Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Rhodesian General Service Medal awarded to Warrant Officer 2nd Class Timitiya, Rhodesian African Rifles, killed in action, Operation Nickel, 22 August 1967

Rhodesia, General Service Medal (R3063 WO2 Timitiya) extremely fine £200-260

Timitiya was a member of the 1st Rhodesian African Rifles. He had served in Malaya and had been awarded the General Service Medal of Malaya. His shooting was said to be of Bisley standard. After his death a trophy for the best MAG gunner in the battalion was competed for in his memory.

As a a Warrant Officer Class 2, he was killed in action, along with a platoon commander, Lieutenant Nick John Smith, during Operation Nickel, on 22 August 1967. A report of the action reads:

‘On 22 August, 1 Platoon, A Company 1RAR, under 23-year old Lieutenant Nick Smith, started following fresh spoor of seven terrorists along the game fence near the Nata River. The spoor headed south-east as Smith and his men inched forward, carefully scanning the surrounding bush. Next to Smith, and slightly out in front was the 42 year old Warrant Officer II Havahli Timitiya, a Malayan campaign veteran. What they could not have known was that the spoor was leading straight into a well-concealed terrorist camp. Early that afternoon a camp sentry observing the approaching soldiers, opened fire on Smith’s platoon. Flying Officer Geldenhuys of No. 4 Squadron, the Royal Rhodesian Air Force, piloting an armed Provost over the area, was immediately alerted to the fire fight taking place below, but every time he flew close, he was met by heavy groundfire. Geldenhuys’ aircraft took a hit, as an AK47 round went through the port wing before striking his side of the canopy near his head. He was forced to return to base. .... On the ground, though, events would have more tragic results. Lieutenant Smith and WOII Timitiya briefly huddled together to decide how to take on the terrorist positions. The platoon moved forward in an extended line, the exchange of fire fierce and prolonged. As Smith moved to rally his men, he was shot and killed. Timitiya had by this time swapped his rifle for an MAG and, bracing the machine gun on a branch of a tree, in a standing position he fired controlled bursts at the enemy. As he was bravely taking the fight to the terrorists, a bullet ripped through a branch of a tree before fatally entering Timitiya’s head. In a statement afterwards, platoon Lance-Corporal Mavaradze stated that they had then run out of ammunition, and with the enemy about to overrun their position, they were forced to withdraw, leaving behind the bodies of Smith and Timitiya, their packs, rifles and radios. After initially taking up a defensive position some distance away, Mavaradze sent for help before moving to the Wankie National Park boundary road where they stayed the night.’

With copied research.