Medals belonging to SAS hero sold for nearly £100,000

Medals belonging to a Special Air Service (SAS) soldier who took part in the 1980 storming of the Iranian embassy in London were auctioned for nearly £100,000 (€116,547).

Sergeant Tommy Palmer was awarded the Queen’s ­Gallantry Medal for his bravery in overcoming the terrorists who held 26 people captive for six days.

At one point in the operation Sgt Palmer’s machine gun jammed. When one of the hostage-takers shot at him and missed, the soldier chased him down and shot him with his handgun.

The medal and others awarded for the SAS hero’s service in Northern Ireland, Dhofar in Oman and the Falklands, went under the hammer for £98,750, including buyer’s premium.

The Bonhams sale in London also featured medals, logbooks and a damaged flying helmet belonging to a World War II pilot who twice survived being shot down.

The 10 medals awarded to Group Captain Arthur Donaldson, including the Distin-guished Service Order and Distinguished Flying Cross, sold for £29,375.

Group Capt Donaldson went on to train Spitfire pilots in a manoeuvre which saw them dive from 8,000 to 2,000 feet.

The sale raised a total of £300,145, a Bonhams official said.