Special Forces medals belonging to a soldier who saw his military career began when he signed up to replace his worn-out shoes with army boots are being sold at auction in Lichfield.
The group of six medals to SAS trooper Roger Tattersall are expected to fetch £9,000 to £12,000 when they go under the hammer next month.
He was a member of the Canadian Guards, the Parachute Regiment, 22 SAS Regiment, Rhodesian SAS and South African Forces.
Professionally court mounted, the group includes:
- ERII Campaign Service Medal 3 bars, South Arabia, Radfan, Borneo, named to 23774107 Tpr R.B.C. Tattersall SAS
- Rhodesian Exemplary Service Medal with Rosette, named 724700 WO2 Tattersall R.B.C.
- Rhodesia General Service Medal, named 4700 A/Sgt RBC Tattersall
- Canadian Special Service Medal, NATO-OTAN Bar named, SB178954 GDSM R Tattersall
- Jasa-Malaysian General Service Medal (un-named as issued)
- Zimbabwe Independence medal, numbered on rim 08235.
Nick Thompson, militaria specialist at Richard Winterton Auctioneers, said:
“It is not often that Special Forces medal groups come to auction and we are especially proud to have been given the opportunity to bring this archive to the market.
“It represents the highest achievements of soldiering and bravery of a member of our elite Special Forces.”
Nick Thompson
Born in 1938, Roger emigrated to Canada in 1956 as a 17-year-old. It was there that he found himself stood outside an army recruiting office, encumbered by problems with the soles of his shoes.
In that moment he decided to enlist in the Canadian Guards.
Roger was deployed to West Germany in a NATO role with the Army of the Rhine, before returning to the UK where he joined the Parachute Regiment after a brief spell as an AA car mechanic.
He passed the SAS selection course in 1961, serving in locations such as Aden and Borneo, before moving to South Africa and joining the Rhodesian SAS.
When he left the forces, Roger and his family returned to the UK, where he embarked on a successful career in construction and engineering.
Roger died aged 82 in October 2020.
Alongside the medal group in the lot are Tattersall’s SAS and Parachute Regiment berets, his dress uniform belt and more than 20 photographs featuring him with comrades in places such as Aden, Radfan and Borneo.
It also includes regimental plaques and other personal items including cufflinks, tie pins, Paras metal insignia and two commemorative SAS medallions.
“The lot offers an insight to the varied theatres served by the forces of our nation and in particular the somewhat severe threats posed and dealt with by the SAS.
“We are honoured and delighted to be able to offer the second such group in just over a year.”
Nick Thompson
The medals will be sold on 6th September. For more details visit the Richard Winterton Auctioneers website.
