Hammer

£1,200

Parachute Regiment Falklands War Attributed Combat Para Smock. An extremely rare attributed para smock worn by Sergeant Bob Hilton, during the Falklands War a young Squaddie serving with 2 Para at the Battle of Goose Green. The DPM Para smock is the pre 1984 pattern without field dressing pocket to the right arm. To the right sleeve is a Parachute qualification badge and blue cloth square DZ Patch. The smock is with some service wear, but remains in good condition ... Accompanied by Bob's Red Beret, with blackened cap badge, leather sweatband, heavy service wear ... Parachute Regiment waist belt with chrome buckle ... Two snap shot photographs showing him wearing the smock, one with Prince Charles ... Accompanied by a second post 1984 pattern smock worn by Sgt Hilton, this example with both British and Dutch parachute qualification wings ... Also a pair of DPM trousers. Overall GC some service wear. (7 items). A number of photographs and description of Sergeant Hilton's Falklands War Para Smock appears in the book "Denison" (A history of Airborne Smocks) by Bruce Wilson published by Mode Publishing 2013. it states "Bob wore this very garment during the Falklands conflict Bob literally left the training depot and found himself bound for the South Atlantic. He proudly guarded the smock throughout his career in the Regiment".
Sergeant Bob Hilton enlisted into the 2nd Bn Parachute Regiment at Brighton 3rd July 1981. Little did he know at the time, that within weeks of finishing and passing out with his Red Beret he would be boarding transport and embarking to war in the South Atlantic. He served throughout the campaign with 2 Para seeing action at the Battle of Goose Green, where the Commanding Officer Colonel H Jones Victoria Cross was killed in action. The Battalion later saw action on Wireless Ridge and along with 3 Para were the first to enter Port Stanley. Returning to the UK his service would see 7 Northern Ireland tours, his last being in 2003 and number serving with the Int Cell. In May 2000 he was deployed to Sierra Leone and served as a Section Commander, his main task to secure the Aberdeen Peninsular outside Freetown for the evacuation of foreign Nationals. Between August and October 2001 he served with the Int Cell during NATO operations in Macedonia and in February 2002 in the same role was deployed to Afghanistan serving with 16 Air Assault Brigade. Bob a war veteran himself understood the importance of tradition and sacrifice his Regiment had made in past conflicts and volunteered for commemoration Parachute jumps to mark the D-Day landings in 1992, 1993, 1994 and the Battle of Arnhem 1994 and 1997. He left the Regiment on the 11th July 2003.