Beschreibung:

An Important Collection of Awards to the SAS and Special Forces An outstanding M.B.E., M.C. group of six awarded to Lieutenant J. A. Riccomini, Royal Army Service Corps and Army Air Corps, attached 2nd Special Air Service Regiment, killed in action during the S.A.S. raid on the Villa Rossi The Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) 2nd type, the reverse of the crown inscribed ‘J.A.R.’, contained in its Royal Mint case of issue; Military Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1945’ and additionally inscribed ‘James A. Riccomini’, contained in its Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; War Medal, these all unnamed as issued, together with named condolence slip and card box of issue; the lot is also sold with a quantity of original documents, photographs and personal letters including bestowal document and Chancery letter for M.B.E., the recipient’s diaries (1940-41), forged Italian Identity Card, Marriage Certificate (1939), parachute wings and 2nd S.A.S. cloth shoulder title, extremely fine (6) Footnote M.B.E. London Gazette 1 March 1945. Lieutenant, R.A.S.C., ‘For gallant and distinguished services in the field’. The recommendation states: ‘Lieutenant Riccomini was captured at Halfaya Pass on 16th June, 1941, and was imprisoned in Camp 5 (Gavi) at the time of the Italian Armistice. This camp was taken over by the Germans on 9 September, 1943, and the main body moved to Germany on 13th September, 1943. With several other officers, Lieutenant Riccomini hid in the camp while the move took place, but was discovered three days later and moved by bus to Mantova. On the evening of 18th September, 1943, he and 16 other officers were locked in a cattle truck for transportation to Germany. Immediately the train started they began to cut a hole in the back of the truck; this was completed in about three hours and they drew lots as to who should jump first. Lieutenant Riccomini and another officer jumped from the moving train just north of Roverto at about 0430 hrs on the 19th September, 1943, and walked south-east making for Yugoslavia. A week later they joined a partisan band led by an Italian ex-officer. Lieutenant Riccomini and his companion remained with this band until January 1944, helping to organise resistance, getting together dumps of ammunition, and obtaining intelligence reports. The band was broken up by Germans, and these officers then organised a route to Switzerland by which they themselves and several other ex-Prisoners of War in the area crossed the Swiss Border on 11th January, 1944.’ M.C. London Gazette 1 March 1945. Lieutenant, M.B.E., Army Air Corps, ‘For gallant and distinguished services in Italy’. The recommendation states: ‘This officer dropped behind enemy lines by parachute on the 27th December, 1944, as 2nd in command of an S.A.S. Troop. On the 11th January, 1945 he was commanding a detachment which ambushed a German column on the Genoa-Spezia road near Bocca del Pignone. One lorry was completely destroyed and a staff car was riddled with machine-gun fire. 30 casualties in killed and wounded were inflicted on the Germans. The success of this operation was entirely due to this officer’s personal skill and courage. He directed the fire attack on the column in full view of the enemy, completely ignoring the fire returned by them. On the 19th January, 1945, he again ambushed two vehicles on the road Pontrmoli-Spezia as they were crossing a bridge. One truck was destroyed and a number of casualties were inflicted on the Germans. When 10,000 enemy troops were conducting a “rostrellimento” against the S.A.S. contingent on several occasions it was entirely this officer’s skill and personal courage which prevented the enemy from capturing or killing personnel under his command. Despite a badly poisoned foot, in Arctic conditions of gales, sleet and snow, he made his way through deep snow drifts with his men, never failing to carry out any task allotted him. Throughout the opera