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Auction: 23002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 109

The British Empire Medal awarded to Mr. A. L. Jackson, who was decorated for his great bravery in dealing with German bombs during a raid on the Grimsby docks in 1944

British Empire Medal, G.VI.R., Civil Division (Arthur Leslie Jackson), officially engraved naming, very fine

B.E.M. London Gazette 7 March 1944:

'During a sharp air attack by enemy planes extensive damage was done by fire and high explosive bombs. Mr. Jackson and Mr. Price showed outstanding devotion to duty and sustained courage in carrying out their hazardous tasks and their services enabled dock and rail operations to be maintained with the minimum of disruption.'

Perhaps the best account of Arthur Leslie Jackson's actions which were to earn him a well-deserved medal can be found in a newspaper article from 8 March 1944:

'Bravery at Grimsby Docks: B.E.M. Awards

Two employees of the L.N.E.R. Company at Grimsby Docks received the B.E.M. for bravery during an air raid. They are: Arthur Leslie Jackson, 41, of Sherbourn St., Cleethorpes, and Ronald Price, 34, of Stratford Ave, Grimsby.

When the Germans raided Grimsby in June they dropped scores of high explosives, incendiary, and anti-personnel bombs, some of which fell in the dock area and on railway buildings. Fires were caused. Mr. Jackson, trained as a bomb reconnaissance officer, recognised the type of bomb though it had not previously been used on an extensive scale.

Assisted by Mr. Price, A.R.P. instructor for the railway company, he located many of the bombs. Round each a wall of sandbags was built so that firemen and others could tackle them with some degree of safety. Every bomb so blanketed might have exploded when getting the sandbags into position. The action allowed mainline work on the railway to be resumed with the minimum of delay.' (The Daily Mail, Wednesday 8 March 1944, p. 1122, refers).

Sold with copies of newspaper extracts which include photographs of both Jackson and Price.

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Estimate
£600 to £800

Starting price
£480