A Fine Collection of Meritorious Service Medals

A Great War M.S.M. for Gallantry group of three to Gunner L. A. Beaney, Royal Garrison Artillery, awarded for the Disastrous Explosion at the Explosive Loading Company’s Works at Faversham, Kent, 2 April 1916

British War and Victory Medals (1085 Gnr., R.A.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (1085 Gnr., 2/1 Co. Kent R.G.A.-T.F.) contact marks, good fine (3) £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Meritorious Service Medals.

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M.S.M. London Gazette 12 March 1917. ‘... in recognition of valuable services rendered with the Armies in the field during the present war’. This entry was later corrected:-

M.S.M. London Gazette 17 April 1917. ‘... the undermentioned names should have appeared under the heading “for gallantry in the performance of Military Duty”, not for “services rendered with the Armies in the Field during the present War”’.

Gunner L. A. Beaney, R.G.A. was awarded the M.S.M. for gallantry for his services following the explosion at the Explosive Loading Company’s factory at Uplees Marshes, Faversham, Kent on 2 April 1916.

At about midday of 2nd April 1916, sparks from a boiler house set alight some empty sacks by the side of a shed containing T.N.T. and ammonium nitrate. Despite the best efforts of the work force, the fire took hold of the shed and the area was ordered to be cleared. Soon afterwards, at about 1.20 p.m., the building blew up and the resulting explosion triggered further explosions from the nitro-glycerine washing plant nearby. The main explosion left a crater some 40 yards across and 20 feet deep, destroying adjacent buildings and causing fires throughout the factory complex. Some 20 and 40 minutes after the main explosion two further explosions occured and throughout the factory there was the continual danger of smaller but equally deadly detonations from munitions and mines. Into this lethal enviroment, teams of factory workers, fire brigade and army personnel attempted to tackle the blaze and rescue the injured, many of whom had suffered terrible burns. One such party was led by Corporal C. T. Harris, 1/4th Co. Kent (Fortress) R.E., which included among its number, Gunner Beaney. The soldiers commanded by Harris were all serving with the anti-aircraft battery at Oare, near Faversham. When the initial fire was burning Corporal Harris was ordered to take his party to the factory to assist in any way they could. Arriving at the time of the main explosion, and at great risk to themselves, they immediately set to work rescuing the injured. Some 105 workers were killed in the disaster.

For the action, 13 Edward Medals in Bronze were awarded together with 17 Meritorious Service Medals for Gallantry. Corporal Harris was awarded both the E.M. and M.S.M. (these now in the Royal Engineers Museum, Chatham); another member, Bombardier A. F. Edwards was also awarded both medals; the other eight men of the team, including Beaney received the M.S.M. for Gallantry. The recommendation for all ten awards of the M.S.M. was couched in the following general terms, ‘While assisting in the rescue of the wounded at a fire which occured at the Explosive Loading Company’s works at Faversham on Sunday 2nd April 1916, Corporal Harris and his party by their great courage, devotion to duty and self sacrifice, not only prevented further explosions, but by their gallant conduct set such a splendid example that others, who at first showed some diffidence at entering the danger area became willing helpers in the work of rescue. Explosions were constantly taking place making the work of rescuing the wounded particularly dangerous. A great crater measuring about forty yards in diameter and about twenty feet deep had been formed by the explosion of forty or fifty tons of TNT and scenes around this crater were terrible. The fire was still raging and about 400 to 500 tons of explosives stiil remained in the vicinity...’

Sold with copied research including a paper by Major J. D. Sainsbury taken from the Journal of the O.M.R.S., Summer 1979, on the Faversham Explosion.