A Second War 'Civil Defence' C.B.E. and Great War St John Life Saving group of six awarded...

A Second War ‘Civil Defence’ C.B.E. and Great War St John Life Saving group of six awarded to Captain Frederick Hall, Royal Army Medical Corps, who was awarded the Silver Medal of the Order of St. John for his gallantry and devotion to duty during the bombing of the Brigade’s Hospital at Etaples, 31 May 1918 The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Civil) Commander’s 2nd type, neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Officer‘s (Brother’s) breast badge, silver; 1914-15 Star (Lieut. F. Hall. R.A.M.C.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. F. Hall); Life Saving Medal of the Order of St John, silver (Presented to Capt. Frederick Hall. R.A.M.C. 1918) good very fine (6) £500-£700 --- C.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1943: Frederick Hall, Esq., M.D., D.P.H., Medical Officer of Health to the Lancashire County Council. For services to Civil Defence. Fredrick Hall served with the Royal Army Medical Corps during the Great War on the Western Front, and was awarded the Silver Life Saving Medal of the Order of St. John for his gallantry and devotion to duty during the bombing of the Brigade’s Hospital at Etaples on 31 May 1918. The Knights of St. John in the British Empire, by E. J. King gives the following account: ‘In May, 1918, occurred those incidents so disgraceful to the honour of the German Army which perhaps caused more indignation in England than anything else during the war, the bombing of the hospitals at Etaples. The reasons for this action, which was grossly offensive to the conscience of the civilised world, are not even yet clearly understood. Presumably it was not due to sheer brutality, as was at one time supposed. In that case it must have formed part of a deliberate policy of reprisals for some imaginary or accidental injury, or else it must have been due to honest accident, owing to certain Army depots being in that neighbourhood. But the latter is an explanation extremely difficult, if not impossible, to believe. Whatever the causes may have been, on the night of May 19th German aircraft arrived over the Hospital and dropped a few bombs, doing a certain amount of damage. But this was only a foretaste of the wrath to come, and eleven days later, on the night of May 31st, a most determined attack with bombs and machine-guns was made upon the buildings. One ward received a direct hit and was blown to pieces, six wards were reduced to ruins, and three others were severely damaged. Sister Baines, four orderlies, and eleven patients were killed outright, whilst two doctors, five sisters, and many orderlies and patients were wounded. It is impossible to speak too highly of the way in which the Hospital Staff carried out their duties during that terrible night; no more can be said than that it was worthy of the highest traditions of the Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem. In recognition of the gallantry of their conduct, His Royal Highness the Grand Prior conferred the gold medal of the Order for saving life upon Lieut.-Colonel C. J. Trimble, of whom it was said that during the bombardments “he was constantly passing through the various departments and entrenchments of the Hospital, encouraging the patients and personnel and directing operations. It was largely due to the fact that he displayed such coolness and disregard for his personal safety that so many escaped injury and that no panic occurred”. The silver medal was conferred upon two of the medical officers, Captain Frederick Hall and Captain William Wilson, “in recognition of their gallantry, devotion to duty and saving life on the occasion of air raids on the St. John Ambulance Brigade Hospital at Etaples”. The bronze medal was conferred for the same reasons upon three medical officers, nine other ranks, and one patient.’