Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Knight Bachelor’s Badge worn by Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Desmond Brayley, later Baron Brayley of Cardiff, Parachute Regiment, late Royal Artillery, who was awarded the M.C. and Mentioned in Despatches for his gallantry in North Africa, and subsequently served as Under Secretary of State for the Army and Honorary Colonel Commandant of the Royal Artillery

Knight Bachelor’s Badge, 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, hallmarks for London 1926, the reverse privately engraved ‘Sir Desmond Brayley, Kt., M.C., D.L., J.P. Aug. 1970’; together with the a group of nine medals representative of those worn by the recipient, comprising: Military Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1943; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, 1 clasp, 1st Army; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal, this a Canadian issue in silver; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, these mounted court-style for display, generally good very fine or better (10) £800-£1,200

Knight Bachelor London Gazette 7 August 1970: John Desmond Brayley, M.C., D.L., Chairman, Canning Town Glass Works Ltd.

M.C. London Gazette 11 February 1943:
‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in North Africa’.

The original Recommendation states: ‘For conspicuous gallantry. On the afternoon of 1 December 1942, this officer was in command of a platoon of the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, which was heavily engaged by the enemy in the DJ St Bou Hadjeba. At the beginning of the action the platoon was in a reserve position, until later it was ordered to move forward on the right flank to deal with enemy tanks and infantry. This officer displayed great courage and determination in going forward under heavy fire; by his action, an enemy tank and two armoured cars were immobilised and an enemy attack successfully repulsed.
On the afternoon of 2 December, the Battalion was attacked near Diebal el Menpoub. Lieutenant Brayley’s platoon held their fire until the enemy were within thirty yards of their positions. They then accounted for at least twenty enemy infantry, and held off the attack until ordered to withdraw. This officer’s devotion to duty and gallantry under heavy fire was an inspiration to all ranks.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 23 September 1943:
‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in North Africa’.

John Desmond ‘Slapsie’ Brayley, Baron Brayley of the City of Cardiff, was born in Pontypridd, Glamorgan, on 29 January 1917, and was educated at the local grammar school. A keen amateur boxer, he attested for the Royal Artillery in 1934, and having been advanced Sergeant in the Welsh Regiment, was commissioned Second Lieutenant on 25 April 1941. Following his commissioning, he completed his parachute training on the 12th Army Parachutists Course at Ringway on 5 June 1942, and joined the 2 Battalion, Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps, in the autumn of 1942. He served with the Battalion in North Africa, and for his gallantry during the operations at Depienne and Oudna was awarded the Military Cross. Appointed temporary Captain on 4 May 1943, Brayley went on to serve with Colonel Frost’s 2 Para in Sicily, and was discharged with the honorary rank of Captain on 30 September 1945.

Following the War, Brayley embarked upon a successful career in business, and in 1962 became chairman of the Canning Town Glassworks Group. Introduced to the then Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, in the late 1960s, he was a generous donor to the Labour Party, and subsequently offered Wilson the use of his Rolls Royce, chauffeur, and St. James’s penthouse after he had lost the 1970 General Election and had had to vacate Downing Street. Knighted in Wilson’s subsequent resignation Honours’ List, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London in the same year. He was also appointed Honorary Colonel Commandant of the Royal Regiment of Artillery in 1970, and held various charitable positions.

In June 1973 Brayley was created a Baron of the United Kingdom, and following Labour’s return to office in March 1974 was appointed to the Government as Under Secretary of State (Army) at the Ministry of Defence. His tenure was short-lived, and he resigned from the Government in September of that year after allegations of financial irregularities surfaced. He died on 16 March 1977.

Sold with a large quantity of copied research, including an article on the recipient’s Knight Bachelor’s Badge that appeared in the December 2010 edition of the Orders and Medals Research Society Journal; various photographs of the recipient; and unit insignia.