Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for 1919, reverse additionally inscribed, ‘Maud Lilian Davys Jan. 1st 1919’, good very fine £80-100

O.B.E. London Gazette 8 January 1919. ‘Mrs Maud Lilian Davys, Laboratory Assistant, Kasauli, Punjab.’

Kaisar-i-Hind, 1st Class London Gazette 1 March 1929. ‘Maud Lilian, Mrs Davys, O.B.E., Assistant in the Military Food Laboratory, Kasauli.’

Maud Lilian Spencer was born on 1 November 1887, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel T. C. H. Spencer, of Beechview, Blackheath. Educated at London, Paris and Weimar. She married Lieutenant-Colonel Gerrard Irvine Davys. Prior to the war she served as an Assistant to the Brigade Laboratory, Jubbulpore and Assistant at the Quetta Malaria Investigation (both unpaid). Was awarded the O.B.E. for service as First Assistant at the Military Food Laboratory at Kasauli. Other wartime work included Assistant, Cholera Investigation, Kampti; Voluntary War Work in London; Clerk, with No. 2 Ambulance Train; Assistant, Brigade Laboratory, Jullundur. Latterly awarded the Kaisar-i-Hind 1st Class for her work as an Assistant in the Military Food Laboratory at Kasauli. With copied research.