Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Corporal P. Smyth, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, later Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry

France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1945-48 (14452208 Cpl. P. Smyth. D.C.L.I.); General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, South Arabia (14452208 Cpl. P. Smyth. SCLI.) edge bruising and contact marks to third, generally good very fine (4) £240-£280

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the 46th Foot and its Successor Units.

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Patrick Smyth was born at Granard, County Longford on 6 January 1926 and joined the Army at Omagh on 9 September 1944. Posted to the Suffolk Regiment on 26 October 1944, he served with them during the final months of the Second World War, before transferring to the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry on 8 November 1945, and served with them in post-War Palestine from 5 December 1945 to 30 December 1948. He saw further service with the British Army of the Rhine, and then on various other non-operational postings, where, after being promoted Corporal on 7 June 1956, he seems to have served as the Battalion postman, featuring in the Regimental Journal in October 1966 thus:
‘I am a jolly postman, my name is Paddy Smythe.
I haven’t touched a weapon since the Gatling down at Hythe.
I run around with letters and your parcels by the ton,
And I always like a Guinness when the hard day’s work is done.
But I’m getting rather fed up with my labours, don’t you see,
Cos’ I haven’t had a letter since 1943!’

Smyth then served operationally in Aden from 7 April to 27 October 1966, and was discharged on 15 March 1968, after 23 years and 188 days’ service. He died in Dartford, Kent, on 7 October 1976.

Sold with copied record of service and other research.