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Auction: 25001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 94

The outstanding campaign group of seven awarded to Corporal C. J. O'Dell, Special Air Service & Parachute Regiment

O'Dell served with the famed 11th Battalion at the Battle of Arnhem and was taken a Prisoner of War on 23 September 1944, when sharing in the fruitless task of relieving Frost's 2nd Battalion at Arnhem Bridge - he didn't go quietly, made good his escape but was re-captured by SS Troops in Holland with a hole in his leg; the gallant O'Dell subsequently saw further campaign service with the S.A.S.

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 3 clasps, Palestine 1945-48, Malaya, Cyprus (866848 Pte. C. J. O'Dell. A.A.C.), neat rods between clasps, mounted as worn, good very fine (7)

Charles John O'Dell was born on 2 July 1918 and was a joiner by trade upon his joining the East Surrey Regiment on 1 September 1938. He joined the Parachute Regiment and served with the 11th Battalion during the Battle of Arnhem. On 18 September 1944, the Battalion jumped under fire, onto DZ ‘Y’ at Ginkel Heath, in Holland, with the second lift at Arnhem during Operation Market-Garden. The 11th Battalion was fought to a stand-still suffering heavy casualties just over 1,000 metres short of relieving Frost’s 2nd Battalion at the Arnhem bridge, before falling back to the 1st Airborne Division perimeter at Oosterbeek.

The remnants of the 11th Parachute Battalion, along with those from the 1st and 3rd Parachute Battalion’s, and the 2nd Bn, The South Staffordshire Regiment, would be put under command of the 11th Battalion’s Second-in-Command, Major. Richard Thomas Henry Lonsdale, and become known as ‘Lonsdale Force’. They would hold their positions from the 20-25 September.

O'Dell himself was taken a Prisoner of War on 23 September 1944 and taken into captivity. He did his very best to make it back to allied lines:

'Escapes attempted: YES

From Holland but was retaken again, it was before I was registered. I was retaken in Holland. No I was not physically fit, I had a small hole in leg, was retaken by SS Troops.'

He spent time at Fallingbostoll and then at Salzitter Arb. Kdo. 7005 building camp from November 1944-April 1945.

Returned home, he saw further active campaign service in post-War Palestine with the 17th Parachute Battalion, Army Air Corps. He subqeuently transferred to the Special Air Service, with whom he appears to have served in Malaya & Cyprus. In the near future, when previously closed sources are opened to the public, may reveal that he was one of the original members of Brigadier ‘Mad’ Mike Calvert’s newly formed Malayan Scouts in 1950. O'Dell returned to Arnhem for the 50th Anniversary in 1994 and died at Colchester in July 2013; sold together with his Parachute Regiment beret.

Please see Lot 456 for his miniature dress medals.

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Estimate
£2,000 to £3,000

Starting price
£1600