General Service Medal 1918-62. EIIR issue with clasp 'Cyprus' (23185249 Pte. C. Greig. Gordons.)

The recipient was a 'Jock' holding the rank of Private while serving with 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders

1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders was deployed to the then Crown Colony of Cyprus 1955-56. By the time the Gordons had completed their tour of duty including 'Internal Security' operations combatting EOKA, the regiment had suffered 16 x 'All-Ranks' died on active service in Cyprus. This high death toll - the highest of any British Infantry battalion deployed - included 13 x fatal casualties of a devastating 'Forest Fire', that occurred in the Troodos Mountains, in June 1956, during the massive counter-insurgency sweep called 'Operation Lucky Alphonse' - an operation which if nothing else was certainly not to prove lucky for the British Army units involved. The forest fire that raged during the operation in the Troodos Mountains claimed the lives of a total of 21 x All-Ranks', with a further 15 x British Army personnel, injured (Hansard, 25 June 1956 refers). While re-actionist reports at the time suggested that the devastating forest fire was the deliberate action of EOKA, and or the effects of a British mortar shell explosion, the reality is that there has been no official evidence to substantiate such claims, with the tragic event more likely having been caused by the extremes of weather, and or the unintended casual negligence (smoking in a tinder-box environment), by any of the British troops involved

Condition: VF

Code: 23949