Military Cross group mounted as worn - MC EiiR dated 2008 (2...

Estimate

£10,000 - £12,000

Military Cross group mounted as worn - MC EiiR dated 2008 (25218279 Pte A S Holmes, Mercian), Operational Service Medal 2000 with Afghanistan clasp (25218279 Pte A S Holmes WFR), Diamond Jubilee Medal 2012 unnamed as issued, and NATO Service Medal with ISAF clasp unnamed as issued. MC L/G 7th March 2008. Pte Aaron Stuart Holmes 2nd Bn Mercian Regt. With extracts from a newspaper interview, report as follows 'He had walked into an enemy ambush and was trapped in a ditch under fire from the Taliban. His comrade had been shot, but Pte Aaron Holmes managed to stay calm and rescue his dead friend. This remarkable act of bravery yesterday earned 19 year old Pte Holmes of Stourport, the MC. Here he describes the moment he was surrounded by Taliban fighters, with a gun which had stopped working and no ammunition. "We walked into an ambush, it started in the morning when we were taking a compound, it was an enemy ambush, everyone ran for cover. There was me, Guardsman Daryl Hickey and Cpl Buzzard. We got stuck in a ditch together but the rest of the section made it into the compound still taking incoming enemy fire. Then Hickey got shot, he was behind me, Buzzard managed to get round the back on the compound, then my light machine gun gave up so I crawled forwards to get a rifle which another soldier had dropped. Then I ran out of ammo so I called back to Hickey who was dead by then. I grabbed him and fired at the Taliban, I got him into the stream and got him out" after this Pte Holmes went back to the compound where his friend had just been shot to continue fighting'. Lot also includes a Citation presented to Holmes by the Citizens of the Counties of the West Midlands on Trafalgar Day 21st October 2008 for outstanding service to his country. Pte Holmes served 25/1/2006 till 30/6/2014. Lot includes colour photo of Pte Holmes meeting the Queen on awards day. With original booklet and CD 'The Investitures, Path of Honour'. Superb lot. (4)