Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Civil B.E.M. group of seven awarded to Warrant Officer Class 2 William Head, Intelligence Corps, late King’s (Liverpool) Regiment

British Empire Medal, (Civil) E.II.R. (William Head), in Royal Mint case of issue, in card box of issue; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf, these unnamed; Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (3769892 W.O. Cl. 2, Int. Corps); U.N. Korea 1950-54, unnamed, mounted as worn; together with a mounted set of seven miniature dress medals, very fine and better, scarce (lot) £750-850

B.E.M. London Gazette 1 January 1973. ‘Lately Chief Paper Keeper, Department of Health and Social Security’.

M.I.D. London Gazette 4 April 1946.

William Head was born on 25 September 1910. He enlisted in to the King’s Regiment at Seaforth, Lancashire, on 5 April 1934. With the regiment he served in Gibraltar, March 1938-October 1941, and North West Europe, 5 June 1944-23 December 1947, ranked as a Warrant Officer since January 1940. For his wartime services he was mentioned in despatches. Head transferred to the Intelligence Corps in June 1948, and again ranked as a Warrant Officer Class 2, served in Austria, July 1948-March 1950; the Far East, October-December 1952; Korea, 8 December 1952-15 December 1953, and the Middle East, December 1953-March 1955. Warrant Officer Class 2 William Head was discharged on 4 April 1956 upon the termination of his period of engagement. In civilian life, Head, latterly of South Shore, Blackpool, was employed by the Ministry of Health and Social Security at Norcross where he was Chief Paper Keeper. Serving for some 16 years with the Ministry, he was awarded the B.E.M. (Civil) in the 1973 New Years Honours.

Sold with Regular Army Certificate of Service; British Military Identity Document, dated October 1948 - with photograph, and stamped, ‘91 Field Security Section Intelligence Corps’; Warrant (2) appointing Head a Warrant Officer in the King’s Regiment, 30 January 1940; another, appointing him a Warrant Officer in the Intelligence Corps, dated 7 April 1954; M.I.D. Certificate; letters (4) relating to the award of the B.E.M.; Buckingham Palace slip re. the award of the B.E.M.; newspaper cutting re. the award; photograph of the recipient being presented with the B.E.M.; Intelligence Corps Comrades Association Membership Card; Intelligence Corps cap badge, blazer badge, embroidered sampler; York and Lancaster Regiment Badge, pin-backed; other cloth badges (2).