A scarce 'Fighting Irish' (Brother Para Officer KIA Arnhem) Bay of Bengal Burma Star campaign medal group to the South African Naval Force: Able Seaman John Travers Radcliff, South African Naval Force attached to Royal Navy

- The 1939-45 Star (585580 J. T. Radcliff)
- The Burma Star (585580 J. T. Radcliff)
- Defence Medal (585580 J. T. Radcliff)
- War Medal 1939-45 (585580 J. T. Radcliff)
- Africa Service Medal (585580 J. T. Radcliff)

Note: All of the medals are officially impressed South African 'Pretoria Mint' issues

Medals verification: All medals confirmed as the recipients full medal entitlement as endorsed on his service papers. The 5 x medals being sent to the recipient on, 5 November 1958

Scarcity: Only an estimated 1932 x Burma Stars confirmed awarded to South African personnel - of which the majority were earned for service while attached to the Royal Navy. Of the 1932 Burma Stars awarded to 'South African' naval recipients, an estimated 295 x earned the clasp 'Pacific' (Ref South Africa and the War Against Japan 1941-1945 (Cdr W. E. Bisset, South African Naval Museum, Simons Town, published Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 25, Nr 2, 1995. See http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za

Important: The recipients brother Lieutenant 'Paddy' Herbert Charles Noel Radcliff, 10th Battalion Parachute Regiment (Army Air Corps) was Killed-in-Action. at Arnhem, 19 September 1944

John Travers Radcliff son of John Travers Radcliff (ex Colonial Service, Nigeria) & the Honourable Mrs Ivy Esme Radcliff (nee Barnewall, daughter of Lord Trimlestown) was a native of, Willmount, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland (where his maternal grandfather had his ancestral estates) and where he was born on, 1 December 1924. John was an agricultural student, at Rustenburg, Transvaal, South Africa, when he volunteered for service in the South African Naval Force. He enlisted at Johannesburg, on 12 October 1943. He was seconded to the Royal Navy Eastern Fleet from 1 December 1943 and served aboard H.M.S. Redoubt off India, Burma and Ceylon until 9 June 1944 and then with H.M.S. Assegai from 10-26 June 1944. He was posted for service in the United Kingdom, to H.M.S. Victory between 27 June 1944 - 29 May 1945 (a non operational posting). He was latterly posted to Northern Ireland and service with Motor Launch 'M.L. 458) from 30 May 1945. The recipient had applied for an 'Atlantic' Star, but in the event, as he had not racked up enough qualifying time to be eligible for the award, his claim was never approved, and no medal was ever issued. John was authorised his discharge from the South African Naval Force on 10 January 1946. John was later issued his full medal entitlement of 5 x medals, all of which were issued to the recipient on 5 November 1958. John's notified next of kin, was his father, John Radcliff of Wilmount, Kells, County Meath, Ireland. John Travers Radcliff is recorded as having died at Capetown, South Africa, on, 13 February 2006

Sold together with hard-copy photocopied set of the recipient's service record

A scarce 'Fighting Irish' Second World War medal group to a young Irish 'volunteer' who joined the South African Naval Force, and was latterly attached to the Royal Navy, with which service he qualified for the 'Burma Star'

Condition: GVF

Code: 22259