, the Battalion was able to watch as minesweepers cleared the Rangoon river for the columns of landing craft following behind them.

MacDonald subsequently led a party of three 12-man teams in Malaya and Java to recover prisoners of war, a dangerous operation owing to the unpredictable nature of the Japanese. In the event, the mission was a success.

Post-war - Malaya firefight - M.I.D.

Joining the 1st Gurkhas in 1947, and advanced to Captain in June 1949, MacDonald next saw action in Malaya, initially as a member of Ferret Force on deep jungle patrols, and latterly as O.C. ‘A’ Company, in which latter capacity he was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 4 April 1952, refers), for his gallant leadership during a firefight near Batu Anam, Johore, on 28 July 1951, an action in which 12 terrorists were killed and another wounded.

Advanced to Major in June 1956, he led a 260-strong contingent of Gurkhas to the U.K. in 1960 for the State Visit of the King and Queen of Nepal, in respect of which services he was awarded the Nepalese Order of Dakshina Bahu.

Having then served as 2nd-in-Command of the 1st Battalion, and seen further active service in Borneo and the Malay Peninsula, he served as a Chief Instructor at the Gurkha Training Depot and was appointed Brigade Welfare Officer in Nepal in 1972. His final appointment was as O.C. of the British Gurkha Recruiting Centre in Paklihawa, in which capacity he was awarded the O.B.E. prior to his retirement in June 1977. He died at Christchurch, Dorset, in April 1993.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including the recipient’s Restricted Permission to Wear document in respect of his Nepalese Order, dated at Buckingham Palace, 15 June 1961; his Officer’s Record of Service (Army Book 439) and Regular Army Certificate of Service; enlistment papers for the Royal Scots, dated 27 May 1941; and a quantity of letters and orders of the post-war era, including two of a congratulatory nature in respect of his action in Malaya in July 1951, together with several photographs.