An incredible Mentioned in Despatches Malaya Medal to Cpl Chase KOYLI

GSM 1918-62 Malaya, correctly impressed, 19036490 Cpl. R. Chase. K.O.Y.L.I.

Condition NGVF

Court mounted for display.Sold with original MID citation.

Chase was mentioned in Despatches on the 4^th April 1950. The citation is as follows;

‘The action took place on the morning of 6^th January 1950. The patrol was ambushed by a gang of Chinese Terrorist of about 85 strong in the area of GIRO on the Thailand border. In the first ten minutes of the encounter the Platoon Commander and four men of the Patrol were either killed or wounded including Cpl Chase. The patrol by now was outnumbered 6 to 1. Cpl Chase although wounded reorganized the remaining men of the patrol into a compact fighting unit in spite of heavy opposition from the enemy. Two Bren Guns were keeping the Patrol pinned down making it impossible for them to move to a more suitable position.

Cpl Chase knowing this asked for one man to go with him so far to give him covering fire so that he could deal with the Bren Guns. The man to volunteer was Pte Birkett, they crawled to the right flank where another Bren Gun opened up killing Pte Brikett and wounding Cpl Chase again, he lay as though dead for about 10 minutes then crawled forward to a position where he threw four grenades onto the Bren Gun Positions , therefore wiping out the gun crews.

Cpl Chase was then seen to collapse, the terrorists came forward and clubbed him over the head with rifle butts then they threw him over the edge of a small ravine. When the Relieving Force arrived at the ambush (one line of the document of this text is indecipherable due to a tear in the original document) the body of Cpl Chase, but it had failed. The Relieving Force drove the Terrorists from their positions thus saving the remainder of the Patrol, and being able to recover the body of Cpl Chase whom they found to be alive, which was a miracle according to the men of the patrol  who saw what happened to Cpl Chase. Although seriously wounded Cpl Chase tried to refuse treatment until everything possible  had been done for his men. The patrol were inspired by the cool. Calm leadership of Cpl Chase, who by his magnificent courage saved the lives of his platoon Commander and six of his men. The total losses of the Patrol were five killed and seven wounded. The terrorists losses were fifteen killed and ten wounded of which Cpl Chase killed and wounded seven.

The name of Cpl Chase will go down in the History of the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry’