Auction Catalogue

16 December 2003

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

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Lot

№ 1013

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16 December 2003

Hammer Price:
£3,500

A rare London Blitz B.E.M. and L.M.S. Medal for Courage pair to Chief Foreman H. J. Taylor

British Empire Medal, (Civil) G.VI.R., 1st issue (Henry Joseph Taylor); London, Midland and Scottish Railway Medal for Courage, silver (Chief Foreman Henry Joseph Taylor, Poplar 7th September 1940), engraved ‘1940’ on reverse exergue, complete with brooch bar, extremely fine (2) £900-1200

B.E.M. London Gazette 24 January 1941. ‘Henry Joseph Taylor, Chief Foreman, London, Midland and Scottish Railway, Poplar.’

‘Taylor observed enemy raiders from the front door of his house. Bombs started to fall, one of which blew the whole of the windows from the house. Trucks were on fire on all sides of the docks, and although Taylor tried to extinguish these it was found that the water supply had been cut off. He organised the fire fighting arrangements by means of the fire pump, with water from the docks.’

Taylor remained with the L.C.C. fire brigade throughout the night and the following day, rendering all the help possible, and finished up in an exhausted condition on the following day. Enemy action continued throughout most of the night.’

The L.M.S. Medal could be awarded with either the words ‘For Courage’ or ‘For Merit’ appearing on the reverse. It is believed that about 20 medals were awarded. See ‘Four Railway Gallantry Awards’ by B. G. Faulconbridge,
The Numismatic Circular, May 1979, for a general article on the medal.