A scarce post-War ‘Civil Division’ O.B.E. group of six awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel T. Steers, Royal Engineers and General List, a Chartered Surveyor who was one of the last non-combatant troops to leave the Canal Zone in December 1957

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, General Service 1918-62, 3 clasps, Palestine 1945-48, Near East, Canal Zone, unofficial retaining rod between first and second clasps, the third clasp loose on riband as issued (Major T. Steers. R.E.), the first five mounted as worn, the last loose, gilding slightly rubbed on first, minor edge bruise to GSM, good very fine (6) £200-£240

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1958: Tom Steers, Esq., Senior Lands Officer, War Office.

Tom Steers was born on 22 November 1912 and was educated at Elland Grammar School, before becoming a Professional Associate of the Chartered Surveyors’ Institution in 1937. He originally attested for the Royal Artillery in the ranks with enlistment number 973987 in 1939 and then transferred to the Royal Engineers 25 January 1941, before undertaking officer training with the 142nd O.C.T.U., based in Aldershot, on 19 February 1941. Commissioned Second Lieutenant on 10 August 1941, he was demobilised with the rank of honorary Major on 1 October 1946.
Appointed on the staff of the Hirings Directorate, Middle East, as a Senior Valuation Officer, Steers was given a Senior Grade appointment in the War Department Lands Branch of the Civil Service and posted as Command land agent to Headquarters British Troops in Cairo, Egypt (B.T.E.), then transferred to Moarscar, near Ismallia. It was here he showed Andrew Nutting, Minister of State, around the new flats that had been built in the area.
Re-commissioned Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel on 28 January 1952, Steers was responsible for the rundown in Egypt under the 1954 Anglo-Egyptian Agreement: this involving the relinquishing of over 500 building hirings and over 600 land hirings; the hand-over of nearly 40 installations to the Egyptian and Suez Base contractors, including finding accommodation for contractors and their families; and the disposal of surplus army camos, the proceeds from which realised nearly a million pounds. Relinquished his commission on completion of service, he was re-granted the honorary rank of Major, before being re-commissioned Lieutenant on 6 November 1956 to command the Claims and Hirings contingent during the Anglo-French occupation of Port Said. Finally relinquished his commission on completion of service 31 December 1956 he was re-granted the honorary rank of Major.

Steers then remained in Egypt in a Civilian capacity as a Senior Lands Officer in the War Office, finally leaving Egypt on 21 December 1957, being granted a scarce O.B.E. from the War Office for this department. He died in Worthing, Sussex, on 11 October 1998.