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Auction: 26002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 135

The well-documented campaign group of four awarded to Sergeant R. W. Greenley, 8th Battalion, Parachute Regiment & Army Air Corps, who was twice wounded during the Second World War, besides being injured the act of jumping into occupied France on D-Day -1 and then became the first British Para to land into occupied Germany during Op Varsity, the Rhine Crossings, when he was wounded for a second time

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, with their O.H.M.S. box addressed to 'Mr. R. W. Greenley, Belle View Cottage, Whitewall, Norton, Malton, Yorks', and enclosure confirming '4', good very fine (Lot)

Raymond William Greenley was born on 1 August 1916 at Sedburgh and first enlisted into the Royal Artillery in 1933, being transferred to the Army Reserve in August 1937. With the outbreak of the Second World War he returned to the fold in August 1939 and was eventually transferred to the Army Air Corps in December 1943. Given his experience in handling men, he was a Corporal in the 8th Battalion, Parachute Regiment by the summer of 1944. So it was, as recalled in a Yorkshire newspaper that he had been '...in France two days before D-Day (Normandy), where Greenley was injured in a parachute jump.'

Clearly not one to be held back, he was back in action in time to be officially recorded as wounded in action on 12 June 1944. Having recovered these wounds, he thence became the first British paratrooper to land during Operation Varsity. Not only was he on the first stick, but he led his men of 'C' Company as the first to drop across the Rhine. Greenley was wounded in action for a second time and spent time at No. 15 Convalescent Depot.

He was released in August 1946; sold together with an impressive and unpublished archive of original material including his pressed card identity tag named 'R W Greenley 838930 C.E.', Parachute Association O.C.A. Membership Card paid up until 1950, used wartime map of Roermond, various items of cloth insignia, photographs, original documents, Soldiers' Release Book, newspaper cuttings and futher related items.

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Estimate
£600 to £800

Starting price
£550