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Auction: 23001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 383

A very fine 'London Blitz 1940' G.M. group of five awarded to Warden G. Peerless, Marylebone Air Raid Precautions, late Private, 17th Lancers

Peerless won his outstanding decoration after a bomb demolished a house - doors from his own - on 21 October 1940; despite being off-duty he was straight to the scene and effected the dangerous rescue of trapped persons, the building at the whole time at risk of collapse - he was eventually dragged out and hospitalised after being overcome by coal gas

George Medal, G.VI.R. (George Peerless); 1914 Star (369 Pte. G. Peeress. 17/Lrs.); British War and Victory Medals (L-369 Pte. G. Peerless. 17-Lrs.); Defence Medal 1939-45, note spelling of surname on Star, good very fine (5)

G.M. London Gazette 9 May 1941. The award was made in a joint citation for the B.E.M. to Miss Winifred Ortweiler:

'A bomb wrecked a dwelling house. Miss Ortweiler scrambled down a very small hole into the basement and found four people trapped and unable to move.

She reassured them but was not strong enough to effect their release. There was
an escape of gas and, to avoid an explosion, she put out the kitchen fire.

Warden Peerless then entered the hole. He obtained a saw and cut away the corner of a dresser until it was possible, with the help of Miss
Ortweiler, to free three persons who were then helped out of the basement. Warden Peerless stayed behind and made a most gallant effort to rescue the remaining victim. Both Wardens behaved with great gallantry, being fully aware of the danger from coal gas.'

The original Case Report (No. 924A) gives more detail, this from W. Malan, the District ARP Warden:

'The bomb fell at 2024hrs and wrecked four houses in Aquila Street, including No. 2, occupied by the Twitcher family. The explosion was heard by Miss Ortweiler, a Warden of A5, who lives at No. 11 St Johns Wood Terrace about fifty yards away from where the bomb fell. She immediately went out fully equipped to Aquila Street, and saw what had happened. Hearing voices from the debris she searched and found a small hole in the debris leading down to the front basement of No. 2 and ascertained that there were people trapped. Two Police Officers were already on the scene, but the hole was, and still is, so small that they could not enter it and advised Miss Ortweiler that it would be dangerous to try. However, Miss Ortweiler scrambled down the hole and found herself in what remained of the kitchen.

The ceiling had collapsed and was resting at one end on the fixed dresser, and at the other end on the floor, and was partly supported by the kitchen table which it had pushed up against the dresser. Mrs Twitcher was trapped between the dresser and the table, her two sons trapped behind her and none of them could move. Her husband was lying inside the room held by the leg.

Miss Ortweiler did what she could to comfort these people buy was not strong enough to release them. Sensing a danger of an explosion from escaping gas she set off a stirrup pump to put out the kitchen fire. Then Warden Peerless who lives at No. 11 Aquila Street, a few doors away and was off duty at the time, arrived and being small at once entered the hole. For some reason or other he could not get down to the room for an appreciable time. He thus got the full effect of the escaping gas as his head was nearer the ceiling, while the others lower down were not affected. Having been gassed in the last War he was fully aware of his danger but nevertheless asked for and obtained a saw, and standing on the debris proceeded to saw away the corner of the dresser until it was possible to free Mrs Twitcher and her two sons with the help of Miss Ortweiler. All these people were then helped out of the basement and Warden Peerless was left alone.

Warden Peerless stayed behind and made a most gallant effort to rescue Mr Twitcher, but his strength was failing and he cannot remember any more until he found himself in the street. He was pulled out by the Rescue Party who had by that time arrived....In view of the fact that Peerless was perfectly aware of the danger he was in from the coal gas, but nevertheless went on with his duty until he had achieved the rescue of the first three people and then, failing in strength, proceeded to make an attempt to rescue the last of the trapped persons, I most strongly recommend him for some suitable award in the form of a decoration, which I consider he has richly deserved.

Miss Ortweiler's action was no less to be commended, but she was not in such danger as Warden Peerless.'

George Peerless was born in 1889 and during the Great War served on the Western Front with the 17th Lancers from 8 November 1914. He was also awarded the Royal Humane Society Testimonial on Vellum for the rescue of a young boy in the River Arun at Littlehampton on 26 August 1933.

By the time of the Second World War, he was a Verger at All Saints Church, Marylebone and lived at 11 Aquila Street, being a Warden in the local Air Raid Precautions.

He won his superb George Medal during the height of the London Blitz and the Battle of Britain, on Monday 21 October 1940, a day which saw cloud, fog and some rain. About sixty enemy aircraft made for England and dropped bombs on London and the suburbs. About fifteen were detected going to the West Country. He showed his true colours just yards from his own home, which stands very close to Lords Cricket Ground and Regent's Park; sold together with copied research.

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Sold for
£5,200

Starting price
£2800