Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Second World War military O.B.E. group of three awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel E. G. Coventry, Pioneer Corps, a Senior Inspector in the R.S.P.C.A. and latterly Branch Organiser for the North of England

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt, unnamed; R.S.P.C.A. Life Saving Medal, silver (Inspr. E. Coventry-1938), complete with ‘For Humanity’ brooch bar, in case of issue; R.S.P.C.A. Life Saving Medal, bronze (Inspr. E. G. Coventry-R.S.P.C.A.-1936), complete with ‘For Humanity’ brooch bar, in case of issue, nearly extremely fine (3) £550-650

Ex Minton Collection, B.D.W. 27 September 1994.

O.B.E. London Gazette 13 December 1945. ‘Lt. Col. (Temp) Ernest George Coventry (169508), Pioneer Corps (Kendal)’.

Ernest George Coventry was born in Secunderabad, India on 24 November 1894, the son of William and Blanche Coventry, and was christened at Bolarum, Tamil Nadu, India on 14 December 1894. During the Great War he served as a Trumpeter, later a Private, in the 4th Dragoon Guards, entering the France/Flanders theatre of war on 16 August 1914. He was later captured and held as a prisoner-of-war. For his wartime services he was awarded the 1914 Star, British War and Victory Medals. Remaining with the army after the war, he was awarded the L.S. & G.C. Medal in 1927 (this and the above medals not with lot). Serving in the 4/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, he was the Regimental Sergeant-Major during 1929-33.

Coventry entered the R.S.P.C.A. as a Probationer on 12 February 1934 and was promoted to Inspector 4th Class in May 1934, Inspector 3rd Class in December 1934 and Inspector 1st Class/Senior Inspector in December 1951. He was based in Kendal, Westmorland, October 1934-February 1941.

On 21 November 1936 he was awarded the Society’s Bronze Life Saving Medal for the rescue of a cat from a tree at Kendal on 6 November 1936, and he was awarded the Society’s Silver Life Saving Medal for the rescue of a horse from floods at Aikrigg End, Westmorland on 30 July 1938. On 1 January 1940 he was promoted to Merit Grade 1st Class.

On 1 February 1941 he rejoined the Colours, and obtained a Regular Army Emergency Commission as a Lieutenant in the Pioneer Corps. In November 1942 he was promoted to War Substantive Captain and Temporary Major. Latterly as Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel, he commanded 18 Group Pioneer Corps in Italy, for which service he was awarded the O.B.E.

After the war, in April 1947 he returned to duty with the R.S.P.C.A. in Kendal and Creston. He was awarded the Certificate of Merit for the rescue of a cat at Creston on 15 March 1949 and was Highly Commended for his prompt and efficient action in destroying, as humanely as possible, an elephant which had become dangerous whilst in transit on the railway on 17 December 1949. In 1950 he was Specially Commended by the Council of the R.S.P.C.A. for the assistance given in connection with the Departmental Committee on the Export and Slaughter of Horses. Having been appointed a Senior Inspector, Coventry was Commended for the rescue of a swan frozen in ice on the Old Canal at Whittle-le-Woods, Lancashire on 20 January 1952. Lieutenant-Colonel Coventry was appointed R.S.P.C.A. Branch Organiser for the North of England on 22 February 1954. He died in Preston in 1960.

With copied R.S.P.C.A. service papers, m.i.c. and other research.