Auction Catalogue

26 & 27 September 2018

Starting at 11:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 144

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26 September 2018

Hammer Price:
£500

A Second World War ‘London Blitz’ B.E.M. group of three awarded to Warden A. D. Falk, Civil Defence Wardens Service, Kensington, originally recommended for the George Medal for helping in the rescue of a trapped man from a building badly damaged by a bomb at night in May 1941

British Empire Medal (Civil) G.VI.R., 1st issue (Alan David Falk); Defence and War Medals, unnamed as issued, nearly extremely fine (3) £600-700

B.E.M. London Gazette 3 October 1941: Alan David Falk, Civil Defence Wardens Service, Kensington; jointly with William Albert Honour, Superintendent (O.B.E), John Cyprian Nightingale, Station Inspector (B.E.M.), and Wyndham Vavasor Watkins, Police Constable (B.E.M.), all of “B” Division, Metropolitan Police.

‘A bomb caused damage to a property and fires started. A man was trapped under debris on the second floor of a building, the roof and top floor of which had fallen in. The outer wall had been blown out and a remaining wall was likely to collapse. In addition, a fire was raging in the adjoining house and another at premises opposite.

Superintendent Honour, with Nightingale, Watkins and Falk, reached the second floor and found the victim lying on a bed covered with plaster and other debris from the floors above.

The heat from the fires increased but the four men began to remove the debris with their hands. Great care was necessary to ensure that no undue vibration was caused.

After a time the man was partially uncovered but he was still pinned down by a broken joist which had fallen across the upper part of his body. The removal of this joist was attended by considerable danger as any movement was likely to cause a further collapse of the wall.

Great gallantry was shown by the rescuers and after they had worked for an hour the trapped man was released without having suffered any serious injury.’

This incident took place during a heavy enemy air raid at about 3 a.m. on the night of 10/11 May 1941, when three H.E. bombs fell in Basil Street, near Harrods. Air Raid Warden Falk was the first to arrive at the scene and was originally recommended for the George Medal. Sold with full Case reports of the incident, including statements from Falk and the others.

Falk subsequently served with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.

The group is sold with a miniature B.E.M., Falk’s A.R.P. whistle, A.R.P. badge and three buttons.