Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A very rare Malaya Commando operations M.M., B.E.M. group of seven awarded to Quarter-Master Sergeant P. L. Simpson, Royal Marines, who was decorated for his gallant deeds in 42 Commando

Military Medal, G.VI.R., 2nd issue (RM 8073 Cpl. (A./Sgt.) P. L. Simpson, R.M.); British Empire Medal, (Military) E.II.R., with its Royal Mint case of issue (Q.M.S. Peter L. Simpson, RM 8073 R.M.); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany; War Medal 1939-45; Naval General Service 1915-62, 4 clasps, Malaya, Cyprus, Near East, Arabian Peninsula (RM 8073 P. L. Simpson, A./Sgt., R.M.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.II.R. (RM 8073 P. L. Simpson, M.M., Clr./Sgt., R.M.), minor official correction to initials on the sixth, contact marks, otherwise generally very fine or better (7) £8000-12000

M.M. London Gazette 4 April 1952. The original recommendation states:

‘Sergeant Simpson has commanded a sub-section of 42 Commando since August 1950. During the whole of this sixteen month period he has set a fine personal example of leadership. He has always been ready to take to himself the most difficult assignments and never has he failed to complete his allotted task, regardless of the most adverse conditions.

On 29 July 1951, near Tanjong Rambutan, Sergeant Simpson’s sub-section, together with another sub-section, contacted three bandits, one of whom immediately threw a grenade which exploded causing considerable confusion. Sergeant Simpson, himself unflurried, quickly rallied the men and so pressed the chase of the now fleeing bandits that two of the three were subsequently killed. He showed complete disregard for his own safety and only by his efforts was contact maintained and the initial disadvantage turned into success.

On another occasion, in the same area, Sergeant Simpson was evacuating a casualty over most difficult country. Throughout this most arduous evolution, in which he took far more than his own share in carrying the improvised stretcher, during an extremely gruelling six hour journey, Sergeant Simpson proved a source of inspiration not only to the stretcher party, but to the wounded man, who has since recovered.’

B.E.M. London Gazette 1 January 1968.

Peter Leask Simpson was awarded his M.M. in respect of the above cited deeds in Perak, Malaya in the period August 1950 to November 1951, while serving as an Acting Sergeant in 42 Commando, R.M. - which distinction he received at a Buckingham Palace investiture held on 3 March 1953. In a two year engagement in Malaya in 1950-52, the Royal Marine Brigade accounted for just over 220 terrorists for a loss of 30 men - the career papers of 42 Commando’s C.O., Lieutenant-Colonel (afterwards Major-General) Reginald Madoc, are held in the collection of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives.

Simpson’s subsequent award of the B.E.M. was for services as a Quarter-Master Sergeant while at the Infantry Training Centre (R.M.).

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, comprising Buckingham Palace forwarding letter for the B.E.M. and a related congratulatory letter from General Sir Norman Tailyour, K.C.B., D.S.O., Commandant General, R.M., dated 27 December 1967, together with a photograph album (approximately 80 images), the majority of Malaysian interest and including R.M. subject matter.