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Auction: 1008 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 137

Family Group: A Fine Operation Market Garden Group of Six to Drum-Major J. Pulford, 1st (Airborne) Battalion Border Regiment, A Veteran of Arnhem, Where He Was Taken Prisoner and Escaped, and a Renowned Bugler Who Had the Honour of Sounding the Last Post and Reveille at the First Arnhem Memorial Service, Held in Oosterbeek Cemetery, September 1945 1939-1945 Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals; General Service 1918-62, G.VI.R., two clasps, Palestine 1945-48, Malaya, last clasp loose on riband, as issued (4690587 Cpl. J. Pulford. Border.), edge bruise to last, contact marks overall, therefore nearly very fine or better, with the following related items: - Seven photographs, including one of the recipient sounding the Last Post and Reveille at the first Arnhem Memorial Service in the Oosterbeek Cemetery, September 1945, and one of recipient whilst being inspected by Montgomery - Named Certificate commemorating the Liberation of Norway, 8.5.1945, dated Oslo December 1945 - Three Letters from the recipient, dated 18.10.1977, 11.11.1977 and 2.2.1978; and various newspaper cuttings Pair: Corporal J.W. Pulford, West Yorkshire Regiment British War and Victory Medals (12010 Cpl. J.W. Pulford. W. York. R.), nearly extremely fine (lot) Estimate £ 800-1,000 Drum-Major John William George Pulford (1922-1992) born Leeds, Yorkshire, 1922; enlisted in the King´s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, November 1937; transferred to the Border Regiment, as part of the 1st Air Landing Brigade, 1st Airborne Division, August 1942; landed in North Africa and then took part in the invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky), June 1943 before service in North West Europe, 17.9.1944-28.9.1944, as part of Operation Market Garden; Pulford was taken prisoner by the German armoured units that swamped the small band of paratroopers at Arnhem, but managed to escape what he described ´as what I would expect hell to be like´ (Newspaper cutting refers) in the chaos that ensued and made his way back to Allied Lines, being photographed with fellow escapers at Louvain on the 27th, ´For nine days they checked the fury of the Hun and when, on the 26th September, they came out a proud and haughty band - paratroopers, air-landing men, glider pilots, clerks, cooks and batmen, soldiers all - 2,000 strong out of 7,500 that entered the battle.´ (letter from General D.D. Eisenhower to Major-General R.E. Urquhart., Commander, 1st Airborne, dated October 1944, refers); 1,485 Allied troops were killed or died from their wounds as a result of Operation Market Garden, with 6,525 taken Prisoner of War; Pulford was back in action, taking part in the Liberation of Norway, May 1945. Pulford had made somewhat of a reputation for himself of being a particularly fine Bugler evidenced by letters from Montgomery to his Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel T. Haddon, dated 14.9.1943: ´Please convey my compliments to your bugler for his excellent sounding of the "Last Post" and "Reveille" at General Hopkinson´s funeral [killed near Taranto 12.9.1943]. His playing was a great tribute and he is a credit to be with you in these active times´; and from Major-General R.E. Urquhart, 11.12.1944: ´Thank you for providing such an excellent bugler at the Memorial Service in Grantham yesterday....... Unfortunately I did not get a chance of thanking him personally, and I would be very glad if you would pass on to him my appreciation of his services.´ It was perhaps on this basis that Pulford was given the honour of sounding the Last Post and Reveille at the first Arnhem Memorial Service held in the Oosterbeek Cemetery, September 1945; after the War Pulford was tasked by the C/O 1st Battalion of building up a Corps of Drums, which he successfully fostered whilst serving in Palestine and Malaya; transferred 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment, April 1953; advanced Drum-Major, 1.8.1953; returned to the Border Regiment four years later, before being discharged after 21 years and 132 days service, 1.4.1959. Pulford was invited to the Premiere of A Bridge Too Far, in his native Leeds. 12010 Corporal John William Pulford was Drum-Major Pulford´s father.

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£1,000