Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An impressive O.B.E. group of eleven awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Oram, Royal Engineers, late 21st Battalion, London Regiment

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; 1914-15 Star (2896 Pte. R. B. Oram, 21-Lond. R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D oak leaf (2896 Pte. R. B. Oram, 21-Lond. R.); 1939-45 Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf; Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R. (654029 Pte. - A.C.Q.M. Sjt. R. B. Oram, 21/Lond. R.); Efficiency Decoration, E.II.R., Army Emergency Reserve, with Bar, the reverse officially dated ‘1953’; Serbia, Oblitch Bravery Medal, silver, generally very fine and better (11) £800-1000

O.B.E. London Gazette 21 December 1944.

Robert Bruce Oram, a native of Barnet, enlisted in the 21st Battalion, London Regiment (1st Surrey Rifles) in September 1914, and first went out to France in March 1915. Subsequently gaining advancement to Acting Company Quarter-Master Sergeant, he was awarded the M.S.M. (London Gazette 3 June 1919 refers), in addition to the Serbian Oblitch Bravery Medal, in silver, the latter, however, for services in the ‘Labour Corps, late 33rd (Works) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment’ (London Gazette 20 September 1919, refers). He was also the recipient of a Silver War Badge, having been discharged due to wounds in May 1919 but his Great War M.I.D. remains unverified.

Returning to uniform in the 1939-45 War, when he was commissioned in the Royal Engineers, Oram was awarded the O.B.E. in addition to being mentioned in despatches for his services as a Lieutenant-Colonel in Italy (London Gazette 23 May 1946, refers).

Military service aside, he was employed by the Port of London Authority from 1912, and was appointed Superintendent of the Surrey Commercial Docks in 1954. Oram died in September 1981.