Description
General Service Medal 1962, bar Borneo, RM19887 Marine C.J. Vass, Royal Marines, a Commando who served in the Borneo Jungles, confirmed on roll.
Officially impressed: “RM. 19887 C.J. Vass. Mne. R.M.”
Excellent condition.
Vass would have served in either 40 or 42 Commando during the campaign.
The Royal Marine Commandos were deployed to Borneo between 1962 and 1966 during the “Indonesian Confrontation”.
The most famous of their operations was the “Raid on Limbang” where 1 Company of the L Company, 42 Commando under command of Captain, later Major General Sir John Jeremy Moore KCB OBE MC & Bar, where following a stealthy amphibious assault took on a force of upwards of 300 soldiers rescuing the hostages being held by the TNKU.
RoyalMarinesHistory.com has a number of interesting articles regarding the services of the Royal Marines during the war in Borneo.
https://www.royalmarineshistory.com/dits-royal-marines-history-blog/categories/borneo
They note the following services:
40 Commando Royal Marines served in
December 1962 – 5th Division of Sarawak
December 1962 – January 1963 – 1st Division Sarawak
March 1963 to July 1963 – 1st Division Sarawak
October 1963 to February 1964 – 1st Division Sarawak
July 1964 to December 1964 – Sabah North Borneo
July 1965 to November 1965 – 1st Division Sarawak
May 1966 to September 1966 – 2nd Division Sarawak
42 Commando Royal Marines served in:
December 1962 – April 1963 – 5th Division of Sarawak
July 1963 – Oct 1963 – 1st Division of Sarawak
February 1964 – June 1964 – 1st Division of Sarawak
December 1964 – May 1965 – Sabah North Borneo
December 1965 – May 1966 – 1st Division of Sarawak
