Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Knight’s Bachelor, C.I.E., O.B.E. group of fourteen awarded to Colonel Sir Ralf Billing Emerson, Royal Engineers

Knight Bachelor’s Badge, 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, hallmarks for London 1955, enamel damage; The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, C.I.E., Companion’s 3rd type neck badge, gold and enamel; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd issue, silver-gilt; Order of St. John, breast badge, silver and enamel; British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut.); India General Service 1908-35, 2 clasps, Waziristan 1919-21, Waziristan 1921-24 (Lt., R.E.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Kurdistan (Lieut.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf; Coronation 1937, these unnamed; together with an Institute of Civil Engineers George Stephenson Medal, (Colonel Sir Ralf Emerson, C.I.E., O.B.E., M.I.C.E.) 48mm., silver-gilt and a Royal Visit to Nigeria 1956, Medallion, 38mm., bronze, unnamed, generally good very fine except where stated (17) £1500-1800

Knighthood London Gazette 13 July 1956. ‘Colonel Ralf Billing Emerson, C.I.E., O.B.E., Chairman Nigerian Railway Corporation.’

C.I.E. London Gazette 1 January 1946. ‘Lieutenant-Colonel Ralf Billing Emerson, O.B.E., Royal Engineers, General Manager, Great Indian Peninsular Railway, Bombay.’

O.B.E. London Gazette 14 October 1943. Colonel (temporary) Ralf Billing Emerson (15262) Corps of Royal Engineers.’

Order of St. John London Gazette 22 June 1945. ‘Lieut.-Colonel Ralf Billing Emerson, C.I.E., R.E.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 23 March 1944. ‘Col. (temp.) R. B. Emerson, O.B.E. (15262) [Corps of Royal Engineers].’

Ralf Billing Emerson was born in Oulton, Suffolk on 3 July 1897. Educated privately and at Bradfield College, he joined the Royal Flying Corps as an Air Mechanic 2nd Class in 1915 and served in France in March 1916-1917. He was then posted to the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and in 1918 he received a commission in the Royal Engineers. He then served in North Russia for a year. In 1920 he was posted to India where he joined the 2nd (Q.V.O.) Madras Sappers and Miners, took part in operations in Kurdistan in 1923 and was mentioned in despatches. After a period of training at Chatham and further studying at Cambridge University, he returned to India in 1926 when he joined the Great Indian Peninsular Railway, becoming General Manager in 1939.

During the Second World War he became G.S.O.1 with the Directorate of Movements and Transportation in the United Kingdom, Middle East, Sicily and Italy. For his wartime services he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the O.B.E. In 1944 he was released to resume his work as General Manager of the G.I.P. Railway and two years later was appointed Chief Commissioner of Railways to the Indian Government. In 1946 he was awarded the C.I.E. for his services as General Manager of the G.I.P. Railway. In 1953 he was appointed Chairman Designate and General Manager to the Nigerian Railways, being appointed to that roll in 1955 and Knighted for his services in 1956. Sir Ralf remained in office until 1960. He was elected a Member of the Institute of Transport in 1956; was awarded the George Stephenson Medal in 1960 and was made a Companion of the Order of the Federation of Nigeria (not with lot) in 1964. Latterly living at Norton, Hill Street, Hastings, Colonel Sir Ralf Emerson died on 30 January 1965.

With a quantity of copied research and a C.D., including: copied gazette and census extracts; O.B.E. recommendations; m.i.c., probate entry and photographs. Also with R.E. cap badge.