Campaign Service Medal (Clasp – Northern Ireland) and South Atlantic Medal Pair with Quantity of Documents & Photos – Sgt. S.J.K. McGuinness, 1st Bn. Welsh Guards

A well documented Northern Ireland and Falklands War medal pair awarded to 24440428 Sergeant Stanley John Kevin McGuinness, 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards. 

Campaign Service Medal 1962 (Clasp – Northern Ireland) named to 24440428 LCpl S J K McGuinness WG 
South Atlantic Medal 1982 (with rosette) named to 24440428 Cpl S J K McGuinness WG 

The medals have some minor wear but are generally in good condition and are court mounted for wear. 

Comes with:

• Regular Army Certificate of Service book accompanied by a folder with Certificate of Qualification sheets and Job Description form
• Education Promotion Certificate
• Photograph of the 1st Bn. Welsh Guards, taken at Fort Whiterock, in which McGuinness is identified.
• NCO’s Tactical Wing Platoon Sergeant’s Course group photograph
• Quantity of photographs of the recipient during his life time, a large number taken during his service and annotated, including images of Prince Charles greeting the Welsh Guards on their return from the Falkland Islands.

Stanley John Kevin McGuinness was born on 5th March 1955 in St. Asaph, Denbigh, Wales, and enlisted into the British Army on 15th September 1976, joining as a Guardsman (No.24440428) the Welsh Guards. Posted to Germany for service in Berlin from 15th June 1977 to 6th July 1979, as a Lance Corporal, he then took part in a tour of Northern Ireland from 25th October 1979 through to 28th February 1980. McGuinness passed the Section Commanders Course on 27th September 1980. McGuinness was promoted to Corporal.

McGuinness was on a training exercise in Kenya between 8th October and 11th November 1981, and then saw service with the 1st Battalion in the South Atlantic during the Falklands War in the period from 12th May to 29th July 1982.

In 1982, the Welsh Guards, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel John Rickett, formed part of the 5th Infantry Brigade of the British Task Force sent to liberate the Falkland Islands from Argentinian occupation during the Falklands War. On 7th June they were on board the ill-fated Sir Galahad, which was accompanied by Sir Tristram, waiting to be landed at Bluff Cove though they were delayed from doing so. However, attack was imminent after the landing craft were spotted by Argentinian observers. At 2:00 am, five Dagger and five A-4 Skyhawk aircraft were seen over the Falklands. Shortly afterwards, the Daggers were the first to attack. Only a short time later, the Skyhawks reached Fitzroy, with three of the aircraft hitting the Sir Galahad two or more times with horrific consequences. Sir Tristram was also hit which killed two crewmen, both ships were ablaze. The attack on Sir Galahad culminated in high casualties, 48 dead, 32 of them Welsh Guards, 11 other Army personnel and five crewmen from Sir Galahad herself. There were many wounded, many suffering from horrendous burns caused by fire from the burning ships, the best known being Simon Weston. The burnt-out Sir Galahad was later scuttled at sea to allow her to become a war grave. McGuinness may well have not been aboard Sir Gallahad when it was attacked by the enemy aircraft on 8th June 1982, as is documented in the photographs as having been ashore on active service in the Falklands during the advance on Port Stanley and would have fought in the Battle of Mount Tumbledown.

McGuinness saw service in Cyprus between 24th August and 28th September 1983, and went on to qualify as a Milan anti-tank missile instructor in February 1984, and passed for promotion to Sergeant in April 1985. This period was interspersed with periods of service in Germany, and he would return for a second tour of Northern Ireland between 27th February and 27th June 1986. Promoted to Sergeant, his last two years of service were spent as an instructor of Non-Commissioned Officers in the Household Division, and he was discharged on 3rd October 1989. Confirmed as his full entitlement.

Regiment: Welsh Guards