Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Second World War B.E.M group of six awarded to Senior Commissioned Writer Officer M. Gleeson, Royal Navy

British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 1st issue (C.P.O. Wr. Maurice Gleeson, P/MX. 46304); Defence and War Medals; Korea 1950-53 (Cd. W.O. M. Gleeson, B.E.M., R.N.); U.N. Korea 1950-54; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (MX. 46304 M. Gleeson, C.P.O. Wr., H.M.S. Rooke), mounted as worn, together with a set of uniform ribands, very fine and better (6) £350-400

B.E.M. London Gazette 14 June 1945. The original recommendations states:

‘He has carried out the duties of Senior Chief Writer in the East Indies Drafting Office for two and a half years. He has been responsible for the administration of the staff and has been the guiding influence during the formation, training and expansion of this office. The Drafting Office started with a handful of untrained ratings in July 1942 and Chief Writer Gleeson has had the job of teaching staff and administering the office. His sound knowledge of drafting together with his outstanding personality, have been largely responsible for building up this important organisation. He has always shown unfailing devotion to duty and has been of the utmost assistance to the Drafting Commander who placed the greatest reliance on him.’

Maurice Gleeson was serving at the Ceylon base H.M.S. Lanka at the time of the above related deeds. Post-war, he was appointed a Commissioned Writer Officer at the Portland base Osprey in April 1951, and served in the carrier Glory during the Korean War. Returning home in late 1953, he was advanced to Senior Commissioned Writer Officer in April 1955, in which rank he was placed on the Retired List in the late 1950s, following a final appointment at Tamar, Hong Kong.