Description
General Service Medal 1962-2007, bar Northern Ireland, 2490554 Private J.R. Anderson, Para, The Parachute Regiment aka the Paras.
Officially impressed: “2490554 Pte J.R. Anderson. Para.”
Mounted as worn with brooch pin.
Service number would date his enlistment circa 1989-1991.
The Parachute Regiment was deployed regularly to Northern Ireland during “The Troubles”, all 3 Parachute Battalions seeing nearly 14 tours each between 1964-2005.
It is unclear when he served, but Pte Anderson’s enlistment would coincide with the 1992 Tour in County Tyrone during which tour the “1992 Coalisland Riots” took place by 3rd Bn Parachute Regiment.
At the time following an IRA IED Bomb attack on a British Army foot patrol on 12th May 1992, a Para lost his legs in the attack, which prompted a rampage by members of the Parachute Regiment in the nearby and overwhelmingly Irish Nationalist town of Coalisland in County Tyrone.
The Paras had been deployed back in April 1992, the deployment being extremely controversial and led to many riots in the area, including some locals challenging the KOSB who also patrolled the area with 3 Para to a fist fight resulting in a stolen Light Machine Gun.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Coalisland_riots
Photos from the Northern Irish Tour That Led Up to 1992’s Coalisland Riots
