Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War M.B.E., Order of St. John group of six awarded to Commandant W. R. Magnus, British Red Cross and Order of St. John of Jerusalem, who ferried large numbers of wounded men between hospitals in London and the Home Counties in his ambulance

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Civil) Member’s 1st type breast badge, silver, hallmarks for London 1918; The Order of St John of Jerusalem, Officer’s breast badge, silver, with heraldic beasts in angles; Jubilee 1897, St. John Ambulance Brigade (Private W. Magnus); Coronation 1902, St. John Ambulance Brigade, bronze (W. R. Magnus 2nd. Offr.); Coronation 1911, St. John Ambulance Brigade (Supt. W. R. Magnus.); Service Medal of the Order of St John, silver, with one Additional Award Bar (Supt. William R. Magnus. July 1911.) nearly very fine and better (6) £300-£400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Norman Gooding Collection.

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M.B.E. London Gazette 7 June 1918:
‘Chief of the Train Control Section, Great Eastern Railway.’

William Robert Magnus was born in Chipping Hill, Essex, around 1878. A married railway clerk, later Assistant to the London Divisional Superintendant of the Great Eastern Railway (Liverpool Street Station), he is recorded in 1911 and 1921 as a resident of 51, Stanhope Gardens, Ilford. Appointed Commandant in the British Red Cross and Order of St John of Jerusalem in May 1915, Magnus served at Oakwood Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital. His Red Cross index card adds:

‘Mr. William Robert Magnus, 51 Stanhope Gardens, Ilford, Essex. Organised whole of ambulance transport in connection with Ilford Emergency Hospital, also assisted in connection with Oakwood Red Cross Hospital, Chigwell - a total of 84 convoys and 1500 soldiers. In addition 44 journeys were arranged to various London and provincial Hospitals with transfer cases, over 100 wounded were transferred involving journeys varying from 10 to 110 miles. Personally driven car 6000 miles. Air Raid duties of detachment also.’