Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A post-War O.B.E. group of eight awarded to Wing Commander J. H. G. D. Budgen, Royal Air Force, who served as Chief Accountant to the British Commonwealth Air Forces, Japan

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; British War and Victory Medals (L.Z.7749. J. H. G. D. Budgen. Sig. R.N.V.R.); Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Coronation 1953; Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (W/O. J. H. D. Budgen. R.A.F.) mounted court-style as worn, contact marks to Great War awards, otherwise very fine or better (8) £400-500

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1954.
The recommendation states: ‘This officer has held the appointment of Command Accountant since February 1946. He was specially nominated as Command Accountant Officer to British Commonwealth Air Forces because of the unusual financial complications involved in setting up, organising, and directing in Japan the Pay and Accounting Services of an integrated Air Force drawn from four of the National Air Forces forming part of the British Commonwealth. Wing Commander Budgen arrived in Japan in February 1946, with the Advance Party and in the face of every conceivable difficulty, set about organising and initiating a sound Pay and Accounting Service. The high state of efficiency and the smooth manner in which this system has been running right from the start is testimony to his work. In addition, particularly during the first nine months of occupation duty, he turned his wide practical knowledge of Air Force administration and devoted almost all his normal off-duty hours to opening a Central Registry, the elimination of “Back Market” activities, and many other tasks calculated to assist in putting the British Commonwealth Air Forces upon a sound economical, financial, and workmanlike basis. Throughout his service Wing Commander Budgen has brought to bear upon every post to which he has been appointed a loyalty, conscientiousness, cheerful enthusiasm, and a singleness of purpose rarely encountered. His integrity, tireless energy, and reliability, have made him a tower of strength in the economical and financial administration of the British Commonwealth Air Forces in Japan.’

James Henry George Donald Budgen was born at Ash, Surrey, on 20 December 1899, and joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on 22 October 1917. He served during the Great War in various shore establishments, and in H.M.S. Theseus from 1 July to 9 November 1918, and was shore demobilised on 27 February 1919. He subsequently enlisted in the Royal Air Force, and awarded his Royal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in April 1936, effective from 17 December 1935, whilst holding the rank of Warrant Officer. Commissioned Flying Officer in the Accountant Branch of the Royal Air Force on 14 June 1937, he served with the R.A.F. during the Second World War, and was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 8 June 1944). Following the War his next appointment was as Chief Accountant, British Commonwealth Air Forces, Japan, at the Iwakuni Headquarters, and he was promoted Wing Commander on 1 July 1947. For his services in Japan he was created an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1954 New Year’s Honours List, shortly before retiring on 1 April 1954.

The recipient’s name is Bugden, not Budgen, and the medals are all named thus.