Ian Bailey (British Army soldier)
Encyclopedia
Ian Philip Bailey MM
(born 1959) was a Corporal
in 4 Platoon, B Company, 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
who won the Military Medal
for bravery during the Falklands War
of 1982, one of only 12 awarded to the Parachute Regiment.
During the Battle of Mount Longdon
on 12 June 1982, 4 Platoon's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Bickerdyke, along with Sergeant Ian McKay, a signaller and several other paratroopers went forward to reconnoitre the enemy positions. During this action Bickerdyke and the signaller were wounded by a heavy machine-gun position, so McKay took over command of the platoon. He decided to turn his reconnaissance into an attack on the machine gun's position, which was seriously threatening any advance. He took Bailey, then aged 22, and three other men with him and they charged the position. Bailey and two other men were wounded, the third man being killed as they charged forward into the enemy fire.
McKay carried on the attack alone, attacking and destroying the heavy machine-gun with grenades. He was killed at the moment of victory, his body falling on to the ruined enemy bunker. He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross
for his bravery during the attack, which allowed the advance to continue. Corporal Bailey was awarded the Military Medal
.
Bailey later said of the attack on Mount Longdon
:
Bailey was shot three times during the assault and the final bullet and the last of the shrapnel were not removed from his hip until 2009, he having been unaware that it was still there. He was also shot in the neck and the bullet severed the cord holding his identity tags; they were found in 1983 during a de-mining operation.
When McKay was buried at Aldershot Military Cemetery
in 1982 Bailey was one of those who carried his coffin. Bailey later reached the rank of Warrant Officer Class I and was commissioned as a captain
in the Parachute Regiment on 6 April 2000. He retired from the army on 3 December 2002. He then worked in the security industry. In November 2009 it was reported in the British
media that he intended to sell his Military Medal group because he was unable to work following further surgery in 2009 to remove shrapnel from his hip left from his 1982 injuries. The medals sold at auction on 2 December 2009 to an anonymous British collector for a hammer price of £70,000, a record for a Military Medal.
Bailey's medals are: Military Medal
, E.II.R., 2nd issue (24438472 Cpl I P Bailey Para); General Service Medal
1962, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (24438472 L Cpl I P Bailey Para); South Atlantic Medal
1982, with rosette (24438472 Cpl I P Bailey Para); U.N. Cyprus Medal; N.A.T.O. Medal, clasp, Kosovo; Jubilee 2002 Medal; Regular Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
E.II.R. (24438472 S Sgt I P Bailey Para). His Military Medal is one of just 34 awarded for the campaign.
Ian Bailey lives in Ash Vale
in Surrey
with his wife and two children.
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
(born 1959) was a Corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
in 4 Platoon, B Company, 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
The 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment is a battalion sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16 Air Assault Brigade....
who won the Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
for bravery during the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
of 1982, one of only 12 awarded to the Parachute Regiment.
During the Battle of Mount Longdon
Battle of Mount Longdon
The Battle of Mount Longdon was an engagement of the Falklands War between British and Argentine forces, which took place on 11–12 June 1982, resulting in the British victory and their occupation of a key position around the besieged Argentine garrison....
on 12 June 1982, 4 Platoon's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Bickerdyke, along with Sergeant Ian McKay, a signaller and several other paratroopers went forward to reconnoitre the enemy positions. During this action Bickerdyke and the signaller were wounded by a heavy machine-gun position, so McKay took over command of the platoon. He decided to turn his reconnaissance into an attack on the machine gun's position, which was seriously threatening any advance. He took Bailey, then aged 22, and three other men with him and they charged the position. Bailey and two other men were wounded, the third man being killed as they charged forward into the enemy fire.
McKay carried on the attack alone, attacking and destroying the heavy machine-gun with grenades. He was killed at the moment of victory, his body falling on to the ruined enemy bunker. He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for his bravery during the attack, which allowed the advance to continue. Corporal Bailey was awarded the Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
.
Bailey later said of the attack on Mount Longdon
Mount Longdon
Mount Longdon is a mountain in the east of East Falkland in the Falkland Islands. It is best known as the site of the Battle of Mount Longdon, and overlooks Stanley, the islands' capital....
:
Bailey was shot three times during the assault and the final bullet and the last of the shrapnel were not removed from his hip until 2009, he having been unaware that it was still there. He was also shot in the neck and the bullet severed the cord holding his identity tags; they were found in 1983 during a de-mining operation.
When McKay was buried at Aldershot Military Cemetery
Aldershot Military Cemetery
Aldershot Military Cemetery, is a burial ground for military personnel, or ex-military personnel. It is located in Aldershot Military Town, Hampshire...
in 1982 Bailey was one of those who carried his coffin. Bailey later reached the rank of Warrant Officer Class I and was commissioned as a captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in the Parachute Regiment on 6 April 2000. He retired from the army on 3 December 2002. He then worked in the security industry. In November 2009 it was reported in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
media that he intended to sell his Military Medal group because he was unable to work following further surgery in 2009 to remove shrapnel from his hip left from his 1982 injuries. The medals sold at auction on 2 December 2009 to an anonymous British collector for a hammer price of £70,000, a record for a Military Medal.
Bailey's medals are: Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
, E.II.R., 2nd issue (24438472 Cpl I P Bailey Para); General Service Medal
General Service Medal (1962)
The General Service Medal , was introduced in 1962 to combine the General Service Medal , as awarded to the Army and RAF, and the Naval General Service Medal...
1962, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (24438472 L Cpl I P Bailey Para); South Atlantic Medal
South Atlantic Medal
The South Atlantic Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to British military personnel and civilians for service in the Falklands War of 1982, between the United Kingdom and Argentina; 29,700 were issued...
1982, with rosette (24438472 Cpl I P Bailey Para); U.N. Cyprus Medal; N.A.T.O. Medal, clasp, Kosovo; Jubilee 2002 Medal; Regular Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
The Long Service & Good Conduct Medal is a medal awarded by the British Government to members of the British Armed Forces who have completed 15 years of reckonable service.-British Army:...
E.II.R. (24438472 S Sgt I P Bailey Para). His Military Medal is one of just 34 awarded for the campaign.
Ian Bailey lives in Ash Vale
Ash Vale
Ash Vale is a village in the borough of Guildford in Surrey, England. It is 7 miles from Guildford but is closer to the Hampshire towns of Aldershot and Farnborough, which are each about two miles away, immediately across the Blackwater River....
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
with his wife and two children.
External links
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8389586.stm'Soldier sells medal to fund care' BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
1 December 2009] - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1232795/Falklands-hero-forced-sell-bravery-medal-recordbreaking-84k-operation-remove-27-year-old-bullet-hip-left-jobless.html'Falklands hero forced to sell medal for £84k after operation to remove 27-year-old bullet from hip left him jobless' Daily MailDaily MailThe Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
3 December 2009]