Pair: Trooper A. F. Veitch, Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

General Service 1962, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (24773084 Tpr. A. F. Veitch, Scots D.G.); Gulf 1990-91, 1 clasp, 16 Jan. to 28 Feb. 1991 (24773084 Tpr. A. F. Veitch, Scots D.G.), mounted court-style as worn, good very fine (2) £350-450

Veitch served in Northern Ireland prior to the Gulf War, in which latter conflict he was a member of 1st Troop, ‘B’ Squadron, Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. The regiment deployed to the Gulf with 57 Challenger Mark I tanks, forming part of 7th Armoured Brigade, 1st Armoured Division, under Brigadier Patrick Cordingly, shortly to win the D.S.O.

On 24 February 1991, simultaneous assaults were launched along the whole of the Kuwait and Iraqi borders and, by nightfall, the American Ist Infantry Division, The Big Red One, had led the way for the VII (U.S.) Corps, after clearing sixteen lanes through the Iraqi positions. In fact, the pace of the operations led to British 1st Armoured Division launching its own advance some twelve hours earlier than had been expected - 7th Armoured Brigade preceded the 4th and both were well clear of the ‘break-in point’ within a matter of hours. Over the next few days, both Brigades fought their way first northwards and then eastwards through one Iraqi position after another, and the speed in which they overcame the enemy, already badly mauled by six weeks of constant air bombardment and now subjected to murderous artillery fire, surprised even the most confident commanders.

By the third day, 28 February, the Coalition Forces had encircled the occupying Iraqi Forces within Kuwait causing them to retreat northwards towards Basra. By this time, the Iraqis were offering no resistance. Such was their overwhelming defeat, that the Coalition Commanders advised the American President, George Bush, to suspend offensive combat operations. This he did, announcing a general ceasefire to take effect at midnight on 27-28th February 1991. The difference between American Eastern Standard Time and Greenwich Meantime was five hours. It was decided, therefore, that the British 1st Armoured Division would move with best speed to the Kuwait City-Basra Highway to finally close the noose around the fleeing Iraqi forces. The British objective was known as “COBALT” and lay some 70km due east. At fifteen minutes notice to move, both British Brigades made one final dash to their last objective, some 30-odd kilometres north of Kuwait City itself. That last morning action will be remembered for a long time by those who were there, above them the dense clouds of the burning oil and gas rigs blocked out the bright desert sun. As they approached their final objective, the remains of numerous Iraqi vehicles littered the desert. Most of them had been destroyed from the air. Iraqi T-69 tanks lay wrecked, their turrets blown off by the force of exploding ammunition. Preceded by the Lynx helicopters, the British knew they were nearing their objectives due to the lines of pylons that intersected the desert, now mostly with their cables dangling in the sand. Within two hours, “COBALT” was secured, ensuring the final Iraqi defeat.