Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Second Lieutenant D. S. Fielden, 16 Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery, the first New Zealander killed in battle in the Korean War, when he was Forward Observation Officer with “A” Company 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, in action against a Chinese division at Kap’yong on 24 April 1951; he was awarded a Posthumous mention in despatches for his conduct

Korea 1950-53, with M.I.D. oak leaf (203624 2-Lt. D. S. Fielden); U.N. Korea 1950-54 (203624 2/Lt. D. S. Fielden) together with New Zealand Memorial Cross, E.II.R. (203624 D. S. Fielden) in case of issue, extremely fine and extremely rare (3) £1,600-£2,000

M.I.D. (Posthumous) London Gazette 11 September 1951.

Dennis Siddall Fielden (16 Field Regiment) was the first New Zealander killed in battle in the Korean War, at Kapyong on 24 April 1951, while serving as Forward Observation Officer with “A” Company, 3 RAR on the Hill 504 ridge. The “A” Company position had been initially so quiet that Fielden’s signaller was asleep. In the confusion of the sudden Chinese attack at around 1 a.m. that night he was awoken and told to get out up the ridge. Fielden was killed as he left the scrape to do the same. His body was not recovered until 27 May 1951.

Lieutenant Fielden was born in England in 1918 and had served seven years with the R.A.F. and the Royal Artillery. He was posthumously Mentioned in Dispatches for his conduct at Kapyong. The medals are accompanied by a 1939-45 Star, Defence and War Medals, which were possibly earned by Fielden in the Second World War but this has not been confirmed.