Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A ‘Securicor’ Bravery Medal pair awarded to Armoured Van Driver Charles Percival, who was shot and wounded whilst fighting off two bandits

Securicor Medal, reverse inscribed, ‘For Bravery C. Percival’, silver, hallmarks for Birmingham 1977; Securicor Medal, unnamed, silver, hallmarks for Birmingham 1973, extremely fine (2) £250-300

Sold with Securicor Commendation Certificate, dated 15 March 1978, with citation reading, ‘Mr Percival by his determined resistance of armed bandits, in spite of shots being fired, and he sustaining a gun shot wound to his right leg, was responsible for the bandit attack being unsuccessful. He displayed courage and determination of the highest order.’

A full citation of the attack reads, ‘On Friday, 4 November, 1977, Mr Charles Percival a full-time Armoured Van Driver, employed at Securicor’s Watford Branch, was at the public counter of Barclays Bank, Borehamwood, Herts, where he had just collected £6,000 on behalf of a client, when two men, one armed, approached him, grabbed the container with the money in it and at the same time pointed a pistol at him saying, “We’ll have this” - meaning the cash container. Mr Percival’s immediate response was to grab the hand of the bandit holding the pistol, forcing it downwards. As he did so a shot was fired from the pistol. Mr Percival then grabbed the cash container and the two bandits endeavoured to regain possession of it, bringing Mr Percival to the ground in the struggle. Mr Percival, still retaining possession of the container, managed to rise to a crouching position and then holding the cash container in front of him as a form of protection, pushed the bandit holding the pistol against an internal wall of the bank. The second bandit meanwhile, who apparently was not armed, was attacking Mr Percival from the rear and encouraging the other bandit by words to shoot Mr Percival.

During the struggle that ensued, the pistol was fired a number of times and ultimately Mr Percival and the bandits reached a position on the footway outside the bank. At this stage of the struggle, the cash container went free from Mr Percival’s grasp. This enabled a member of the public to grab the container and run into the Bank with it. This caused the bandits to give up and make good their escape.

It was not until Mr Percival had entered the Bank, assured himself that the cash container had been handed in and returned to his armoured van, that he realised he had sustained a gun shot wound in his right leg for which he had to receive hospital treatment.

Mr Percival’s determination to resist the bandits in the face of pistol shots and a vicious attack by two bandits was most courageous and praiseworthy; it was a fine example to all members of Securicor.’

The two medals, the Commendation Certificate and a copy of the full citation are mounted in a wooden glass-fronted case, with the caption, ‘Securicor medals issued to Mr Charles Percival for Bravery and Long Service’. Another unnamed Securicor Medal, attributed to Charles Percival and from the same source, was sold in D.N.W. 25 June 2009, lot 738.