Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The General Service Medal 1918-62 awarded to Lieutenant K. S. Rose, 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, who was killed in action in Malaya along with all six members of his patrol, when they were ambushed by Communist Terrorists whilst patrolling a rubber estate in Perak on 17 February 1952

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, G.VI.R. (Lt. K. S. Rose. Gordons.) nearly extremely fine £600-800

Kenneth Stewart Rose was born at Downham Market, Norfolk in February 1931and was educated at Culford School, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. Enlisting in the Highland Brigade at Chatham in November 1949, he was appointed to a Short Service Commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders in August 1950.

Advanced to Lieutenant, following his arrival in Malaya in early 1951, he was killed in action in an ambush in Perak State on 17 February 1952, an incident reported in the local press:

‘Six men of the 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, led by 2nd Lieutenant Rose, were ambushed and all killed by Communist guerillas today in Perak State. The Reds stripped the bodies, removing uniforms and even underclothes, as well as all weapons and ammunition.

The Gordons were patrolling the Narborough rubber estate, near Sungkai, 50 miles south if Ipoh, when 20 guerillas fired on them from slit trenches.

They were going down a narrow estate track a mile from the bungalow of the manager, Mr. Ronald Boxall, of West Dulwich.

It is believed the guerillas had waited overnight. They had dug their trenches in the darkness on the hillsides overlooking the track.

All the Gordons were killed outright in the first bursts of fire from the Reds who waited until the soldiers were in the middle of the ambush positions, stretching about 150 yards.

Mr. Boxall heard firing just after 7 a.m. and immediately went out in an armoured car. When he found the naked bodies of two Gordons at a turn in the estate track, he about-turned and telephoned the police.

The guerillas have been trying for months to intimidate labourers on about 15 estates in this district and the Gordons killed today were posted to Narborough estate only last Wednesday ... Police believe about 200 well-armed Communists are now operating in this district, the largest gang exceeding 100.’

Rose and his men were buried with full military honours in Taiping Civil Cemetery, Perak; photocopied images of the funeral are included with accompanying copied research, including official letters to the recipient’s mother.