Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Great War M.C. group of six awarded to Lieutenant B. L. Barnett, Royal Engineers, who was afterwards created K.B.E. and C.B. for his services as Deputy Director-General of the G.P.O.

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut.); Defence and War Medals; Coronation 1953, good very fine or better (6) £600-800

M.C. London Gazette 16 September 1918:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During seven days’ hard fighting this officer, who was signalling officer to the Brigade, was continually under heavy fire, superintending the laying and repairing of lines, and on one occasion, when the battalions were in the front line, it was owing to his devotion to duty that the Brigade seldom lost communication with them. The buried cable was cut by shell fire, and he at once went out and repaired several breaks, which he located on an area exposed to the very heaviest fire and to reach which he had to traverse a barrage of intense description. His gallantry and disregard of danger were conspicuous.’

Banney Lewis “Ben” Barnett was born in July 1894 and was educated at Christ’s Hospital and Trinity College Cambridge. Commissioned into the Royal Engineers (T.F.), he was advanced to Lieutenant in June 1916 and served in France and Belgium between February 1917 and November 1918, winning the M.C. and a mention in despatches (London Gazette 14 December 1917 refers).

In 1920 he entered the G.P.O., gaining appointment as a Principal in 1930 and as a Telecoms Controller in Scotland in 1935, while during the Second World War he served as an Assistant Secretary at G.P.O. (H.Q.) and latterly as a Regional Director in the Home Counties Region. Then, after brief service as a Director of Inland Telecommunications, he was appointed Deputy Director-General of the G.P.O., which office he occupied until 1956, a period that witnessed him being created a C.B. in 1948 and a K.B.E. in 1952. Sir Ben, who was also a recipient of the O. St. J., died in November 1979.