Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The exceptional ‘Northern Ireland’ G.M. pair awarded to Private D. S. Bennett, Royal Regiment of Wales, for gallantry during ‘riots’ in the Lower Falls area of Belfast on the night of 6/7 February 1971 - having fallen with a bullet in his right upper arm, he quickly recovered and engaged the attackers hitting one man and possibly a second

George Medal, E.II.R., 2nd issue (24101868 Pte. Dorian S. Bennett, R.R.W.); General Service 1962, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (24101868 Pte., G.M., RRW) mounted court style as worn, some minor contact wear and edge bruising, therefore nearly very fine (2) £12000-15000

G.M. London Gazette 4 October 1971. The following recommendation was published at the time in the regimental journal, The Men of Harlech, which also included a superb full-page photograph of the recipient: ‘On the night of 7/8 February 1971, there was rioting on the Falls Road, at the junction with Leeson Street. Private Bennett was a member of a five man patrol mounted in an armoured vehicle, which was used to disperse the crowd and dominate the riot area.

At 00:10hrs, 8th February, the patrol was deployed at the Dunlevy Street/Falls Road junction after two nail bombs had been thrown at the vehicle. Private Bennett was covering the area Spinner Street to Leeson Street. A man attempted to throw a grenade from Spinner Street and Bennett immediately fired and ran to the street to make sure of his man. The patrol came under fire from three men in Leeson Street and Bennett fell with a bullet in his right upper arm. He quickly recovered and engaged the attackers, hitting one man and possibly a second. Bennett then returned to his original fire position, although by this time, he was undoubtedly affected by his wound. A third group attacked the patrol from Sevastopol Street with firearms and nailbombs and Bennett engaged this group also and had one suspected hit. Bennett remained with the patrol until a replacement rifleman arrived and only then would he agree to retire for medical attention.’

Whilst a D.C.M. or even an M.M. would seem to have been a more appropriate award for what is by any standards a superb fighting citation, the Northern Ireland conflict was in its infancy at the time and was not recognised as a military theatre of operations. However, it was 1971 that saw a major escalation in the violence and on the day preceding Private Bennett’s George Medal winning exploits, 6 February 1971 the first British soldier was killed. By August 1971 internment had been introduced and by the end of the year 180 people had died, including 44 soldiers.

The Royal Regiment of Wales was formed by the amalgamation of the South Wales Borderers and the Welch Regiment in June 1969 and Private Bennett’s George Medal was the first gallantry award gained by this newly formed regiment.

Sold with the recipient’s original Regimental Conduct Sheet and photocopied research including a photograph of recipient.