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593
A Second World War ‘N.W. Europe’ Military M.B.E. group of six awarded to Lieutenant R. T. Elliott, Royal Artillery
THE MOST EXCELLENT ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 2nd type breast badge, silver; 1939-45 STAR;
FRANCE AND GERMANY STAR; DEFENCE AND WAR MEDALS, these unnamed; ARMY L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue, Regular Army
(Lieut. (D.O.), R.A.) mounted as worn; together with a mounted set of six miniature dress medals, good very fine (12)
£240-280
M.B.E. London Gazette 24 January 1946. ‘For gallant and distinguished service in N.W. Europe’.
Recommendation states: ‘Since this officer mobilised with 202 Fixed Defences in February 1943 his work as District Officer has been
outstanding.
It was mainly due to his hard work and perseverance that the Coast Artillery Operations Room at Nieuwe Sluis was ready to operate
when the first convoy entered the Scheldt on Nov. 28th 1944. From this date until May 1945, as one of three officers on the War
Establishment, he took his turn for night duty as Seawards Defence Commander, in addition to his “Q” work by day for both the
military and naval personnel at the Station. He gave warning to Navy Ostend on the night Dec. 23/24, 1944 of unidentified radar plots
off the Scheldt entrance subsequently proved to be midget submarines making their first attempt to penetrate past Flushing. His
keenness was an inspiration to the Operations Room Watchers and his sound administration considerably helped in ensuring very close
cooperation between the two Services.’
The recipient came from Houghton-le-Spring.
594
A Second World War Middle East operations M.B.E. group of five awarded to Group Captain O. E. Bartlett, Royal Air
Force, a long served ‘Explosives Officer (X)’
THE MOST EXCELLENT ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 2nd type breast badge; 1939-45 STAR; AFRICA STAR;
DEFENCE AND WAR MEDALS, M.I.D. oak leaf, all unnamed, generally good very fine (5) £250-300
M.B.E. London Gazette 11 June 1942. The recommendation states:
‘This officer has been responsible for the organisation of the forward supply of fuel, ammunition and explosives to the Squadrons. By
his pertinacity and resourcefulness he has overcome many unforeseen problems. There have been many instances when he has
navigated not only the first R.A.F. convoys but also Army convoys. On one occasion he was successful in overcoming Army opposition
to a certain journey which he carried out and ensured sufficient petrol for immediate operations. An example of his coolness is found
when he took a Royal Air Force convoy through from Maddalena to the Army Co-Operation Squadron attached to XIII Corps, whilst the
Army was carrying out a local withdrawal. This action saved the bulk of the aircraft from being lost and ensured reconnaissance for the
Army.’
M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1943 and 8 June 1944.
Owen Edward Bartlett, who was born in Forest Hill, London in January 1917, was granted a short service commission as a Pilot Officer
in the R.A.F’s Equipment Branch in September 1939, his earlier ambition of qualifying for his “Wings” having been dashed at the Civil
Flying School at Reading, where his examiner noted that his ‘general flying was very dangerous’. Possibly encouraged by this
“dangerous” assessment, he decided to pursue a career as an Explosive’s Officer, in which field he qualified in early 1940, and in
March of the following year he was embarked for the Middle East.
In his capacity as an explosives expert, Bartlett subsequently served in this theatre of war until January 1944, when he was evacuated
home on the sick list, a period that witnessed him serving as an Acting Squadron Leader in command of assorted Maintainance Units
(M.U.), in addition to periods of attachment to R.A.F. Headquarters in Malta, and in the Levant, Palestine, in 1943. And while “Malta
G.C.” must have offered plenty of scope for an officer of his trade, it was in fact for his earlier work in command of No. 121 M.U. in
North Africa that he was awarded his M.B.E. and two “mentions”. He ended the War as an Explosives Officer at Greenham Common.
Granted a permanent commission as a Flight Lieutenant in September 1945, Bartlett’s post-war career encompassed many commands,
including nuclear bomb storage sites at R.A.F. Barnham and Faldingworth, and having been advanced to Group Captain in January
1967, he was placed on the Retired List in February 1972. He died in July 1979.
Sold with the recipient’s original M.B.E. warrant and M.I.D. certificates (2), these in original envelopes; together with what would
appear to be a wartime photograph of him taken in North Africa.
www.dnw.co.uk
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