Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Royal Visit 1947 Medallion, 39mm, silver, the obverse featuring crowned and robed busts of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth facing left, the reverse featuring a crowned ‘GRE’ cypher (Lt. Colonel W. H. Power M.C.) housed in a Royal Mint case of issue, the lid detached but present; together with a ‘Royal Tour Southern Rhodesia 1947’ silver and enamel arm badge, extremely fine, rare (2) £200-£240

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of David Lloyd.

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William Henry Power was born in Crewe, Cheshire, on 14 May 1892 and was educated at the Crewe Academy, before being employed with the London and North-Western Railway from 1906 to 1914. Following the outbreak of the Great War he attested for the Liverpool Regiment on 2 September 1914. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Cheshire Regiment on 8 July 1915, transferring to the Liverpool Regiment on 3 August of that year, and then to the Machine Gun Corps on 22 November 1915. He served with the Machine Gun Corps during the Great War on the Western Front from May 1916, transferring to the Royal Engineers on 23 January 1917. He was promoted Lieutenant on 1 July 1917, and served with the Military Mission to Siberia from January to November 1919 whilst holding the acting rank of Captain. He Relinquished his commission on 4 January 1920, and was granted the honorary rank of Captain.

Emigrating to Southern Rhodesia as a Railway Engineer in February 1927, he was commissioned Lieutenant in the Territorial Force Mechanical Transport Section on 13 July 1928, and served with the Southern Rhodesian Territorial Force during the Second World War, being awarded the Military Cross for his services in the Western Desert whilst attached as a War Substantive Major to the Cheshire Regiment. He was advanced to his ultimate rank of Lieutenant-Colonel on 11 February 1942, and was awarded the Efficiency decoration in 1943 (Southern Rhodesia Government Gazette 16 July 1943)

Power was awarded the Southern Rhodesia Royal Visit Medallion in his capacity as Mechanical Superintendent, Bulawayo, Rhodesia Railways. The Royal Party travelled throughout South Africa and Rhodesia in the White Train, and Power presumably had a significant role to play in this aspect of the tour. He retired in 1955, and died in Pietermaritzburg on 25 February 1970.

Sold with copied research including a photographic image of the recipient.

For the recipient’s M.C. group of medals, see the previous lot (lot 18).