A scarce Sir Galahad Casualty South Atlantic Medal awarded to Lance Corporal D. A. Padgett,...

A scarce Sir Galahad Casualty South Atlantic Medal awarded to Lance Corporal D. A. Padgett, Royal Army Medical Corps South Atlantic 1982, with rosette (24417860 LCpl D A Padgett RAMC) extremely fine £1,200-£1,600 --- Doug A. Padgett served with the 16th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps during the Falklands War, and was waiting to be disembarked from Sir Galahad when it was bombed and set on fire by enemy aircraft on 8 June 1982. The Attack on Sir Galahad ‘I served as a Combat Medical Technician with 55 Field Surgical Team attached to 2 Field Hospital serving in the Falklands. I was at Port Stanley and moved to Fitzroy on Sir Galahad where we were bombed. I was on the tank deck awaiting disembarkation when the air strike happened and the bomb went off behind me and to my left. I was sitting on the front bumper of a Landover which shielded me from most of the blast. I just received flash burns on my left hand. At first I was confused and disoriented and angry that the ship had turned off its lights (as I thought at the time). Actually the bomb had exploded and filled the tank deck with smoke. As reality crept in I understood that we had been hit. It was then I realised that I had to act and do my job as a medic. As the smoke started to clear I could see people running round, confused, hurt, screaming and shouting. I gathered to me what medics were available and proceeded to work on the wounded. It was obvious that the fire was spreading and in the centre of the tank deck was a pile of munitions waiting to be disembarked. Basically a giant bomb waiting to explode! The exits to the rear were out of action so we had to move forward with our casualties. Whilst finding access to the boat deck along the bulkhead there was a guy very badly injured. He was disembowelled; one leg was off above the knee, the other missing below the knee. He was waving his arms and asking for help. I knew there was nothing I could do for him so I had to make a decision and I left him. I just walked past him with my casualty. I’ve felt guilt and regret for ever since that I didn’t even say anything to him. I came to the bottom of a stairwell and I saw two young Welsh Guardsmen. They obviously didn’t think they were going to make it out. They shook each others hands, pointed their rifles to each others head and pulled their triggers. There was nothing I could have done to stop them. It was their decision. When I thought back about this incident I just felt so disgusted with myself that I’d felt no sympathy, remorse or other emotion and they killed each other in front of my eyes. Eventually we gained access to the boat decks and continued performing our job. I was casevaced ashore and re-kitted. I was treated, then sent back to Fitzroy to work with the surgical team where I performed triage duties. I spent the rest of the Falklands war working with that unit.’ (the recipient’s own account, published in After the Falklands refers). Padgett retired from the Army in 1989. Sergeant Naya, Royal Army Medical Corps, serving alongside Padgett on the Sir Galahad, was awarded the Military Medal for this action.