General Service Medal 1918-62 with clasp 'Malaya'
We know very little about this man. It is most likely that he served in the Army as a National Serviceman. This was the name given to men conscripted into the Army between 1947 and 1960.
Men were eligible to be conscripted once they reached 18 years of age. William was given the service number 22466310, which suggests he was conscripted in around February 1951.
National Service lasted for 2 years, and after training William was assigned to the 1st Battalion of the Manchester Regiment. The 1st Battalion arrived in Malaya to fight Communist Insurgents in July 1951. William will have taken part in patrols of the jungle to try and restrict the movements of the Insurgents and disrupt their activities. We don't know his exact job, although he is possibly the Private Garner who served in the Signal Section.
After 2 years National Servicemen were released from the Regular Army. They were able to find a civilian job and home, but were required to serve in a Territorial Army unit for the next 3 1/2 years. It is likely that William joined a Territorial unit of the Manchester Regiment.
We don't know anything about the rest of William's life. His medal was donated to the Museum of the Manchester Regiment in around 2001.
