Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Trooper B. Smith, The Royals

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (319926 Tpr. B. Smith. The Royals.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, very fine (6) £80-£120

Whilst serving in Palestine the Royal Dragoons were converted to a mechanised regiment. In May 1941, equipped with armoured cars, the Royals were sent to the Western desert to carry out reconnaissance duties and to harass the Germans. Soon afterwards they were posted to Syria to take preventive action against the Vichy pro-German government of that country. In June and July 1942 the Royal were engaged in the Gazala battles, where the 8th Army was out-fought by the superior guns and tanks of the Germans and retreated to the El Alamein position. They took part in the victory at Alam Halfa at the end of August and after Alamein were in the van of the Army’s drive to Tunisia. Following the invasion of Italy in September 1943, when the Royals landed at Taranto, the regiment was posted back to England to be re-equipped and trained for the North West Europe campaign, a campaign in which Trooper Smith evidently took no part.

Sold with copied Palestine medal roll extract.