Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War O.B.E., United States of America Medal of Freedom group of seven awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel H. P. Croom-Johnson, Queen’s Westminster Rifles and King’s Royal Rifle Corps, later Assistant Director-General of the British Council, for which work he was subsequently awarded the C.M.G. and C.B.E.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type, breast badge; 1939-45 Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Territorial, reverse officially dated ‘1948’; United States of America, Medal of Freedom, with Bronze Palm, nearly extremely fine (7) £400-£500

C.M.G. London Gazette 1 January 1964: ‘British Council Representative in India.’

C.B.E. (Civil) London Gazette 10 June 1954: ‘Controller, Finance Division, British Council.’

O.B.E. (Military) London Gazette 21 December 1944: ‘W/S Major (T/Lt-Col), K.R.R.C., H.Q. 6 Base Sub Area.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 24 August 1944 (Italy).

U.S.A. Medal of Freedom with Bronze Palm London Gazette 23 May 1947.

Efficiency Decoration London Gazette 13 February 1948.

Henry Powell Croom-Johnson was born on 15 December 1910, eldest son of Hon. Sir Reginald Croom-Johnson, sometime Judge of High Court, and Lady (Ruby) Croom-Johnson. He was educated at Stowe School and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and was assistant master at Bedford School between 1932 and 1934. He was appointed 2nd Lieutenant (late Officer Cadet Corporal, Cambridge University O.T.C.) in March 1932 for service with the Bedford School Contingent. He joined the staff of the British Council in 1935, and became secretary to the Lecture Committee in 1936. Appointed 2nd Lieutenant, 16th London Regiment (Queen’s Westminsters) in February 1937, and to Lieutenant in December 1937. He served with the Queen’s Westminsters and King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 1939-46, on the staff in Sicily, Italy and Greece (Despatches, O.B.E., Lieutenant-Colonel).

Rejoining the British Council in 1946, he was appointed controller of the Finance Division in 1951, and controller of the European Division in 1956. He was the British Council Representative in India from 1957 to 1964; appointed Controller of Overseas Division ‘B’, 1964, and was Assistant Director-General of the British Council from 1966 until his retirement in 1973. Lieutenant-Colonel Croom-Johnson lived at Ravenscourt Square, London, and died on 22 March 1994.

Sold with two fibre identity discs, a named cloth patch for “D” Company, 1st Bn. The Queen’s Westminsters (Captain), and a large quantity of metal and cloth insignia, badges and buttons relating to Stowe School O.T.C., The Queen’s Westminsters and the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, mostly those which he wore whilst in service but some purchased later to represent the history of the regiments he had served in. Together with copied research which includes recommendations for the O.B.E. and U.S.A. Medal of Freedom.