British
169 British awards were received by Old Bristolians, with several boys receiving more than one award. Below is information about each award achieved by an OB, in the order of precedence within the British military and civilian award systems.
Level 1
Number awarded to OBs: 2
Nationality of award: British
Founded: 29th January 1856 by Queen Victoria.
Information: The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration for valour “in the face of the enemy”. It can be awarded to members of the armed forces of any rank, and to civilians under military command for “most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy”. The award is usually presented to the recipient or their next of kin by the British monach at Buckingham Palace.
Awarded
James, Manley Angell
Lumsden, Frederick William
Victoria Cross (VC)
Number awarded to OBs: 3
(An additional 1 was awarded pre-war)
Nationality of award: British
Founded: 18th May 1725 by George 1st
Information: The name comes from a medieval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing, as a symbol of purification. It has three classes of members: Knights or Dames Grand Cross (GCB) – limited to 120, Knights Commander (KCB) or Dames Commander (DCB) – limited to 355, and Companions (CB) – limited to 1,925. Members of the Military Division of the award must be if the rank of Lieutenant Commander, Major, or Squadron Leader. They also must have been Mentioned in Despatches for distinction in combat.
Awarded
Lumsden, Frederick William
Openshaw, Thomas Horrocks
Weekes, Victor Herbert Thomas
Pre-War
Kelly, Francis Henry
Companion of the Bath (CB)
Level 2A
Number awarded to OBs: 6 (1 with First Bar, 1 with Third Bar)
Nationality of award: British
Founded: 6th September 1886 by Queen Victoria
Information: It is awarded for distinguished action by officers during wartime. While it is typically awarded to the rank of Major or higher, there have been exceptions where junior officers have been awarded the DSO. In WW1, 8,981 DSOs were awarded.
Awarded
Hardiman, Edgar Henry Malachi
Hardman, Reginald Stanley
Newth, Arthur Leslie Walter
with One Bar
Olphert, Wybrants Joseph John
with Three Bars
Lumsden, Frederick William
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Number awarded to OBs: 5 Companions, 1 Pre-War
Nationality of award: British
Founded: 28th April 1918 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV
Information: The CMG is the sixth most senior order of chivalry, named in honour of St Michael and St George, both military saints. It is awarded to men and women who conduct significant non-military work in a foreign country. The Order has three classes: Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross – limited to 125, Knight Commander or Dame Commander – limited to 375, and Companion – limited to 1750.
Awarded
Companion
Jones, Charles Herbert
Kelly, Francis Henry
Lees, Charles Henry Brownlow
Moline, Frank Herman
Weekes, Victor Herbert Thomas
Pre-War
Openshaw, Thomas Horrocks
Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG)
Number awarded to OBs: 4 Officers (OBE), 2 Member (MBE)
Nationality of award: British
Founded: 4th June 1917 by King George V
Information: The Order is composed of five classes: Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GBE), Knight Commander (KBE) or Dame Commander (DBE), Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE), Member (MBE).
Awarded
Officer
Gedye, Nicholas George
Gill, Ernest Walter Brudenell
Hiley, Wilfrid Edward
Protheroe, Arthur Havard
Member
Blake, George Shearsby
Watling, John Basil
Order of the British Empire (OBE, MBE)
Level 3A
Number awarded to OBs: 2
Nationality of award: British
Founded: 1901 as the Conspicuous Service Cross, it was renamed the Distinguished Service Cross in October 1914.
Information: It can be awarded to any Navy or Merchant Navy members, commissioned or warrant, beneath the rank of Lieutenant Commander. It is awarded for ‘gallantry during active operations against the enemy’.
Awarded
Grant, Gerald Gordon
Olphert, Wybrants Joseph John
Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)
Number awarded to OBs: 48, and 4 1st bars
Nationality of award: British
Founded: December 1914
Information: The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration for commissioned officers of the rank of Captain or below, and for Warrant Officers. It was awarded for “an act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land…”. Bars were awarded in recognition of further gallantry.
Military Cross (MC)
Awarded
Barnes, Archie Fairbairn
Barnett, Percy John
Booker, Stanley Charles
Brown, Harold Bainbridge
Burnett, Donovan
Castle, Gilbert Stacey
Cole, Aubrey du Plat Thorold
Cooke, Reginald Charles
Davis, Harold Charles Edward
Gardner, Bertie Charles
Gilbert, John Wesley
Gough, Donald Lansdown
Griffiths, Cuthbert Cyril
Hall, Vincent Bingham Bingham-
Hardiman, Edgar Henry Malachi
Haskins, Harold Stanley
Awarded
Hobbs, Francis Bromley
James, Manley Angell
Just, Leonhardt Wolfgang
Just, Norman Wolfgang
Lowe, Richard
Machon, Roy Ebdon
McKenzie, William George
Merrick, Horace
Morgan, Ernest Edmund [Leigh]
Newth, Arthur Leslie Walter
Newton, Clement Vaughan
Nichols, Jonas Edward
Nichols, Sidney Kenneth
Pakeman, Sidney Arnold
Parsons, Cyril Gordon
Parsons, Kenneth Owen
Awarded
Pickles, Reginald Clarence Werrett
Pickthorn, Charles Edward Murray
Protheroe, Arthur Havard
Ridler, Frederick Arnold
Stallon, Percival Vere
Stone, Frederick James
Stradling, Reginald Edward
Watson, Kenneth Charles Forrester
Watson, Stanley Herbert
Westlake, Harold William Guy
Wilson, Clifford Llewellyn
with 1st Bar
Brown, Harold Bainbridge
Hall, Vincent Bingham Bingham-
Number awarded to OBs: 1
Nationality of award: British
Founded: 3rd June 1918
Information: A military award for personnel of the Royal Air Force and other flying services. It is awarded for “an act or acts of valour, courage, or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy”. A bar can be added if a second event of valour occurs. During WW1, approximately 1100 DFCs were awarded, with 70 1st bars and 3 2nd bars.
Awarded
Golding, Herbert Melhuish
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
Level 2B
Number awarded to OBs: 5
Nationality of award: British
Founded: 1854
Information: The award was originally instituted during the Crimean War. It was awarded for gallantry to non-commissioned officers of the British Army and other Commonwealth countries. The equivalent for commissioned officers is the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). Bars could also be added to the award in the event of further acts of gallantry.
Awarded
Black, Geoffrey Heslop
Gore, Robert William
Gould, Henry Leon
James, Edward Francis
Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM)
Level 3B
Number awarded to OBs: 1
Nationality of Award: British
Founded: 14th October 1914.
Information: The DSM is awarded to non-commissioned personnel of the Royal Navy and other services for ‘bravery and resourcefulness’ on active service at sea. It is the ‘equivalent’ of the Distinguished Service Cross which is awarded to commissioned and warrant officers, although it ranks below this in order of precedence.
Awarded
Cavendish, James Robert Carnegie
Distinguished Service Medal (DSM)
Number awarded to OBs: 11, and 1 First Bar
Nationality of award: British
Founded: 25th March 1916
Information: The Military Medal is the equivalent of the Military Cross for non-commissioned ranks. It was awarded for bravery in battle on land.
Awarded
Abrahams, Kenneth Duncan
Bennett, Charles Elson
Black, Geoffrey Heslop
Keniston, Frederick Claude
Machin, Stuart Edward
Pakeman, Frederick Joseph
Rose, Herbert Edward
Salter, Thomas Frederick
Strickland, Denys Joseph
with 1st Bar
Hutchings, Harold Frederick
Military Medal (MM)
Level 4
Mentioned in Despatches (MiD)
Number awarded to OBs: 60
Nationality of award: British
Founded: 1914
Information: Mentioned in Despatches means that a superior officer has sent a report of a soldiers conduct to the high command, as they were gallant or meritorious in the face of the enemy. Some higher decorations require that a soldier is first Mentioned in Despatches. The names of soldiers mentioned are published in the London Gazette.
Awarded
on One Occasion
Alford, Kenneth Field
Anderson, Claude Birkbeck Wright
Barry, Archibald Hastings
Bennett, Charles Elson
Bethell, Lionel John
Burdett, John Head
Cook, Walter Kingsmill
Esbester, Ernest Henry
Fonseca, Honoris Jose Muschamp d'Assis
Geake, Frank Henry
Glanvill, Heyman Wreford Wreford-
Haskins, Harold Stanley
Hellyar, Richard Percival
Awarded
Hemmings, Frederick George
James, Edward Francis
James, Manley Angell
Lees, Charles Henry Brownlow
Machin, Lionel Gilbert
Moline, Frank Herman
Olphert, Wybrants Joseph John
Pickthorn, Charles Edward Murray
Small, Reginald George Douglas
Strickland, Denys Joseph
Watling, John Basil
Weekes, Victor Herbert Thomas
Westlake, Harold William Guy
Wilcox, Alfred George
Williams, Frank Henry
Wise, William Henry
Awarded
on Two Occasions
Gill, Ernest Walter Brudenell
Hardiman, Edgar Henry Malachi
Moxey, Percy
Newton, Clement Vaughan
Rose, Herbert Edward
Sherlock, William Whitaker
on Three Occasions
Blake, George Shearsby
Grace, Henry Edgar
Hardman, Reginald Stanley
Newth, Arthur Leslie Walter
Nichols, Sidney Kenneth
Protheroe, Arthur Havard
Most Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem
Awarded
Knight of Grace
Openshaw, Thomas Horrocks
Number awarded to OBs: 1 Knight of Grace
Nationality of award: British
Founded: 1888
Information: The Order of St. John of Jerusalem is a Royal Order of Chivalry instituted by Queen Victoria in 1888. It became associated with the St John Ambulance Brigade in 1887. People are recommended to be members by the Grand Council. Those chosen have generally been said to 'promote humanitarian and charitable work, aiding those in sickness, suffering, and/or danger'. The award sits somewhere between Level 3B, and Level 2B awards. However, the ranks within the Order of St John do 'not confer official rank in the order of precedence'. Members knighted in the order should not be addressed as 'Sir' or 'Dame', as they do not take precedence with the knights of the other British orders.
There are six ranks:
Bailiff/Dame Grand Cross
Knights/Dames of Justice or Grace
Commander/Chaplain
Officer
Serving Brother/Sister
Esquire
Long Service Awards
Number awarded to OBs: 3
Nationality of award: British
Founded: 19th December 1845
Information: It is awarded to recognise non-commissioned officers for meritorious service either in combat or non-combat situations. An annuity based on rank accompanied the award. Non-commissioned officers beneath the rank of Sergeant became eligible for the award during the First World War, but without the annuity. It was required that the recipient had served at least 20 years of service, and already hold the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. No more than 49 a year can be awarded in the Royal Navy, 3 in the Royal Marines, 89 in the Army, and 60 in the Royal Air Force. These limits are not generally reached.
Awarded
Hall, John Stanley
James, Edward Francis
Waldron, Reginald George
Meritorious Service Medal (MSM)
Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Reserve
Awarded
Olphert, Wybrants Joseph John
Number awarded to OBs: 1
Nationality of award: British
Founded: 1908
Information: Also known as the 'Reserve Decoration', the award is presented to members of the Royal Navy Reserve who have served at least 15 years on active service. Service at War counted for double.