Sold by Order of the Recipient

An outstanding B.E.M. for Gallantry group of four awarded to Chief Petty Officer Aircrewman P. R. Hammond, Royal Navy, a long-served member of Fleet Air Arm helicopter aircrew who served four tours of duty in Northern Ireland and participated in S.A.S. and S.B.S. night operations in the Falklands

British Empire Medal (Military), E.II.R., with gallantry emblem (L.A.M. Peter R. Hammond, L083113), with its Royal Mint case of issue; Campaign Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (CPO ACMN. P. R. Hammond, D083113Y R.N.); South Atlantic 1982, with rosette (CPO ACMN. P. R. Hammond, B.E.M., D083113Y 846 Sqdn.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.II.R. (A.C.P.O. ACMN. P. R. Hammond, D083113Y R.N.), mounted as worn, together with a set of related miniature dress medals, contact marks, very fine and better (8) £6000-8000

B.E.M. London Gazette 9 January 1973. The joint citation states:

‘On 29 June 1972, Hammond and Wareing were the crew of a helicopter which was ordered to the scene of a crashed Gannet aircraft. On arrival they found that the crashed aircraft was burning fiercely and they could see that the pilot was trapped and unconscious with his flying clothes alight. With total disregard for their own safety Hammond and Wareing entered the flames using hand held extinguishers to dispel them. They succeeded in reaching the pilot but were unsuccessful in releasing him before the supply of extinguishers was exhausted and they were forced to retreat. Even after their extinguishers were exhausted Hammond and Wareing made further attempts to extricate the pilot from the burning wreckage. Regardless of the danger of an explosion they repeatedly entered the flames until they were restrained from doing so by the arrival of the firesuitmen. Shortly after the rescue services arrived the aircraft wreckage exploded. Hammond and Wareing showed courage of the highest order in entering a burning aircraft when wearing unsuitable clothing and with only small extinguishers to protect them. Their repeated efforts, with complete disregard for their own safety, constitute the highest standard of gallantry.’

Peter Richard Hammond was born in Sheerness, Kent in March 1949 and entered the Royal Navy as a Junior Air Mechanic in September 1964.

He commenced his basic flying training on Whirlwind Mk. 7s at R.N.A.S. Portland in October 1969 and, having received his first operational posting to No. 845 Squadron, FA.A., qualified as a Commando Aircrewman in March 1970. He was still serving in 845 at the time of the above cited deeds in June 1972, when he displayed great courage in attempting to rescue the pilot of an air display Gannet. Sadly the latter did not survive but his Observer, Lieutenant-Commander Nash, did.

Having in the interim served on two occasions in No. 707 Squadron, Hammond rejoined No. 845 Squadron, in which capacity he carried out four operational tours in Northern Ireland in the period February 1978 to October 1980.

Operation “Corporate” - Sea Kings of 846 Squadron - S.A.S. and S.B.S. inserts

In early 1982, however, with the advent of the Falkands conflict, he was quickly drafted to No. 846 Squadron - a Sea King 4 unit which operated from the carriers Hermes and Intrepid - in support of Operation “Corporate”. His duties were to perform as an unofficial Senior Aircrewman - in the rank of Chief Petty Officer ACMN - for the ‘Night Vision Goggles Team’, as a consequence of which he carried out night insertions with Special Forces during the pre-invasion period, in addition to troop inserts by day immediately following the landings.

As verified by his Flying Log Book, Hammond also participated in some memorable search and rescue operations, being called to the scene of the sinking Sheffield - ‘picked up 15’; likewise Ardent and Coventry - ‘Body recovery to Ajax’; so, too, employment in the recovery of casualties from fire fight locations back to Ajax Bay hospital.

By way of summary, the following report - his Divisional Officer’s Report for his period of service in the Falklands - is quoted:

‘Chief Petty Officer ACMN Hammond was drafted to 846 Squadron at very short notice from the Clockwork Cell as an extra Aircrewman for the duration of Operation CORPORATE. He arrived possessing only very limited experience of the Sea King Mk. 4, but very quickly established a comprehensive understanding of the necessary techniques and equipment.

At Ascension Isle much of the Squadron were dispersed, leaving a small team to train in the use of Night Vision Goggles (N.V.G.). Chief Petty Officer ACMN Hammond played an increasingly important role, acting as unofficial Senior Aircrewman during this phase. He displayed quiet determination, leadership and a thoroughly professional approach to the problems associated with the development of new techniques.

During the pre-invasion phase, Chief Petty Officer ACMN Hammond volunteered to fly many night covert operation sorties as second crewman, using N.V.G., behind enemy lines. Later he played an important role as back up aircrew working from 846 FOB. At all times he proved to be enthusiastic, capable and thoroughly dependable member of the night operations team, for whom no task was too much trouble.

Chief Petty Office ACMN Hammond’s considerable contribution to the Squadron’s war effort merits a SUPERIOR assessment.’

In March 1983, he joined No. 705 Squadron as Senior Aircrewman, and undertook basic pilot flying training in Gazelle T2 aircraft. His final appointment was as Senior Aircrewman Instructor for Pilot and Aircrewman Operational Flying Training in No. 707 Squadron and he retired from the Service in March 1989.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation and related memorabilia, including:

(i) The recipient’s Royal Navy Flying Log Books (4), covering the periods October 1969 to August 1973, September 1973 to December 1979, January 1980 to December 1985 and January 1986 to January 1989, the middle two logs bound as one volume and the Falklands period with accompanying photographs.

(ii) Further items of Falklands interest, including his Flying overall name badge, ‘Pete Hammond’; ‘Been There, Done That, Got the BBC News T-shirt’, as given to Hammond and fellow 846 Squadron personnel by the correspondent Brian Hanrahan, ‘the day we lost all the S.A.S. men, 19 May 1982’ (the Corporal being the recipient’s brother-in-law, his notes refer); his Falklands’ British Forces Identity Card; several Falklands commemorative publications; copied Falklands’ Personal Performance Report (as quoted above); and a ‘memory stick’ with a superb array of photographs taken by the recipient during the conflict, including air-to-sea scenes in respect of the Coventry and Antelope.

(iii) Buckingham Place investiture letter in respect of the award of the B.E.M., an investiture which was held on 27 February 1973; together with congratulatory letters from the First Sea Lord and Flag Officer Naval Air Command.