Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce Second World War ‘S.O.E.’ B.E.M. group of seven awarded to Staff Quartermaster Sergeant R. W. F. ‘Tubby’ Emly, Royal Signals and Special Operations Executive, a Wireless Operator and Cipherer, who as one of a four man team, was parachuted behind enemy lines in Yugoslavia and operated with the partisans under General Mihailovic, 1942 to 1943 and again with ‘Force 133’ in 1944 and one of the very last to leave when the British Liaison team was evacuated in May 1944

British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 1st issue (No. 2332894 Sigmn. Richard W. F. Emly); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, E.II.R., 2nd issue, Territorial, with two Additional Award Bars (2332894 S.Q.M.S. R. W. F. Emly. B.E.M. R. Sigs.) mounted as worn, small edge bruise to the last, otherwise better than very fine (7) £2,000-£3,000

B.E.M. London Gazette 14 October 1943.

The original Recommendation states: ‘For the past six months this soldier has been in enemy occupied territory acting as a wireless operator and cipherer for guerrilla leaders. Throughout this time he has shown unswerving devotion to duty in most difficult circumstances and has carried out his work cheerfully and efficiently. His discipline has been exemplary while his energy, initiative and determination has been an encouragement to all who have come in contact with him.’

The above recommendation was originally made by Brigadier G. Armstrong, the Head of the British Military Mission to Yugoslavia on 9th April 1943, and an additional note is written below the recommendation that ‘it is requested that should the award be made, it should not be published for security reasons.’

Richard Walter Francis ‘Tubby’ Emly was born in Greenwich, London, on 22 May 1918. A Telephone Engineer by trade, he joined the Army on 17 January 1940 and was posted to the Royal Signals. He embarked for Egypt in June 1940 and was posted to Egypt Command, Royal Signals. To Base Depot in June 1941, Emly had clearly been singled out for Special training as he was posted to 16 Military Mission on 24 August 1941. According to Sergeant Harry Hainsworth, an N.C.O. Emly would serve closely with,16 Military Mission’s purpose was ‘to organise and assist resistance groups in the Caucuses if the Germans broke through and to do as much sabotage as possible to German lines of communication.’ The following months were spent training for this mission. However with the German advance into Russia grinding to a halt, in December, the mission was called off. On 21 January 1942, Emly was attached to G.H.Q.M.E.F. and then the Middle East Group of S.O.E.; MO4 (Military Operations Intelligence). On or around April 1942, he was picked to be one of a four man team that would be sent as a British Mission to General Mihailovic in Yugoslavia, there to work with and liaise with the partisan forces.

In early May 1942 was sent to 2 S.A.S. at Kabrit for parachute training but his record notes he fractured his Left tibia on 10 June. However he was released from hospital on 27 July and was back training for the mission. From 1 September 1942, Emly’s pay was increased due to ‘parachute duties’ and he was promoted Sergeant. On the 27 of September, Emly, along with Captain Loftus, Sergeant Hainsworth and a local guide, were parachuted into Yugoslavia to start their mission. A full account of the mission itself, the lead up to it, its training and aftermath, is recorded in Harry Hainsworth’s privately published book ‘Special Missions’- since they served together through training and missions, it contains many references to Emly.

After his operation in Yugoslavia had ended, Emly was posted back to Middle East Command, and in September 1943 was appointed Acting Company Quartermaster Sergeant. Awarded the B.E.M. on 12 October following, from January 1944, Emly was posted to ‘Force 133’, which was an S.O.E. base in Southern Italy that operated agents in the Balkans. Emly was clearly posted back to Yugoslavia during the following months, as a report on the evacuation of Liaison Officers attached to General Mihailovic’s Forces notes that during the final evacuation of personnel at the end of May 1944, C.Q.M.S. Emly had volunteered to leave in the last aircraft.

Over the following 2 months, his record notes he was in Taranto, Port Said, Taranto again and Alexandria, as well as spending 7 days in hospital in June 1944; this would have been as soon as he arrived from Yugoslavia. In October 1944, he was posted to ME66, which was another branch of S.O.E. in the Middle East. Serving with ME66 until January 1945, Emly returned the UK on 13 April and spent the rest of the War on Home service. Posted to the ‘Y’ List on 12 March 1946, he joined the Territorial Army (Signals Regiment), finally being discharged with the rank of Warrant Officer Class II in 1966. He died in Leeds on 4 February 2007.

Sold with the named Buckingham Palace enclosure for the B.E.M., and Central Chancery receipt; and a large file of copied research including photographic image of the recipient