Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A good Second War ‘Southampton Blitz’ B.E.M. pair awarded to Deputy Leader R. S. Parker, Civil Defence Rescue Service, for his gallantry in rescuing a mother and her child from a collapsed house, 18 November 1940

British Empire Medal, (Civil) G.VI.R., 1st issue (Robert Samuel Parker); Defence Medal, mounted as worn, with flattened card box of issue for the latter, addressed to ‘Mr R. S. Parker, B.E.M., 7 Burlsedon Road, Bitterne, Southampton’, generally good very fine (2) £500-£700

B.E.M. London Gazette 10 February 1942:

‘A H.E. bomb demolished a house and fractured a gas main. Two persons were trapped in the wreckage and it was only possible to reach them by driving a vertical shaft. Space was very limited and Parker had to work in an inverted position for over fours hours. During this time he was nearly overcome by coal gas but, after a Doctor in attendance had administered oxygen to him, Parker succeeded in rescuing the victims.

He showed courage and determination, persistently refusing relief during the rescue operation.’

The report of the incident provided by the Southampton A.R.P.O. and Controller adds the following detail:

‘R. Parker left Woolston Depot with Rescue Party No. 11 (he was attached to this party at the time) at 02.46 hours on November 18th 1940 for No. 48 Monaughton Road. An H.E. bomb had demolished the house and fractured a gas main. Two persons (a woman and a child) were trapped, and having been located it was decided to reach them by driving a vertical shaft. Working space was very limited and Parker elected to carry out the work himself, and despite the fact that he had to work in an inverted position and was nearly overcome with town gas, he succeeded by sheer perseverance and determination, in rescuing the trapped persons. Throughout the operations Parker persistently refused relief and Dr. Saunders, who was in attendance administered oxygen.’

Statement by Dr. Saunders:

‘A mother and her small child were completely buried by debris following the collapse of their house, an H.E. falling a few yards away. Their rescue was an extremely difficult and complex operation, which Mr Parker carried out with conspicuous skill and perseverance. The patients could only be reached by tunnelling vertically downwards, so that Mr Parker was literally upside down for several hours - the operation was greatly complicated by escaping gas and I was obliged to give continuous oxygen together with morphia injections to the trapped people via the tunnel which Mr Parker created. He had to be similarly treated with oxygen himself but despite numerous offers of rest and replacement by other workers he insisted on completing the rescue work, despite another fact that he was technically off duty for a part of the period. The excellent condition of the patients on rescue was in great part due to Mr Parker’s courage and ingenuity.’

Robert Samuel Parker resided at 7 Burlesdon Road, Bitterne, Southampton, and was a painter by trade. During the Second World War he served as a Deputy Leader, Civil Defence Rescue Service, Southampton. He rescued Mabel Walters and her 2 year old daughter from the rubble of their house, 18 November 1940.

Sold with the following original related documents: named Buckingham Palace Investiture invitation, dated 23 March 1942; Letter of congratulation from Regional Commissioner, No. 6 (Southern) Region, dated 13 February 1942; Letter to the same effect from the Air Raid Precautions Controller, dated 16 February 1942; hand written letter of thanks from Mabel Walters to recipient; recipient’s National Registration Identity Card; photographs of recipient, newspaper cuttings and copied research.