An impressive campaign and long service group of eight awarded to Regimental Sergeant-Major M. O’Neill, Welsh Regiment

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (3957877 Cpl. M. O’Niell (sic), Welch R.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Korea 1950-53 (3957877 W.O. Cl. 2 M. O’Neill, Welch); U.N. Korea 1950-54; Coronation 1953; Regular Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue, with Second Award Bar (3957877 W.O. Cl. 2 M. O’Neill, Welch); Army Meritorious Service Medal, E.II.R. (LS/3957877 W.O. Cl. 1 M. O’Neill, Welch), mounted court-style as worn, very fine and better (8) £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to Welsh Regiments formed by the Late Llewellyn Lord.

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Matthew O’Neill, who was born in January 1915, served in the ranks of the Welsh Regiment from 1933-41, in which latter year he was appointed Warrant Officer Class 2. In the interim, he served in the 1st Battalion in Palestine in 1939-40. Otherwise employed on the Home Establishment for the duration of the 1939-45 War, he was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in October 1951, just prior to his departure in ‘B’ Company of the 1st Battalion for Korea, where one entry in the regimental journal describes his ‘valiant work’.

Advanced to R.S.M. in September 1953, O’Neill transferred to the 4th Battalion and was awarded the Coronation Medal in the same year. He subsequently transferred to the Regimental Depot in April 1956 and to the 6th Battalion in May 1957. He then served for over 10 years as R.S.M. at the Army Careers Information Office in Cardiff, being awarded the M.S.M. in 1965 and a Bar to his L.S. & G.C. Medal in 1969, the year of his retirement; sold with copied research.