Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War M.B.E. group of five awarded to Chief Civil Defence Warden for Ilford, Thomas William Finch, late Sapper, Royal Engineers

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Civil) Member’s 2nd type breast badge, silver; 1914 Star, with copy clasp (24847 Sapr., R.E.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (24847 Spr., R.E.); Defence Medal, unnamed, very fine and better (lot) £750-850

M.B.E. London Gazette 11 June 1942. ‘Chief Civil Defence Warden, Ilford’.

M.I.D. London Gazette 21 May 1918.

Sapper Thomas William Finch, 7th Field Company, Royal Engineers, a Yorkshireman, from Hull, entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 23 August 1914. Serving throughout the war, he was awarded the 1914 Star with clasp and was mentioned in Haig’s despatch of 7 April 1918. Between the wars he was a builder and decorator and was for many years the Chairman of the Ilford Branch of the British Legion, he was also Chairman of the Benevolent Committee of the British Legion. With the onset of the Second World War, Finch was appointed Head Warden of the Ilford A.R.P. Becoming Chief Civil Defence Warden, he was awarded the M.B.E. in 1942, for his sterling work during the ‘blitz’ - the M.B.E. being personally presented to him by the King. When the King and Queen and the two Princesses visited Ilford after the war, he was again presented to the King, who chatted with him for some time, on his experiences. After the war, Finch continued as an officer in the Ilford Civil Defence Association and served as an Official of the Public Relations Office and Information Office of the Town Hall. Mr Finch unexpectedly died in April 1949, aged 57 years.

Sold with M.B.E. bestowal document in (damaged) envelope, bearing the address, ‘Thomas W. Finch, Esq., M.B.E., 44 Benton Road West, Ilford, Essex’, with associated enclosure; Fourth Division B.E.F. Card of Appreciation signed by Major-General Wilson; newspaper cuttings re. the recipient’s death; A.R.P. Badge; riband bar; British Legion Badge (2), enamelled; other badges (3); photographs; copied m.i.c. and gazette extracts and other research.