Brunei Revolt and Borneo Indonesian Insurgency Operations and Regular Army long service group awarded to Corporal M. Pearson, Royal Signals, who was present during the Brunei operations which lasted from 8 to 23 December 1962, and then further saw service in Borneo during the Indonesian Insurgency in the period from 24 December 1962 through to 11 August 1966.
Group of 3: General Service Medal 1918-1962, EIIR Dei.Grat. bust, 1 Clasp: Brunei; (23673617 L/CPL M. PEARSON. R.SIGS.); Campaign Service Medal 1962, 1 Clasp: Borneo; (23673617 L/CPL. M. PEARSON. R.SIGS.); Regular Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, EIIR Dei.Grat. bust; (23673617 CPL M PEARSON R SIGNALS)
Condition: Good Very Fine.
Awarded to Lance Corporal later Corporal (No.23673617) M. Pearson, Royal Signals, who who was present during the Brunei operations which lasted from 8 to 23 December 1962, and then further saw service in Borneo during the Indonesian Insurgency in the period from 24 December 1962 through to 11 August 1966. Pearson was subsequently awarded the Regular Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
Approximately three-quarters of the island of Borneo formed part of the Republic of Indonesia, which had gained its independence from the Dutch in 1949, and the remaining quarter along the northern coast of the island was under British Colonial rule or protection. In the north east was the colony of North Borneo or Sabah, to the west lay the Sultanate of Brunei, and stretching along the remainder of the northern coast was the colony of Sarawak. It was the ambition of President Sokarno of Indonesia to create a Greater Indonesia which would include the whole of British North Borneo and the newly independent Malaya. He was opposed by Tunku Abdul Rahman, Prime Minister of Malaya, who in 1961 attempted to form a federation consisting of Malaya, Singapore, the North Borneo States, and the Sultanate of Brunei. It was in Brunei that Sokarno saw his opportunity to foment trouble, in December 1962. The so-called North Kalimantan National Army rose in revolt against the Sultan of Brunei who immediately requested help from the British Government. A force of British and Gurkha troops was despatched by air and sea from bases in Singapore. Some eight days later, 16th December, British Far Eastern Command stated that all major centres in Brunei were clear of rebel forces though it was not until May 1963 that the last remnants were eliminated.
