Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An extremely rare post-war bomb & mine disposal B.E.M. group of six awarded to Petty Officer H. R. Cook, Royal Navy, who carried out ‘a very large amount of dangerous work’ while serving as Assistant Bomb & Mine Disposal Officer in Malta 1949-52

British Empire Medal, (Military) E.II.R. (P.O. Harold R. Cook, P/JX. 151734); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Bomb & Mine Clearance 1945-53 (P/JX. 151734 H. R. Cook, P.O., R.N.); Imperial Service Medal, E.II.R. (Harold Robert Cook), this last in its Royal Mint case of issue, good very fine and better (6)
£2200-2500

B.E.M. London Gazette 1 June 1953. The original recommendation states:

‘Cook was Assistant Bomb and Mine Disposal Officer from December 1949 to January 1952. During this period a very large amount of dangerous work was carried out and he invariably showed great devotion to duty.

This rating was employed with the Senior Commissioned Gunner (T.) over a period of two years in, at times, the dangerous and risky work of rendering all and every kind of bomb and mine safe. The Senior Commissioned Gunner was appointed M.B.E. on 1 January 1952 and Petty Officer Cook, who accompanied him on practically every operation that was so successfully carried out, is strongly recommended for his contribution to the success achieved.

Previously recommended.’

A related Admiralty notation states:

‘A similar recommendation for Petty Officer Cook at New Year 1953 was not supported by the Selection Committee on the grounds that his citation covered the period December 1949 to January 1952, when a special list for Bomb & Mine Disposal service was still in operation. The C.-in-C. Mediterranean has now investigated this matter and confirms that an earlier recommendation for Petty Officer Cook was overlooked and, in fact, should have been forwarded together with that for the Senior Commissioned Gunner, who was awarded the M.B.E. in the New Years Honours List 1952, and to whom Cook was Assistant. Further, a scrutiny of station records has confirmed that Cook assisted in practically every operation undertaken by the S.C.G., including a number which were of a very dangerous nature.

In view of the circumstances mentioned above, this recommendation is re-submitted for consideration as a special case, so that Petty Officer Cook’s courage and devotion to duty may not remain unrecognised through the combination of an administrative oversight and the closure of the special list.’

Harold Robert Cook was one of just 144 men to be awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp for ‘Bomb & Mine Clearance 1945-53’.

He was subsequently awarded the Imperial Service Medal in respect of his services as a Photoprinter at the Ministry of Defence (London Gazette 15 September 1981, refers).