Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Pioneer E. F. Metcalfe, Royal Engineers, late King’s Royal Rifle Corps, who was awarded the Medal of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for his services as a Chemist in the Experimental Company, Special Brigade, R.E. at Porton Down Experimental Station

British War and Victory Medals (225003 Pnr. E. F. Metcalfe, R.E.), together with Halifax Council Secondary School sporting prize medals 1911-13 (5), bronze, all named, and his identity discs, generally very fine or better (9) £200-250

Medal of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire London Gazette 7 July 1920:

‘For conspicuous courage in connection with very dangerous experimental work in a poisonous atmosphere, often causing great physical discomfort, and ill-health.’

Edward Francis “Frank” Metcalfe was born in Everton, Lancashire and enlisted in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps in London in May 1916, aged 18 years. His pre-war occupation was as a chemist. Posted to the 6th Battalion, part of the Thames and Medway Garrison, he transferred to the Royal Army Medical Corps in August 1916, on account of poor health and eyesight. However, a few weeks later, he returned to duty with the 6th K.R.R.C.

In May 1917, he transferred to ‘A’ Company, Special Brigade, Royal Engineers, and embarked for France, in which capacity it seems likely he was employed in countering the effects of enemy gas attacks. Certainly he was posted to the Experimental Company at Porton Down Experimental Station in Wiltshire on returning to the U.K., where he gained a specialist military qualification as a skilled chemist. Here, as cited above, he won his Medal of the Order of the British Empire for his ‘conspicuous courage in connection with very dangerous experimental work in a poisonous atmosphere, often causing great physical discomfort, and ill-health.’

As verified by pension records, he was classed as 30% disabled with chronic bronchitis on being discharged in 1919: a likely indication of him having been employed in testing gas masks; sold with copied research.