General Service Medal 1918-62 MALAYA GRENADIER GUARDS

General Service Medal 1918-62. Malaya:  2625997 Gdsm.J.Cooke. 3rd BN GRENADIER GUARDS.

The Grenadier Guards had just finished a tour of Duty in Palestine in early 1948. He went on to serve in MALAYA in late 1948 when a state of Emergency was declared.

The 3rd Bn Grenadier Guards (Lt Col Patrick Winnington) included a fourth Company made up mostly of National Servicemen. Most were young lads, hardly out of training at the Guards Depot. They sailed from Liverpool as part of the 2nd Guards Brigade.

The Battalion’s job was to restore confidence and round up Bandits. Like other Battalions they had no experience of Jungle conditions and the work was dangerous, frightening and extremely uncomfortable.
There was a serious incident in March 1949 when a patrol led by Captain David Hargreaves was ambushed by 15 Bandits. 5 Grenadiers were killed/ died of wounds, including Corporal Joe Chriscoli (who had won a MILITARY MEDAL for bravery at MARETH, North Africa in WW2). Captain Hargreaves and two Guardsman were wounded. It was the single serious loss of the Tour.