Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: attributed to Major T. M. Horsley, Intelligence Corps

1939-45 Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals, all unnamed, extremely fine (5) £40-60

Tom Mason Horsley served in the Great War, became a Sergeant in the Northumberland Fusiliers number 202580, and was awarded the British War and Victory Medals. He rejoined the Army in 1939 and was posted to France in the Corps of Military Police. He became a W.O.2 with the number 113908. Fluent in French, on the formation of the Intelligence Corps he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the unit on 29 January 1940. His first appointment was “Special Duties” which, given his fluent French, may well have been as a Field Security Officer with the SOE. On his return to UK he was posted to be Officer Commanding 134 Security Section, which was responsible for interviewing merchant ships arriving in Newcastle. He was promoted War Substantive Captain on 7 August 1943 and made a Temporary Major on the same day. He served in Italy and North East Europe and retired from the Army on 1 January 1950 and was granted the honorary rank of Major.

With medal forwarding box addressed to ‘Major T. M. Horsley, 58, Highbury, Newcastle-on-Tyne and two copied gazette extracts.