Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The First Gulf War medal awarded to ITN Cameraman Nigel Thomson, O.B.E., who in an eventful career covering conflicts all over the world was kidnapped in Beirut in 1982; was bombed by MIG fighters in Ethiopia; was wounded by shrapnel during the Siege of Dubrovnik in 1991; and was injured by mortar fire in Kabul in 1992

Gulf 1990-91, 1 clasp, 16 Jan to 28 Feb 1991 (N Thomson ITN); together with Saudi Arabia, Kingdom, Medal for the Liberation of Kuwait 1991, with riband bar; Kuwait, Emirate, Medal for the Liberation of Kuwait 1991, 4th Grade, with riband bar, extremely fine (3) £1,000-£1,400

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1993: Nigel Thomson, Cameraman, Independent Television News

Nigel Thomson joined Independent Television News as a sound recordist in 1976 and became a cameraman in 1982. Over the course of an award-winning career he covered numerous assignments all over the world, including conflicts in Beirut, Ethiopia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Northern Ireland, The Gulf, Yugoslavia, and Afghanistan. In 1982, whilst covering the hostilities in Beirut, he was kidnapped along with ITN reporter Des Hamill, but fortunately both were released unharmed. Later, whilst trekking through the Ethiopian desert to cover the civil war there, he survived being bombed by MIG fighter planes. In 1984 he was awarded the Royal Television Society Cameraman of the Year Award for his coverage of the Brighton Bombing and the Belfast Riots.

In 1990-91 Thomson spent six months with ITN reporter Paul Davies covering the events leading up to the First Gulf War, and the then the War itself, during which they were on the front line with the Fourth Armoured Brigade, for which both men received the Gulf Medal. Later that year Thomson and Davies spent several weeks in Dubrovnik covering the Yugoslav civil war: they were the only television crew to remain in the beleaguered city during the week-long onslaught by shells, missiles, and snipers, and Thomson was hit by shrapnel during the bombardment. For his camera work that year he was awarded the Royal Television Society Cameraman of the Year Award.

In 1992 Thomson travelled twice to Afghanistan, again with Davies, to cover the battle for Kabul being fought between the Mujahideen and the Government forces, and on his second trip he was injured by mortar fire whilst filming an attack on Kabul Airport. For their front-line footage from war zones both he and Davies were awarded the O.B.E. in the 1993 New Year’s Honours’ List.

Sold with copied research including a photograph of the recipient with his then wife, the ITN newsreader Carol Barnes, after he had been presented with his O.B.E.