NAM.1989-08-72-1

‘WOII TSM. L.Smith B Battery 1st. Regt Royal Horse Artillery Reception Pte Curley WRAC Sgt. R.D.Holmes “Grand Central Hotel”. Royal Avenue. Belfast. NI.’, 14 April 1974. Carbon with red crayon, signed lower right and dated lower left, by Ralph Lillford, 1974. Associated with Northern Ireland (1969-2007). Private Curley sits at the hotel reception desk, flanked by two NCOs of the Royal Horse Artillery, Troop Sergeant-Major (TSM) Smith and Sergeant Holmes. Ready for duty, she wears the M1952 flak jacket with the British first pattern protective cover into which she has tucked her anti-riot baton. On the wall behind hang a further three batons, as well as a pistolholster and webbing. Notwithstanding the artist’s inscription, the red neck-cloth and peaked cap could indicate that she is a military policewoman. If so, she would have been at least a lance-corporal, the lowest rank in the Corps of Royal Military Police.

BANNER, Operation, 1969-2007 (Northern Ireland deployment 1969-2007)