Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A well-documented post-War ‘Malaya Emergency’ M.M. group of three awarded to Regimental Sergeant Major C. Helmn, Green Howards, a member of the Anti-Tank Platoon of Support Company, and a skilful jungle tracker and marksman, for gallantry and leadership during a series of fire-fights, in the course of which he personally killed four Communist terrorists

Military Medal, G.VI.R., 2nd issue (22547325 A/Cpl. C. Helmn. Green Howards.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, G.VI.R. (22547235 Pte. C. Helmn. Green Howards.) officially re-impressed naming; Army L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., 2nd issue, Regular Army (22547325 W.O. Cl.1. C. Helmn. M.M. Green Howards.) edge bruise to MM, and light contact marks to first two, good very fine and better (3) £3,000-£4,000

M.M. London Gazette 28 April 1953.

The original Recommendation states: ‘Corporal Helmn is a young N.C.O. who has consistently displayed initiative and skill and determination to make contact with the enemy.
On 17 April he was ordered to deploy his section in an ambush position in the Tampin area. After a wait of 48 hours a terrorist entered the ambush and was personally killed by Corporal Helmn. On 21 May he killed one of the two terrorists destroyed by his platoon in the Tampin area.
On 18 August Corporal Helmn’s section formed part of a platoon ambush in the Tapah area. In due course three armed terrorists approached his position. He waited with great coolness until they were at point blank range when he personally killed two of them. The third attempted to escape but was severely wounded by the cross fire of his section and the remainder of the platoon, and was captured.
On 29 Sep and 3 Oct Corporal Helmn was present with patrols which made contact with small parties of terrorists resulting in one being killed on each occasion.
This N.C.O.’s outstanding enthusiasm and leadership has been largely responsible for the several successful operations in which his section has been concerned. He has always shown a complete disregard for his own personal safety and invariably worked in the forefront of any operations in which he has taken part. In the period covered by this citation he has personally killed four Communist terrorists.’

Colin ‘Charlie’ Helmn was born at Morecombe, Lancashire, on 30 August 1930. The Wartime National Service (Armed Forces) Act of 1939 had already lapsed when he turned 18. From 1 January 1949 peacetime conscription was introduced for the first time ever in Britain, but as Helmn was a farm worker he was exempt from National Service.

However, Helmn decided to join the Regular Army, enlisting at Preston for five years service from 3 January 1951. His decision was probably influenced by the British involvement in the Korean War, which had been steadily ramping up since August 1950. He immediately opted to join the Green Howards, and was sent to the Yorkshire and Northumberland Brigade Training Centre at Strensall near York for basic training. After five months, Helmn was sent out to Malaya and was taken on the strength of 1st Battalion Green Howards on 7 July 1951. It was here that he acquired the nickname ‘Charlie’; “It started when someone saw the initial ‘C’ on my trunk when I arrived in Malaya, guessed my name might be Charlie and then it just stuck. However, I sometimes joke it also reflects what hunting folk call the fox.” Helmn’s skills as a soldier and a leader quickly stood out and were recognised by his officers.

By 1 January 1952 Helmn was appointed Lance Corporal and shortly afterwards was put in charge of a section composed entirely of young Regular soldiers (no conscripts) from Support Company. As his Company Commander (who wrote the history of the Green Howards tour in Malaya) noted, ‘this was in the nature of an experiment.’ Most of Helmn’s section had never been in action before. Support Company had an active and energetic commander, who initiated several tactical experiments; he was ably seconded by the Battalion Intelligence Officer, Nigel Bagnall, who won the M.C. and Bar in Malaya for his skill in killing or capturing terrorists, was a close comrade and lifelong friend of Helmn, and eventually became a Field Marshal. Support Company experiments included patrols comprised entirely of genuine volunteers, patrols comprised entirely of Regulars and patrols led by twenty-year old National Service officers backed up by able Regular N.C.O.s. There was a keen rivalry between the various Companies of the Battalion as to which unit could achieve the highest total of wins against the terrorists.

In April 1952 the entire Company mounted Operation Pushover. Helmn served in the Anti-Tank Platoon, but during Pushover he worked closely with the Machine Gun Platoon commanded by Second Lieutenant Dunton, who would win a well-deserved M.C. for an action in August. On 17 April, Helmn led his section into a remote part of Support Company’s operational area. After spending 48 hours in ambush, he encountered three terrorists, each wearing civilian clothes over their uniforms, who had infiltrated a group of rubber tappers. Helmn personally shot one dead (another was wounded but escaped; no tappers were injured during this action). In the words of Support Company’s commander, Helmn had commanded his men ‘with great dash in a far from simple encounter.’ On 17 May 1952 he was promoted to Corporal.

Late in the evening of 20 May, a young Chinese woman reported that she had been approached by Chong Pin, a District Committee member, who was camped near the rubber trees in Bukit Batu with eight comrades. After thorough interrogation and the promise of a substantial money reward, she agreed to lead a patrol to the camp by first light on 21 May. The Anti-Tank platoon, specifically Helmn’s section, was given the job and duly set off, accompanied by the Support Company Commander (who would supervise any follow-up and pursuit) and the Second Lieutenant who commanded A/T Platoon.

The camp site was reached and seemed to be unoccupied, so the Platoon Commander placed Helmn and his men in position to ambush the terrorists if they returned. He decided to do some scouting with Voon Ming, a Surrendered Enemy Personnel who had changed sides and acted as scout, interpreter and advisor to Support Company. As they moved around the rocks where the camp was located, they were fired on from inside a cave. The Platoon Commander shouted to Helmn to bring his men and assault the cave. The cave had several concealed exits, from which four terrorists bolted in different directions. Helmn killed one terrorist, a second was shot dead and the two others escaped.

The two dead bandits turned out to be Ah He, a well-known local communist, and Peck Ha, who distributed her sexual favours among several terrorist senior commanders. Unfortunately Chong Pin, whose camp it was, was still at large. A few days later, he abducted the unfortunate informer, who believed her identity was a secret, and shot her dead himself.

On Monday 18 August 1952 Captain Bagnall and the whole Anti-Tank Platoon (now down to an operational strength of 12) set off to ambush two fresh tracks on the jungle edge of the Chikus Forest reserve. Bagnall commanded the ambush on one track, Helmn commanded the ambush on the other. After a wait of several hours, three terrorists approached Helmn’s position. He waited until the first was within a few yards before opening fire. Helmn was an excellent shot with the light-weight, shortened No. 5 Lee Enfield Jungle Carbine bolt action rifle, and was among the few men who could control its brutal recoil. He killed the first and second terrorists outright. The third man, although wounded, ran for his life, straight into the arms of Captain Bagnall, who subdued and captured him.

Helmn’s two kills had bought the total Green Howards bag of neutralised terrorists since their arrival in Malaya in 1949 to 100; in cricket terminology, a full Century. A celebratory chicken dinner with free beer was provided, and the officers and senior N.C.O.s waited on the men. The Commanding Officer read out a message from General Sir Gerald Templer: ‘I have just heard you are celebrating the elimination of your 100th bandit during your tour in Malaya. I would like you to convey my thanks to all ranks on their successes. I wish you luck in the future. Carry on the good work.’

After the Green Howards returned to Europe from their deployment in Malaya, Helmn decided to make the army his career. When his five years engagement was nearly up he signed on for twelve years, and eventually extended to twenty-two years. By August 1955 he was a substantive Sergeant, due for a posting as an instructor at Mons Officer Cadet School, an important assignment. After more regimental duty, by 1962 he was a Colour-Sergeant assigned to the Army Recruitment Centre at Middlesborough – the army needed volunteers now that conscription had ended. Helmn was Company Sergeant Major of H.Q. Company 1965-66 when 1st Green Howards were serving in Libya and then Cyprus. In August 1967 he was promoted Warrant Officer Class I and appointed as Regimental Sergeant Major of 1st Green Howards.

Helmn was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1969. The next year he was posted to serve as Regimental Sergeant Major at the King’s Division depot, a role which he retained until his engagement expired and he left the regular army in 1973. His testimonial states: ‘A most able warrant officer whose personality and gregarious nature will stand him in excellent stead in civil life. He has experience in organising accounts, catering and entertainments in his own mess, which has always run to perfection. His financial integrity is thoroughly sound and he has a wide circle of friends both in the army and civil life. Military Conduct Exemplary.’

Helmn had three sons, all of whom followed him into the Green Howards (and each inherited the nickname ‘Charlie’). After leaving the army he became the landlord of the Britannia Inn, a pub in Selby, Yorkshire. After his wife died in 1977, he took on the additional jobs of Walking Guide and Campsite Manager in Europe. In 1995 he sold up after 23 years as a publican and settled in Darlington with his second wife. In 2001 Helmn was presented with a gold badge to mark his 50-year association with the Green Howards. An impressive painting was commissioned, which depicted him dressed and equipped for a jungle patrol in Malaya. It was used in a series of postcards illustrating the various uniforms worn by Green Howard soldiers since the regiment was formed in 1688.

Helmn died on 31 July 2003. His funeral service was addressed by the Green Howards’ Commanding Officer and the Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess provided the pallbearers. According to his obituarist: ‘Colin was indeed a soldier’s soldier, a great shot, smart and very fit. Having said that, he did upset quite a few people, mainly officers… Colin was not a ‘yes’ man. When he was made R.S.M. he became one of the first of a new breed of Regimental Sergeant Majors – discipline yes, but coupled with good common sense.’

Sold with photographs of the recipient, copies of his service record, M.M. recommendation and further research.