WW2 and Territorial Efficiency Medal Group of Six – Gnr. J.R.G. Wilson, 60th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 60 Column, Special Forces (Chindits)

A second world war medal group of six to 773087 Gunner John Robert George Wilson, 60th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, 60 Column, Special Forces (Chindits). 

1939-45 Star unnamed as issued 
Africa Star unnamed as issued 
Burma Star unnamed as issued 
WW2 Defence Medal unnamed as issued 
War Medal 1939-45 unnamed as issued 
George VI Territorial Efficiency Medal (with Bar) named to 773087 Gnr. J.R.G. Wilson. R.A. 

The medals are in good condition and are mounted for display. 

John Robert George Wilson was born on 23/04/1908 in Grimsby, Lincolnshire. He enlisted in the local 60th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, Territorial Army in 1926. The 239th Battery was based at Grimsby and the 237th Battery at Lincoln. “The Lincolnshire Gunners” left for France as part of the BEF on 01/01/1940 and moved into Belgium on 10/05/1940 when the Germans invaded. They fought at the Ypres-Comines Canal and at Nieuport but were later force to destroy their guns and retreat to Dunkirk for evacuation to England. 

In January 1941 the regiment left for the Middle East. They fought in Iraq with Habforce in the relief of the besieged RAF base at Habbaniya and then took part in the invasion of Syria and bombarded the Vichy French Fort at Palmyra into surrender. A cease-fire was agreed a week later. 

The 60th Field Regiment returned to Egypt in September 1941. Re-equipped with 25-pounder guns, they were now part of the 7th Support Group of the 7th Armoured Division of the 8th Army, the famous ‘Desert Rats’. In November 1941, the regiment crossed into Libya to take part in “Operation Crusader”. This led to the battle against the German Panzer tanks at Sidi Rezgh, with the 60th Field Regiment at the forefront. The Grimsby battery fared particularly badly. Many of their men were killed, wounded or taken prisoner and almost all of their guns were put out of action before they withdrew. In the end, Operation Crusader fizzled out. The 60th Field Regiment returned to Egypt the Syria to re-form. 

With the Japanese invasion of Burma, the Regiment was posted to Calcutta. A second Chindit expedition into the jungles of Burma was being planned and the 60th Field Regiment had to give up their 25-pounders and start learning to be guerrillas. The 60th Field Regiment became numbers 60 and 88 columns in the 23rd Brigade, one of Major-General Orde Wingate’s six new Chindit brigades and on the 22/04/1944, the 60th Field Regiment’s columns went into action. they climbed up and down the mountains of the Naga hills, deep behind the enemy lines and established a “stronghold” (which they called “Grimsby”) from which platoons were sent on 5 day trips looking for Japanese in the area. The two columns spent six weeks at “Grimsby” but didn’t come across many Japanese. They returned to Imphal on 25/07/1944. They were repatriated to the UK in November 1944. 

After Christmas leave the men were told that the 60th Fiield Regiment was now in a state of “Suspended Animation” and most of the men were posted to other units in the UK. 

John Wilson returned to life in Grimsby and died there, aged 91 in May 1999. 

Comes with research. 

Regiment: Royal Artillery

Era: WW2