Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Rare Second World War B.E.M. and L.N.E.R. Gallantry Medal pair to Station Foreman J. W. Keeble

British Empire Medal, (Civil) G.VI.R. 1st issue (James William Keeble); London and North Eastern Railway Gallantry Medal, silver (J. W. Keeble, 10th June 1940), complete with brooch bar, in Pinches, London case of issue, extremely fine (2) £900-1200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Life Saving, Police and Fire Brigade Medals from the James N Spencer Collection.

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B.E.M. London Gazette 7 May 1943 ‘ For brave conduct in dangerous circumstances.’

Memorandum for Emergency Board, 27 May 1943

‘H.M. The King has approved the award of the British Empire medal to the following men employed by the London and North Eastern Railway Company’:

J. W. Keeble, Station Foreman, Manningtree Station, aged 46, with 32 years service.

E. Stannard, Ganger, Manningtree Station, aged 61, with 42 years service.

‘Particulars of the incident for which the awards have been granted are that during the week-end of 8 / 9th June 1940, a Royal Engineers detachment laid explosive charges on the main girders of a bridge carrying the railway over the River Stour at Manningtree. A trail of “Amatol” was also laid in the steel troughing across the bridge in two places, and was covered with 3/4” boards.

Early on the 10th June, hot cinders from a passing engine fired the trail, which in turn set light to the main running timbers, transomes, etc., on the bridge. Station Foreman J. W. Keeble was notified of the fire by the signalman at Manningtree Junction Box and he at once proceeded to the scene. Finding flames some 5 feet high across both tracks, he instructed the signalman at the Junction Box by telephone from a nearby signal that no trains were to be permitted to pass in either direction, and also to call Ganger E. Stannard who lived near at hand. A mail train was stopped clear of the obstruction at 2.6 a.m. Keeble also instructed the guard of a goods train how traffic at the station was to be dealt with in his absence, and then called at Stannard’s house to make sure that he had responded to the call from the signal box. Stannard was just leaving, and together they proceeded to the bridge. They successfully extinguished the fire with buckets of water.

Both Keeble and Stannard were aware that explosive charges had been placed on the bridge and they showed complete disregard for their personal safety in dealing with the fire in such a prompt and effective manner.

Under Emergency Board Minute No. 3,149 of the 7th January 1943, Keeble and Stannard were awarded the London and North Eastern Railway Medal for the same incident.’ Sold with photocopy of memorandum.

A total of 22 L.N.E.R. Gallantry Medal were awarded between 1941 and 1947. See ‘Four Railway Gallantry Awards’ by B. G. Faulconbridge, The Numismatic Circular, May 1979, for a general article on the medal.