Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria to include a Fine Collection of Napoleonic Medals

Pair: Sergeant E. Prendergast, 45 Field Regiment Royal Artillery, wounded by a grenade, 4 May 1951

Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (14194737 Sgt., R.A.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, unnamed, good very fine (2) £220-260

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Small Collection of Medals Relating to the Battle of the River Imjin.

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Sergeant E. Prendergast was a Reservist called up to join 45 Field Regiment R.A. In the Regimental War Diary it states that 14194737 Sgt E Prendergast 116 Bty was wounded by a grenade on 4 May 1951.

It is not a common occurrence for Gunners to be wounded by grenade fragments but soldiers who were ‘Slightly Wounded’ and were not evacuated beyond the Regimental First Aid Post often do not appear on the Official Casualty List.

45 Field Regiment R.A. still has the distinction of seeing more action and firing more rounds than any other Artillery Regiment since the end of World War 2. The Regiment left Liverpool aboard the Empress of Australia on 2 October 1950 and arrived in Pusan on 30 November. It was the organic artillery regiment in 29 Independent Infantry Brigade and comprised 70 Field Battery, 116 Field Battery and 176 Field Battery each comprising eight 25 Pdr. guns plus six Cromwell OP tanks. It included 300 Reservists. It took part in the Battle of Happy Valley where the Cromwell OP tanks were ambushed and destroyed and ‘B’ Troop of 116 Battery commanded by the famous Commando Gunner, Captain D, W, O’Flaherty D.S.O. ‘Supported the infantry over open sights pausing only when it became necessary to fight for the gun positions with small arms and grenades’. 45 Field Regiment continued to give close support to the three Battalions of 29 Brigade in the advance to Pyongyang and in the withdrawal. In the Battle of the River Imjin the Regiment were fully committed and for three days until 0930 hours on 25 April when Brigadier Brodie ordered the CO of 1 Glosters to ‘Break Out’, they held their positions under small arms and mortar attack and once again had to protect themselves by direct fire over open sights. Gun barrels became red hot with the constant firing. The Regiment continued in action until relieved by 14 Field Regiment R.A. in December 1951.