The mounted group of seven miniature dress medals named to Station Officer William Mosedale, Birmingham Fire Service

George Cross, silver, reverse inscribed, ‘William Mosedale, Fire Brigade, Birmingham, 28th March 1941’; Defence and War Medals; Coronation 1911, silver; Coronation 1953, silver; Birmingham Fire Brigade Long Service, 2 clasps, 20 Years, 5 Years, silver; Association of Professional Fire Brigade Officers L.S., silver, mounted as worn, contained in a Spencer, London case; together with a full-size Royal Society of St. George Membership Badge, by Spencer, London silver-gilt and enamel, hallmarks for Birmingham 1938, unnamed, complete with top bar, ribbon and emblem, in case; with an enamelled lapel badge for the same society, good very fine and better (9) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Miniature Medals from the Collection of Mark Cline.

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Ex Sotheby’s 29 September 1996, lot 726. His full-size medals are in the possession of the City of Birmingham Art Gallery.

G.C. London Gazette 28 March 1941.

‘William Mosedale, Station Officer and Rescue Officer, Birmingham Fire Brigade.

An Auxiliary Fire Station was completely demolished by a very large high explosive bomb. A number of Auxiliary Firemen were trapped in the station and civilians were buried in an adjoining house which had also been demolished. Station Officer Mosedale immediately began tunnelling and propping operations. Hundreds of tons of debris covered the site and Mosedale fully realised that at any moment he might be buried by a further collapse. When the first tunnel was completed and the Control Room reached, he found that there were still men whom he could not extricate. He carried out another tunnelling operation from a different direction and again entered the Control Room. Five men were found, one dead, the others injured. The Station Officer crawled through and administered oxygen to the injured men and they were then taken out through the tunnel. The entrance to the cellar of the private house was full of debris. Station Officer Mosedale directed operations for removing this, only to find that the cellar itself had collapsed. He nevertheless persevered and, after a time, reached seven people who were trapped. Three had been killed outright when the roof collapsed. He gave oxygen to the remaining four and succeeded in extricating them. To reach other victims it was again necessary to tunnel, and Mosedale immediately commenced this work. The dangers to be faced were similar to those which he had found in reaching the Control Room. He nevertheless completed the tunnel and entered the cellar under the Fire Station. Four men who were alive were given oxygen and, despite their injuries, were safely removed. Tunnelling through such difficult material had necessarily been extremely hazardous and the cellar collapsed completely, shortly after the removal of the last victim.

These operations, which lasted more than twelve hours were carried out under a most intense bombardment. Twelve lives were saved by Station Officer Mosedale who showed outstanding gallantry and resource. In effecting the rescues he repeatedly risked his own life.’

With a letter of provenance, dated 19 July 1994, for the above miniatures and badges,
written by the recipient’s eldest son - with accompanying photograph of the group; with copied research.