The Collection of Medals Formed by Bill and Angela Strong

An unusual General Service Medal duplicate issue pair awarded to Private R. J. Farmer, King’s Regiment, late the Loyal Regiment, who was injured on coming under fire on patrol in Belfast May 1972

General Service 1962, 1 clasp, South Arabia (24034444 Pte. R. J. Farmer, Loyal); General Service 1962, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (24074444 Pte. R. J. Farmer, King’s), good very fine (2) £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

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Richard John Farmer was born in Widnes in August 1948 and originally enlisted in the Loyal Regiment in February 1966. Having then witnessed active service in Aden in 1966-67, he transferred to the King’s Regiment in June 1969 and was wounded while on patrol in Northern Ireland on 11 May 1972, an incident reported in the press:

‘Six soldiers were shot as they investigated two hijacked buses which had been set on fire in the Whiterock area of Belfast, and two civilians received gunshot wounds in separate incidents last night. The soldiers, all members of the 1st King’s Regiment, came under automatic fire as they approached the buses. An Army spokesman said the fire came from the direction of Ardmonagh Gardens - Norglen Parade. He said none of the soldiers were seriously injured and the other members of the party fired back at the terrorists but did not claim any hits.’

As verified by accompanying hand written career details, Farmer actually sustained a serious cut to his hand on diving to take cover from the terrorist’s fire, an injury that required his admission to hospital. Returning home that August, he purchased his discharge a few weeks later.