Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Seven: Captain B. M. Roberts, Royal Engineers, who was wounded at Monte Casino in June 1944

1939-45 Star; Africa Star, 1 clasp, 1st Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Territorial (Lt. B. M. Roberts. R.E.); Jubilee 1977, mounted as worn, edge nick to EM, otherwise good very fine or better (7) £180-£220

Brian Meiric Roberts was born in Cardiff on 11 June 1917, and having trained as a Civil Engineer was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 25 January 1941, from 142nd Officer Cadets Training Unit. He served during the Second World War with the 7th Field Company, Royal Engineers in the Middle East from March 1943, and was present at the final battles of the Tunisian Campaign. Advanced Captain, he was appointed the C.R.E’s Reconnaissance Officer, following which he moved to the Italian front, and was present in the final battle for Casino and was part of the Royal Engineer team that constructed the famous ‘Amazon’ bridge over the Rapido river. He was severely wounded at Monte Casino on 25 June 1944, as the campaign moved through central Italy on route to Florence, when his Daimler Dingo scout car ran into a minefield, hit a mine, and turned over severing his right hand; repatriated to the U.K. he ended the War as a Mine Warfare Instructor at the Royal Engineers Officer Cadets Training Unit at Newark. He was awarded the Efficiency Medal on 1 April 1949. He subsequently served in civilian life as Chief Engineer with the newly formed Crawley Development Corporation, and was awarded the 1977 Silver Jubilee Medal for his services as Chief Engineer of the New Towns Commission. He died in Crawley on 14 August 2000.