{"product_id":"single-ww2-italy-star-awarded-to-b-o-killian-south-african","title":"WW2 single medal - Italy Star - awarded to B.O.KILLIAN - South African","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReference: MM-MED-0007\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003eYou are looking at a single WW2 Italy Star inscribed ‘282945 B.O. KILIAN.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003eFrom the naming on this medal, it appears that it was awarded to a South African soldier, but unfortunately, the recipient has not been identified within the available records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003eSouth African service numbers were allocated in blocks, and 282945 is within the block 279462 to 284461, and this block was allocated to the ‘Youth Training Brigade’.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; background: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: #001d35; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003eThe ‘Youth Training Brigade’ was officially under the control of the ‘Special Service Battalion’ or SSB, who were raised in 1939 and were responsible for providing basic military training to younger soldiers, in particular those under the age of eighteen years, preparing them for adult service with other units or regiments deployed or ready to be deployed overseas. The SSB went on to see active service itself, in 1941, during the East and North Africa campaigns, and in 1943 they became part of the 11th South African Armoured Brigade, serving in Italy with the 6\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e South African Armoured Division. \u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003eWithin the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records, the following South African servicemen have been identified from their service numbers, that all start with 282, as follows:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoListParagraph\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -18.0pt; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;\"\u003e\u003c!-- [if !supportLists]--\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-list: Ignore;\"\u003e·\u003cspan style=\"font: 7.0pt 'Times New Roman';\"\u003e      \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c!--[endif]--\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e282100 Private C J F WOLFAARDT of the Royal Natal Carbineers – died 10\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e October 1944 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -18.0pt; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;\"\u003e\u003c!-- [if !supportLists]--\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-list: Ignore;\"\u003e·\u003cspan style=\"font: 7.0pt 'Times New Roman';\"\u003e      \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c!--[endif]--\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e282121 Private J W VAN DER WESTHUIZEN of the Royal Natal Carbineers – died 17\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e October 1944 aged 18 years \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -18.0pt; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;\"\u003e\u003c!-- [if !supportLists]--\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-list: Ignore;\"\u003e·\u003cspan style=\"font: 7.0pt 'Times New Roman';\"\u003e      \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c!--[endif]--\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e282152 Private D A VAN ZYLL of the First City \/ Cape Town Highlanders - died 16\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e April 1945 aged 21 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoListParagraph\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -18.0pt; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;\"\u003e\u003c!-- [if !supportLists]--\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-list: Ignore;\"\u003e·\u003cspan style=\"font: 7.0pt 'Times New Roman';\"\u003e      \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c!--[endif]--\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e282707 Private L T WALLACE of the First City \/ Cape Town Highlanders - died 16\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e April 1945 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoListParagraph\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -18.0pt; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;\"\u003e\u003c!-- [if !supportLists]--\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-list: Ignore;\"\u003e·\u003cspan style=\"font: 7.0pt 'Times New Roman';\"\u003e      \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c!--[endif]--\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e282978 Private C J S VAN DER MERWE of the Witwatersrand Rifles \/ Regiment de la Rey – died 5\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e of January 1945 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003eAlthough not confirmed, it is likely these men were all originally members of the ‘Youth Training Brigade’ and transferred to other regiments when they had reached an age in which they were considered eligible for service overseas, and as you can see, one soldier, Private VAN DER WESTHUISEN, was only 18 years old when he was killed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003eAll of these men are commemorated at the \u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eCastiglione South African Cemetery in Italy, and this may be an indication that B.O.KILIAN was also serving in or around the same area where these soldiers were when they died.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; background: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #001d35; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003eSELLER NOTE 1 = Supporting documentation obtained and \/ or created during my research into this medal will be provided.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003eSELLER NOTE 2 = This medal is not in mint condition as you can see from the photographs provided. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: normal;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003ePostage\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003ePostage within the United Kingdom is \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003e£4.85\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e via Royal Mail Tracked 48 with signature.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eInternational postage is charged at a \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003eflat rate of £14.95\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e using a tracked service. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eIf the actual postage cost within the UK or to the destination country is lower than the amount charged, \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003eany overpayment will be refunded after dispatch\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Maddox Medals \u0026 Militaria ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54057842016602,"sku":null,"price":15.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1013\/7180\/6042\/files\/IMG_09082.jpg?v=1777020502","url":"https:\/\/maddoxmedals.co.uk\/products\/single-ww2-italy-star-awarded-to-b-o-killian-south-african","provider":"Maddox Medals \u0026 Militaria ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}