British Groups

Lot 4021    The J.J.Atkinson Collection    British Groups

Estimate $2,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $7,000

GROUP OF SIX TO SECOND LIEUTENANT ARTHUR STEWART BINNIE, Duke of Wellington's Regiment Military Cross (1945); 1939-45 Star; Burma Star, Defence Medal; British War Medal 1939-45; Efficiency Medal (GVIR) (Lt. A.S.Binnie. M.C. Kings.). Efficiency Medal named, impressed, others unnamed. Very fine.

MC: London Gazette 26 April 1945. 'On the 19th March 1944 a Special Detachment was landed by glider in Central Burma with orders to blow up the railway bridge on the MANDALAY - MYITKINA line south of KAWLIN. The O.C. of the party was injured in a glider crash during the initial landing and was evacuated by Air. LEUT A.S. Binnie then took over command of the patrols and by his initiative and determination he led them to a successful conclusion. With forty men under his command on 30th March 1944 he not only wrecked the Railway Bridge, his objective, but also blew up the pumping station near the bridge. In order to contact our forces after this action, he led his force through waterless country for three days on very short rations. During this three day trek his force was ambushed by the enemy and Lieut. Binnie successfully extricated his exhausted troops from the trap with only three casualties (wounded). The fact that these were the only casualties sustained throughout the whole patrol which lasted for one month was largely due to Lieut. Binnie's unfailing cheerfulness and example and above all his excellent powers of leadership.'

Together with copy of award citation; photographs of Chindits in the field, extracts from Regimental History; extract from 'The Chindit War'; Chindit shoulder patch and shoulder title and King's Regiment shoulder title.