Private Stephen Illingsworth DCM

Private Steven Illingsworth served in 5 Platoon, B Company, 2 PARA during the Falklands Campaign.

As dawn broke on May 28th, B Company was pinned down on a forward slope by an Argentine position at Boca House – the same time that A Company was pinned down from Darwin Hill. Private Illingsworth reached safety but then returned to assist in dragging a wounded comrade, Private Hall, into dead ground.

As the Platoon began to run short of ammunition, Pte Illingsworth went forward into the enemy fire to attempt to retrieve ammunition left on the forward slope. As he crawled forward he was killed by small arms fire. He was 20 years old.

He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, his citation reading:

In these two acts of supreme courage Private Illingsworth showed a complete disregard for his own safety, and a total dedication to others. Whilst his action in coming to the help of a wounded soldier may have been almost instinctive on seeing the plight of a comrade, his move forward to collect much need ammunition for his beleaguered platoon was a display of coolly-calculated courage and heroism of the very highest order.

Pte Illingsworth DCM is buried at Aldershot Military Cemetery.

See account of Goose Green co-edited by Colonel David Benest