Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A post-War Order of St. John group of six awarded to Warden R. S. A. Allen, Civil Defence Warden Services, late Mercantile Marine, who was awarded a King’s Commendation for Brave Conduct for his services during the Second World War

The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Serving Brother’s breast badge, circular badge with white enamel cross with heraldic beasts in angles raised above the background; British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals (Ralph Allen); Defence Medal, with K.C.B.C. silver laurel leaves; Civil Defence Long Service Medal, E.II.R. (R. S. Allen) crudely engraved naming; Service Medal of the Order of St John, with three Additional Award Bars, unnamed, mounted as worn, generally very fine (6) £300-£400

Serving Brother, Order of St. John London Gazette 23 June 1970.

K.C.B.C. London Gazette 31 October 1941.
‘For brave conduct in Civil Defence.’

The original Recommendation states: ‘On the night of 11 April 1941, an enemy parachute mine fell in Derby Road, Southampton, and wrecked approximately 120 houses. In one of these wrecked houses there were 5 casualties with face injuries due to the blast, plus small cuts and abrasions to arms ands legs. Before the house collapsed there were 2 persons in the upper part of the house and 3 persons on the ground floor, and when the house collapsed all 5 persons were buried with the debris on top of them. Mr. Allen, who is a member of St. John Ambulance Brigade, and a part-time Warden, tunnelled under the debris and administered First Aid to these trapped people. Two of these casualties were pinned down by sections of wooden beams. After administering First Aid, he obtained help of other Wardens and these beams were sawn through, and the injured persons sere then released. Throughout these operations which lasted approximately half an hour, he displayed outstanding courage, coolness, and was an inspiration to his fellow Wardens. Fire and escaping town gas added to his difficulties.’

Rudolph Sidney Albert Allen was born in Southampton on 11 May 1898 and served during the Great War in the Mercantile Marine, attesting under the slightly less Germanic-sounding Christian name of Ralph. Amonst the ships he served in was the Cunard Line’s S.S. Aquitania, that had been requisitioned as a troopship. During the Second World War he was employed as a Warden with the Civil Defence Warden Service, and was awarded a King’s Commendation for Brave Conduct for his services in Southampton in April 1941. He was created a Serving Brother of the Order of St. John in 1970, and died in Southampton in 1978.

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