A rare Second World War clandestine operations B.E.M, awarded to Squadron Quarter-Master Sergeant S. J. Hargreaves, Royal Armoured Corps, attached G.H.Q. Liaison Regiment (a.k.a. “Phantom”), who was decorated for his gallant deeds in the Greek campaign in April 1941

British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 1st issue (7902701 L./Cpl. Sidney J. Hargreaves, R.A.C.), good very fine
£1000-1200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

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B.E.M. London Gazette 30 December 1941. The original recommendation - for the M.M. - states:

‘Lance-Corporal Hargreaves accompanied Lieutenant Surley on reconnaissance and liaison 12-18 April 1941. His skill in driving and maintenance of his vehicle (Armoured Scout Car), and wireless set in a high state of efficiency throughout these operations, enabled uninterrupted communications to be maintained with Squadron H.Q. in spite of the risk of capture and under constant and heavy air attack. At one period Lance-Corporal Hargreaves maintained a constant wireless watch in his scout car for 24 hours without relief.’

Sidney James Hargreaves, who was born in Southport in October 1909, enlisted as a Trooper in No. 52 Training Regiment in October 1939 and was posted to H.Q. 1st Reconnaissance Unit in July 1940, shortly thereafter to be re-titled G.H.Q. Liaison Squadron (a.k.a. “Phantom”), the brainchild of Wing Commander J. M. “Fairy” Fairweather, D.F.C., and Lieutenant-Colonel G. F. “Hoppy” Hopkinson, M.C., who had first taken the unit into action with the B.E.F. in May 1940.

Unorthodox by any standards, the role of “Phantom” was to speed up the delivery of tactical information from the forward areas to High Command, an objective achieved by means of armoured car patrols operating ahead of Allied lines, and sending back vital information via high-powered radio. A secret formation from the outset, its ranks attracted a host of colourful characters, among them the pre-war film star David Niven, who listed brokers, burglars and poachers among his own men in ‘A’ Squadron.

For his own part, Hargreaves was embarked for the Middle East with Phantom’s ‘A’ Squadron under Major Miles Reid, R.E., in late 1940, where one and all received a very cool reception from the staff at G.H.Q. Cairo. Luckily, however, Reid was able to enlist the support of Major-General Sir Arthur Smith, the Chief of Staff, and General Wavell, and with German invasion of Greece, the Squadron went into action - thus Hargreaves’ gallant reconnaissance with Lieutenant Surley in mid-April. Duly recommended for the Military Medal (M.M.) by Reid, the award was later amended to a B.E.M. by the G.O.C.-in-C. - nor was Reid around to argue about it, having been taken prisoner after a heated action with German parachutists at Corinth, though Hargreaves remained at large and managed to escape with nine other members of “Phantom”.

Subsequently posted to Iraq, where he served from September 1942 until March 1943, he transferred to ‘H’ Squadron that summer, participated in the Sicily landings and remained employed in Phantom in the Central Mediterranean Force until June 1945, latterly as a member of ‘A’ Squadron, when he returned to the U.K. He was demobilised as a S.Q.M.S. in January 1946; sold with hand written service details.