Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An O.B.E. group of eight awarded to Major Richard Atkinson Robinson, Honourable Artillery Company

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oakleaf (Q.M. & Capt.); Defence, unnamed; Territorial Decoration, G.V.R., reverse inscribed, ‘Major R. A. Robinson, H.A.C.’, on ‘H.A.C.’ ribbon, with top bar; Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (183 Sjt., H.A.C. (Inf.)); Italy, Altipiani Army Medal 1918, silver; Czechoslovakia, Order of Charles IV, breast badge, cypher obverse, silver-gilt and enamel, mounted for wear, good very fine and better (8) £650-750

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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O.B.E. London Gazette 2 January 1939. ‘Major Richard Atkinson Robinson, T.D., Air Raid Precautions Officer, Middlesex County Council

M.I.D. London Gazette 4 January 1917 (Haig); 14 December 1917 (Haig); 6 January 1919 (Cavan - Italy

Richard Atkinson Robinson was born on 9 September 1878 in Whitby, North Yorkshire. He was educated at St. Paul’s School and the London University. Graduating in Roman Law in 1904, Robinson later qualified as a pharmaceutical chemist. He was called to the Bar, Middle Temple, on 26 January 1906. In 1907 he joined Middlesex County Council and was placed in charge of weights and measures, food and drugs and allied services. He remained in this post as Chief Officer of the Public Control Department until he retired in 1943. He was a Member of the Wanstead Urban District Council, 1912-15, and Chairman of Wanstead Education Committee, 1921-26. Robinson was appointed by the Minister of Health to be a member of a Departmental Committee on Food Laws in 1931. He was an author of a textbook on law relating to the sale of food, and in addition wrote many articles in the Journal of the H.A.C. and other periodicals

Robinson enrolled in the H.A.C. in 1899 and joined No.1 Company. He was promoted Lance-Corporal in 1901, Corporal in 1904, Lance-Sergeant in 1906, and Sergeant in 1907. He retired into the Veteran Company in November 1911. He was awarded the T.F.E.M. by Army Order 9 of January 1912. He rejoined in 1914 as Orderly Room Sergeant of the 2nd Battalion. On 20 December 1914 he was promoted Quartermaster Sergeant with the honorary rank of Lieutenant, and served with the 2nd Battalion in France and Italy. He went overseas with his battalion on October 1916, and served in France and Flanders until 27 October 1917; he then served in Italy from 13 January to 4 November 1918. He was promoted to honorary Captain on 20 December 1917. For his services he was three times mentioned in despatches. He was demobilized in 1921 but continued to serve with the H.A.C. as Quartermaster until he retired in 1930. Robinson was promoted Major (Quartermaster) on 20 December 1929; was awarded the T.D. on 4 February 1930, and was transferred to the T.A.R.O. of the H.A.C. on 28 February 1930. He was awarded the O.B.E. (civil) in 1939 for his work in organising the air raid precaution service for Middlesex. Major Richard Robinson, O.B.E., T.D., died on 7 February 1963. Sold with named Defence Medal forwarding slip, plus copied photographs and research.