Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A post-War B.E.M. group of four awarded to Acting Sergeant V. Gray, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

British Empire Medal, (Military) E.II.R. (ER/6982824 A/Sgt. Victor Gray. R. Innisks.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Army L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., 2nd issue, Regular Army (LS/6982824 Cpl. V. Gray. B.E.M. R. Innisks.) mounted as worn, good very fine (4) £300-£400

B.E.M. London Gazette 1 January 1957.
The original Recommendation, dated 19 July 1956, states: ‘Sergeant Gray has served at Mons Officer Cadet School since October 1952. Although he is an infantry sergeant he has been employed since that date as a Sergeant Chief Clerk in the Cadets Section of the School HQ, a vacancy normally reserved for an RASC Class I tradesman clerk. He has always given the greatest possible assistance and the utmost loyalty to his commanding officers.
His office has been responsible for the clerical progression and documentation of some 8,500 officer cadets since October 1952. He has since been personally responsible for the commissioning documentation of some 3,000 RAC and RA cadets.
His office has always run at the peak of efficiency due in no small part to his personal example and excellent memory, and his tireless devotion to his work has been an inspiration not only to his own staff, but to the whole School. At times of great pressure he has repeatedly worked late at night entirely of his own volition. Since the period under review [October 1952 to July 1956] he has taken only 38 days’ leave, feeling that to have taken more would not have been in the interests of his office or of the Service.
He has become known to thousands of young officers as an example, the memory of which they can carry with them throughout their service, as a yardstick by which they can judge their own staff.
He retires in January 1958, at the age of 57, after 17 years and 10 months service, and being too old to continue in the Service does not qualify, and has not the opportunity of qualifying, for a pension.’