Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War O.B.E. awarded to Chief Engineer T. C. Coles, Technical Training Command, Royal Air Force

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt, in its Royal Mint case of issue, extremely fine £100-120

O.B.E. London Gazette 24 June 1946.

Thomas Collings Coles was employed as a civil engineer out in India and Iraq from 1910-15, and served in the Royal Engineers 1914-20, including active service in France and Belgium. Shortly thereafter he would appear to have joined the Directorate General of Works at the Air Ministry, in which capacity he remained employed until 1946, latterly as Chief Engineer at Technical Training Command.

Sold with a large quantity of original congratulatory letters and telegrams regarding the award of his O.B.E., including a letter from Air Marshal Sir Leslie Hollinghurst, K.B.E., C.B., D.F.C., together with other career documentation and three photographs.