British Medal Group – General Service Medal (Northern Ireland), Gulf Medal 1991, Army Long Service & Good Conduct Medal – 24151354 Sgt. C. A. Bell, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers – With Saudi & Kuwaiti Liberation Medals
General Service Medal (1962) with clasp ‘NORTHERN IRELAND’ - 24151354 CFN C A BELL REME
Gulf Medal 1990–91 with clasp ‘16 Jan–28 Feb 1991’ - 24151354 SGT C A BELL REME
Army Long Service & Good Conduct Medal (EIIR) - 24151354 CPL C A BELL REME
Court mounted as worn. Comes with the Saudi Arabian and Kuwait Medals for the Liberation of Kuwait in their boxes.
A strong and highly desirable named group to a REME senior NCO who served in both Operation Banner and Operation GRANBY.
The REME played a crucial and often overlooked role during the First Gulf War, supporting the British Army’s armoured brigades deployed in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in 1990–1991. Operating in extreme desert conditions, REME personnel formed the backbone of the Army’s technical capability—working in Forward Repair Groups, Recovery Sections, and Light Aid Detachments (LADs) attached to Challenger tank regiments, Warrior battalion groups, artillery units and logistic formations.
Temperatures routinely exceeded 45°C, placing enormous strain on engines, transmissions, optics, weapon systems, and air filtration units. REME fitters, recovery mechanics, vehicle electricians and armourers worked around the clock to keep front-line vehicles operational. Their tasks included:
- Maintaining Challenger 1 tanks and Warrior IFVs during the advance into Kuwait
- Performing high-speed desertised repairs under blackout conditions
- Conducting battlefield recovery of immobilised armour, often under threat of artillery or air attack
- Rectifying sand-ingestion faults, overheating, barrel wear and electronic failures
- Supporting the vast logistic tail required for a mechanised force operating hundreds of miles from main workshops
During the 100-hour ground offensive, REME detachments moved with the combat units, ensuring that armour and mechanised infantry could maintain momentum across open desert. Many REME teams operated only minutes behind the leading battlegroups—recovering damaged vehicles, salvaging equipment, and returning vital assets to service so they could rejoin the advance.
Sergeant Bell’s entitlement to the Gulf Medal (with clasp), together with both Saudi and Kuwaiti Liberation Medals, confirms active participation in the liberation campaign proper rather than rear-area or post-war duties.
His LSGC marks a full period of exemplary service, entirely consistent with a REME SNCO whose technical expertise and reliability would have been relied upon during operations as demanding as Northern Ireland and the Gulf.
AJMS Medals