Orders, Decorations and Medals

An exceptional inter-war B.E.M. group of nine awarded to Warrant Officer G. W. Hepple, Royal Air Force, late Royal Flying Corps

British Empire Medal, (Military) G.V.R. (No. 780 Flt. Sergt. George Wallace Hepple, R.A.F.); 1914 Star, with clasp (780 2/A.M. G. W. Hepple, R.F.C.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (780 F. Sgt. G. W. Hepple, R.F.C.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq (780 Sjt. G. W. Hepple, R.A.F.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1930-31 (780 F./Sgt. G. W. Hepple, R.A.F.); Jubilee 1935; Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (780 Sjt. G. W. Hepple, R.F.C.); Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., coinage bust (780 F./Sgt. G. W. Hepple, R.A.F.), mounted as worn in a different order (see illustration), minor contact wear and a little polished, very fine or better and very probably a unique combination of awards (9) £1800-2200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the R.F.C., R.N.A.S. and R.A.F..

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B.E.M. London Gazette 3 June 1927.


George Wallace Hepple enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps as a direct entrant in July 1913 and went out to France in August 1914 as an Air Mechanic 2nd Class with the Aircraft Park. Subsequently mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 15 June 1916 refers), and awarded the Army Meritorious Service Medal ‘for valuable services with the Armies in the Field’ (London Gazette 11 November 1916 refers), he was advanced to Flight Sergeant (Fitter) in January 1917 and to Chief Mechanic (Fitter) in the newly established Royal Air Force in April 1918.

Next actively engaged in the Iraq operations in the period December 1919 to November 1920, he was gazetted for the Royal Air Force Meritorious Medal in October 1921, an award subsequently cancelled on account of his earlier wartime M.S.M. (London Gazette 2 December 1921 refers), and the subject of an interesting article by Jim Routledge in the O.M.R.S. Journal, Summer 1988. He did, however, receive another “mention” (London Gazette 10 October 1922 refers) and, in June 1927, one of the very first 2nd type B.E.Ms awarded to the Royal Air Force. Having then added the India General Service Medal to his accolades, for services on the North-West Frontier in 1930-31, and the Jubilee Medal in 1935, he was also advanced to Warrant Officer.

And he was still serving in that capacity with No. 4 Bomber Group at R.A.F. Dishforth on the renewal of hostilities in September 1939, the commencement of a final stint of active service that would result in him being awarded the Defence and War Medals; sold with a file of research.