Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine group of medals and presentation pieces awarded to F. C. West, Chief Officer of the Ramsgate Fire Brigade

Jubilee 1935, unnamed; Medal of the Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, 5th type, silver (Frederick Charles West, Ramsgate, 13-4-25) with silver brooch bar; Association of Professional Fire Brigade Officers L.S. Medal, silver (Chief Officer C. F. West - 1930); National Fire Brigades Union L.S. Medal, with ‘Ten Years’ brooch bar and ‘Five Years’ slip bar (5707) bronze, unnamed; National Fire Brigades Association L.S. Medal, 3 slip-bars, Twenty Years, Five Years, Five Years (3459 Frederick C. West); Fire Brigade Prize Medal, 32mm., silver, (F. West) reverse inscribed, ‘Presented by Councillor C. Fox, Crystal Palace 1913 1st National 25 Sec.1. 1st Dewar 24 (sec) 3. 1st Dixon 2m19s’, with fireman’s helmet and crossed axes on riband; with miniature dress medals of the 2nd, 3rd and 5th (no bars) medals; ‘Services Rendered’ Medal, privately produced, 23mm., 9ct. gold, 3.33g., engraved, ‘Presented to Ch. Off. F. C. West by Mr Twyford’, ‘In Recognition of Services Rendered at a fatal fire 26 Hatfield Road, Ramsgate, April 13th 1925’, ring suspension; Presentation Gold Pocket Watch, 9ct. gold casing, 64.95g., interior back-plate inscribed, ‘Presented to Ch. Off. F. C. West by the residents of Paragon Mansions Ramsgate when 8 lives were saved at the fire June 26th 1925’, watch in E. E. Allen, George Street, Ramsgate case of issue; Silver Cigarette Case, 88 x 80mm., lid inscribed, ‘Presented to Chief Officer F. C. West by the Members of the Ramsgate Fire Brigade, Xmas 1920’; Silver Cigarette Case, 88 x 80mm., ornately engraved, lid inscribed, ‘Presented to Capt. West by officers and members of the Westgate-on-Sea Fire Brigade in return for much kind help, Xmas 1925’; Presentation Wrist Watch, reverse inscribed, ‘Presented to Chief Officer F. C. West by members of the Ramsgate A.F.S. upon his retirement after 20 years service’, in R. L. Butler, King Street, Ramsgate case of issue, ‘glass’ casing loose, medals good very fine and better (14) £800-£1,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Fire Brigade Medals.

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Frederick Charles West joined the Andover Volunteer Fire Brigade as soon as he was old enough, in 1901. Four years later he became a volunteer member of the Bournemouth Brigade. As his full-time occupation, he was employed as motor engineer. His training as a motor engineer stood him in good stead, and with the motorisation of the Bournemouth Brigade in 1913, he became a professional fireman. He was placed in charge of the town’s engine and became engineer to the brigade. As a member of the Bournemouth team, at Crystal Palace in 1913, he won the National Steamer Shield and the Dewar and Dixon trophies at the National Fire Brigades competitions. Whilst serving with the Bournemouth Brigade he was commended for saving life. From Bournemouth he went to Long Eaton, Nottingham as Chief Officer in 1918 and thence to Ramsgate in 1920.

Chief Officer West and Fireman Sidney K. Ellis were each awarded the Medal of the Society for the Protection of Life from Fire in 1925 (Case No. 16,083), West being awarded the medal in silver and Ellis the medal in bronze. The citation reads, ‘On 13th April 1925, Mrs C. F. Twyford (73) was saved from a fire in Ramsgate, caused by a candle.’ A further citation reads, ‘... for their attempt to save a woman of 73 who was suffocated owing to a fire in Hartfield (sic) Road, Ramsgate on April 13.’ In a newspaper report it states, ‘Mr West, without protection of any kind, forced his way through smoke and fumes into the building and succeeded in reaching Mrs Twyford, but it was too late, and she succumbed.’ In addition to the Society’s medal, West was presented with a privately produced medal from a relative of Mrs Twyford. A few months later Chief Officer West was praised for overseeing the fire fighting and rescue of persons from a blaze at Paragon Mansions, Ramsgate. The residents were so impressed with his work that they presented him with a gold watch.

The first six medals and the three miniatures are contained in a glass-fronted wooden case, 270 x 145mm. With Buckingham Palace award document for the Jubilee Medal 1935, named to ‘Frederick Charles West, Chief Officer, Ramsgate Fire Brigade’, this in a glazed wooden frame, 285 x 240mm.; case of issue for the National Fire Brigades Union L.S. Medal with associated named card, dated 16 October 1916; card to accompany the National Fire Brigades Association L.S. Medal, dated 27 July 1927; together with newspaper clippings re his retirement after 20 years service with the Ramsgate Fire Brigade; a copy of West’s report to the Watch Committee re the Paragon Mansions Fire; copied extract from Saved from the Flames, by Roger Willoughby & John Wilson; together with a large number of photographs - of Chief Officer West, presentations, fire brigade engines, fire sites, brigade drills etc. An excellent photographic record of the man - many of which are identified on a separate list.