An Important Collection of Awards to the SAS and Special Forces

A rare Arabian Peninsula M.M. group of six to Trooper Anthony ‘Scouse’ Cunningham, Lancashire Fusiliers, permanently attached 22nd Special Air Service Regiment, awarded for attack on the Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain) in Oman

Military Medal, E.II.R., 1st issue (22235626 Tpr. A. Cunningham, L.F.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal; General Service 1918-62, G.VI.R., 2 clasps, Malaya, Arabian Peninsula (22235626 Pte. A. Cunningham, Manch.); Oman, Jabal Akhdar Campaign Medal 1958-59, good very fine (6)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, An Important Collection of Awards to the SAS and Special Forces.

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M.M. London Gazette 25 August 1959, ‘in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Arabian Peninsula: 22233626 Trooper Anthony Cunningham, The Lancashire Fusiliers, permanently attached 22 Special Air Service Regiment. For bravery and devotion to duty in the face of rebel fire. His handling of a bren gun both in attack and defence was an example of skill and courage.’

Anthony Cunningham was born in Liverpool on 30 October 1927 and served in the Merchant Navy during the Second World War. He enlisted at Liverpool on 25 August 1948, for the Regular Army and joined the Lancashire Fusiliers. He was subsequently permanently attached to 22nd Special Air Service Regiment and served with them in Malaya and in Oman during the Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain) Campaign.

Fifteen M.M’s awarded for the Arabian Peninsula during the period 1950-60, this being the only one for the Green Mountain campaign and one of the first such awards to the S.A.S. since the Second World War. The group is sold with copies of several letters of congratulation, service documents and other research including copies of photographs of the troop on the Jebel Akhdar in 1959.