Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A good Second War G.M. awarded to Mr. R. E. Robinson, a Draughtsman with the Gas Light and Coke Company, for his outstanding courage and determination in attempting to rescue two men trapped in the plant house basement at the Beckton Gas Works following a severe enemy attack on the night of 19-20 April 1941

George Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Robert Edgcombe Robinson.) on original mounting pin, nearly extremely fine £3,000-£4,000

G.M. London Gazette 1 August 1941: Robert Edgcombe Robinson, Draughtsman, Gas Light and Coke Company (in a joint citation with David Craig Bertram, Deputy Station Engineer, Gas Light and Coke Company [also awarded the George Medal]; and Leslie Joseph Clark, Assistant Mechanical Engineer; James Coppin, Works Fireman; Peter James Eldridge, Dehydration Plant Attendant; and James Allen Nichols, Senior Assistant Engineer, all Gas Light and Coke Company [all awarded the British Empire Medal])
‘A severe attack was make on a gas works and high explosive and incendiary bombs started serious fires. Steam pipes, water mains and electrical cables were fractured and barrels of tar caught fire and exploded. Gas mains flared and the blaze was fed by benzole which dripped from damaged flanges.
Mr. Bertram displayed outstanding courage and leadership in dealing with the situation. He ran through the flames to shut down gas valves, put out fires on the top of a holder and made gallant efforts to rescue two men who were trapped in a plant house which had been wrecked by an explosion.
Mr. Coppin was on duty in a valve-room when an explosion occurred. The premises were enveloped in steam and flames but Coppin, with no regard for his own safety, got his hoses to work and after three hours the fire was put out. He continued, throughout the night, to organise the firefighting in the works and was ably assisted by Mr. Nichols and Mr. Eldridge. These men by their coolness and courage set a splendid example to the others and worked in scorching heat while high explosive and incendiary bombs were falling.
Mr. Robinson, after helping to put out a number of fires, learned that two men were trapped in a plant house which had been partially demolished by a bomb. The explosion had blown the walls outwards and caused part of the roof to cave in but Robinson got into the building and made his way to the basement where he thought the men might be. Great blocks of concrete and wrecked machinery were everywhere. He was warned that the rest of the roof was collapsing and he got out just before it did. In spite of the danger of being trapped himself, of the steam, burning gas and flaring benzole, Mr. Robinson made further attempts to get at the men but was forced to give up when the basement flooded. He displayed outstanding courage and determination.
Mr. Clark was on holiday on the night of the raid but he borrowed a child's bicycle, the only one he could get, and pedalled through the raid to the Works, a distance of eighteen miles. He gave invaluable help in reorganising the damaged steam and water systems and in getting power supplies going. He has shown exceptional devotion to duty and disregard of his own safety during this and other raids.’

Robert Edgcombe Robinson was born at Shepshed, Loughborough, Leicestershire, on 9 April 1906, and was at the time of the award of his George Medal was employed as a Draughtsman with the Gas Light and Coke Company, based at the Beckton Gas Works in East London. He died in Wokingham, Berkshire, on 11 March 1985.

Sold with two portrait photographs of the recipient (one in uniform); four group photographs (one of the recipient in uniform, the others of a family nature); copied Birth, Marriage, and Death certificates; and other research.