BRITISH ARMY IRAQ CAMPAIGN 2003 – 2011 MEDAL YORKSHIRE REGIMENT – PTE S W HANCE

Description

Offered is an original, mounted as worn, Iraq 2003 – 2011 Campaign Medal. The medal is circular, 36mm in diameter and struck in cupro-nickle. The obverse of this medal bears the crowned effigy of Queen Elizabeth II and the inscription; ‘ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID. DEF.’ (Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen and Defender of the Faith). The reverse depicts the symbol of Lamussu underneath which is the inscription; ‘IRAQ’. Medal is correctly laser engraved: 30037004 PTE S W HANCE YORKS

Iraq 2006–2007

The deployment of 1 YORKS (Prince of Wales’s Own) Battle Group to Basra, Iraq in November 2006 was the first major operational deployment for the Yorkshire Regiment. A Company, under command of Major Richard Hall were based initially in Basra Palace with responsibility from Abu Al Kasib to the whole Al-Faw Peninsula, before moving to Shaibah Logistics Base and being charged with handing over security responsibilities of the base to the Iraqi Army. B Company, under command of Major Dan Bradbury, were based in Shiaba Logistics Base and had responsibility for Az Zubayr, whilst C Company were detached to 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment in the COB. In November 2008, elements of the 1st Battalion (Prince of Wales’s Own) redeployed to Iraq on Op Telic 13. In May 2009, ‘A Company’ of the 1st Battalion (Prince of Wales Own) handed over their Iraq British military HQ protection duties, in Baghdad, to Alma Company of the 3rd Battalion (Duke of Wellington’s). A Company were subsequently amongst the last British soldiers to leave Iraq at the end of July 2009.