Auction Catalogue

26 & 27 September 2018

Starting at 11:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 147

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26 September 2018

Hammer Price:
£240

A scarce ‘Korea’ B.E.M. to Warrant Officer II L. A. Whitehead, Royal Artillery
British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 2nd issue (22514142 W/O. Cl.2 Leslie A. Whitehead. R.A.) officially renamed, good very fine and scarce to the unit for the Korean War £180-220

B.E.M. London Gazette 29 April 1952:
‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Korea during the period 1st July to 31st December, 1951.’

The original Recommendation, dated 27 September 1951, states: ‘This Warrant Officer was posted to the Headquarters with the particular duty of supervising the Transit Section of the F.M.A. From the moment of his arrival B.S.M. (then Sgt) Whitehead displayed initiative, efficiency and devotion to duty of an outstanding order. By this a very heavy weight was lifted from the shoulders of the Camp Commandant. When the F.M.A. Transit Camp was divorced from HQ, F.M.A. W.O.II. Whitehead, with no Officer Commanding yet posted, continued to run the existing transit section and with no supervision virtually, and with local labour of his own choosing constructed a new transit camp complete with all the facilities such as cook houses, dining rooms, and sanitary amenities. He then transferred to this new camp, still with no Officer Commanding, and ran it as a separate installation for several days. The work of this Warrant Officer has never varied and is outstanding in every way. He has also contributed in no small manner to the efficiency of the F.M.A. as a whole.’

Leslie Addinall Whitehead was born in Shardlow, Derbyshire, on 21 November 1919. He joined the Royal Artillery in 1939, and after the Second World War he re-enlisted into the Heavy Anti- Aircraft section on 25 May 1947. For the Korea campaign he was attached to the Forward Maintenance Area Transit Camp which was based in Seoul. He died in Derbyshire in October 1987.