Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War ‘Burma Operations’ M.B.E. group of six awarded to Warrant Officer Class I H. Cottrell, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 2nd type breast badge, silver; 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue, Regular Army (7582399 W.O. Cl.1. H. Cottrell. R.E.M.E.) mounted court-style; together with the recipient’s National and Local Government Officers’ Association Past President’s Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, the reverse engraved ‘H. Cottrell, 1969-70’, extremely fine (7) £240-£280

M.B.E. London Gazette 6 June 1946:
‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Burma.’

The original Recommendation, dated 28 October 1945, states: ‘Armourer Sergeant Major Cottrell has been an Armourer with the Division for for four and a half years and has held the rank of Warrant Officer Class I (Armourer) since October 1941. I have known him personally for four and a half years during which time he has given outstandingly efficient service. When the Division was in action at Kohima (April to June 1944) ands later in the Burma campaign, he worked untiringly and unceasingly to maintain an adequate supply of repaired small arms for the fighting units. This he did by shrewd inspection immediately a unit had a day’s rest from fighting and organising his repair team to be in the right place at the right time.

The severity of the Kohima campaign called for relentless efficiency from the hard-worked small arms section, but Armourer Sergeant Major Cottrell coped with every demand placed upon him. When the Division was at rest, or in training, he was always eager to carry out inspection of the units’ small arms in an effort to maintain them at all times in first class condition. His foresight has many times proved invaluable. He is a master craftsman of his trade and his advice has been deeply appreciated by many commanding officers over modifications and experiments to small arms which have been tried over a period of years. He has shown considerable ingenuity and resource over the repair of small arms, when spare parts were in short supply. His skill as a craftsman is unsurpassed. His military bearing is excellent and his treatment of subordinates makes him all that can be desired in a senior N.C.O.’

Harold Cottrell ‘is a native of Blackburn, and joined the Army nearly 21 years ago [in 1925]. He was in the evacuation of Dunkirk, and later served for four years in Burma, from which country he has returned recently. He also had five and a half years’ service in the Far East before the War.’ (newspaper cutting with lot refers).

Sold with a letter of congratulations to the recipient from Brigadier E. R. Ash on the award of his M.B.E.; and various postcard photographs of the recipient.