A Collection of Medals to The Royal Engineers

A post-war B.E.M. group of four awarded to Staff Sergeant S. R. Davies, Royal Engineers

British Empire Medal, E.II.R., Military (24328637 Sgt. Steven R. Davies, R.E.); General Service 1962, 2 clasps, Northern Ireland, Kuwait (24328637 Cpl., R.E.); U.N. Cyprus; Army L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., Regular Army (24328637 S. Sgt., R.E.), with card forwarding box for the ‘Kuwait’ clasp, mounted court-style as worn, generally extremely fine (4) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to The Royal Engineers.

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B.E.M. London Gazette 1 January 1990. An official Army announcement states:

‘Staff Sergeant Davies joined the Army in August 1974. He has served in the United Kingdom, West Germany, Hong Kong, Cyprus and the Falkland Islands.

More recently Staff Sergeant Davies has been employed in the Search Branch of the Royal School of Military Engineering. Here he was responsible for instruction on search equipment to branches of all three services and proved extremely effective. He had additional responsibilities monitoring research and development of search equipment working closely with scientists and commercial firms; in all respects he has shown tact and diplomacy not normally found in someone of his rank and experience. He has proved to be an excellent ambassador for both the Royal Engineers and the Army.

In his last appointment Staff Sergeant Davies was responsible for a Civilian Battlefield Clearance Team. Once again he proved to be both a competent and loyal Senior N.C.O. who enjoyed the challenge and responsibility of working with Civilian Explosive Ordnance Searchers. His conduct has been exemplary in all respects.

In addition to his military duties Staff Sergeant Davies masterminded and executed an ambitious charity run from London to Paris. The run was started by the Prime Minister and raised over six thousand pounds for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Kent Ambulance Service. The event involved meticulous planning, ingenuity and a level of determination which is typical of this outstanding Senior Non-Commissioned Officer.

For exceptionally valuable service and devotion to duty which has been an inspiration to others, Staff Sergeant Davies is awarded the British Empire Medal.’

Further details regarding the career of Staff Sergeant Davies can be found in an official Army announcement marking the award of his L.S. and G.C. Medal:

‘Staff Sergeant Davies joined the Regular Army in August 1974 with the Junior Leaders Regiment at Dover. He was promoted to the rank of Junior Sergeant. On the completion of training he was posted to 36 Engineer Regiment. Here he was promoted to the rank of Lance-Corporal and gained his Carpenter and Joiner qualifications. He also represented the Corps at Hockey and completed a tour with the United Nations in Cyprus. In May 1979 he passed the Training Regiment’s Instructor’s Course and was posted to 28 Amphibious Engineer Regiment at Hameln as a Section Corporal. Here he gained his M2 Crewman’s, Pilot’s and Commander’s qualifications and qualified in basic German. He served in Northern Ireland as a Section Commander in Bessbrook and in March 1985 he was posted to the Royal School of Military Engineering Search Wing as an Instructor in Search. Whilst at the Search Wing he carried out a tour in Hong Kong teaching the Hong Kong Police search techniques. He was promoted to Sergeant within the Search Branch and was involved in instructing and testing new equipment. He passed his Royal Engineer’s Senior N.C.O. Course in December 1986 and his Field Sergeant’s Course in March 1987. In 1987 he planned a Sponsored Run from London to Paris with a 10 man team, raising the sum of £6000 for the N.S.P.C.C. In April 1988 he was posted to 33 Explosive Ordnance Regiment where he gained his Royal Engineer Advanced Explosive Ordnance Disposal B1 qualification. He then spent 18 months working as a Section N.C.O. in Outstation Troop, clearing live ordnance dating back in some cases to before the First World War. He was awarded the B.E.M. in the New Year’s Honours List of 1990 for his work within the Search Wing at Chattenden. In addition he completed a four month tour in the Falkland Islands carrying out clearance of live Ordnance and also carried out normal Bomb Disposal duties dealing with many items that were found throughout the Islands. On return to the U.K. he was promoted to Staff Sergeant in January 1990 and was posted to 103 Field Squadron (Volunteers) as a Permanent Staff Instructor. For 16 years service Staff Sergeant Davies is awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.’

Sold with the above quoted Army announcements for the B.E.M. and L.S. and G.C. Medal; a letter of congratulation for his B.E.M. from Lieutenant-General Sir David Ramsbotham, K.C.B., C.B.E.; three ‘Free From Explosive’ Certificates, British Force Kuwait, dated 25 September 1991; and various items of uniform insignia.