A scarce inter-war Ferozopore Arsenal Army Meritorious Service Medal for gallantry group to Sub Conductor G.E. Turner, Indian Ordnance Department, later Indian Army Ordnance Corps and Army Ordnance Corps who saw service on the Western Front during the Great War before taking part in the operations in Mesopotamia during the Iraq Rebellion which lasted from 10th December 1919 to 17th November 1920 and also during the operations on the North West Frontier in Waziristan during the period from 1921 to 1924. He would go on to be awarded a scarce Army Meritorious Service Medal for gallantry in the London Gazette of 27th May 1927 for his bravery on 6th April 1926 when a fire broke out in a truck of explosives in Ferozopore Arsenal, knowing the tuck contained explosives he entered the truck and assisted to unload it. By his gallant conduct he helped to extinguish the fire, and materially prevented a serious explosion, and consequent loss of life. This was 1 of just 3 immediate Meritorious Service Medals awarded during 1927.
Group of 6: British War Medal and Victory Medal; (S-COND. GE TURNER I.O.D.) General Service Medal 1918-1962, GVR, 1 Clasp: Iraq; (SUB CONDR.G.E. TURNER. I.O.D.) India General Service Medal 1908-1935, 1 Clasp: Waziristan 1921-24; (S-CONDR. G,E, TURNER, I,A,O,C,) Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, GVR, officially engraved naming; (Staff Sergt G.E. Turner, I.O. Dept.) Army Meritorious Service Medal, GVR, (SUB CONDR. G.E. TURNER. A.O.C.) Mounted loose for display.
Condition: mounted loose for display, Good Very Fine
George Edmund Turner was born in Varanasi (formerly Benares), Uttar Pradesh, India on 22nd April 1881 and saw service on the Western Front prior to July 1918 with the Indian Ordnance Department. After the Great Warhe saw service in Mesopotamia during the Iraq Rebellion which lasted from 10th December 1919 to 17th November 1920 and also during the operations on the North West Frontier in Waziristan during the period from 1921 to 1924. He would go on to be awarded the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal before being awarded a scarce Meritorious Service Medal for gallantry in the London Gazette 27th May 1927:
The King has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the Meritorious Service Medal to the undermentioned for gallant conduct in the performance of military duty:
‘Sub Conductor George Edmund Turner, Indian Army Ordnance Corps:
On the 6th April 1926, a fire broke out in a truck of explosives in Ferozepore Arsenal, near the magazine. Sub-Conductor Turner knew that the truck contained explosives, but in spite of this he entered the truck and assisted to unload it. By his gallant conduct he helped to extinguish the fire, and materially prevented a serious explosion, and consequent loss of life’
This was one of only three immediate awards of the Meritorious Service Medal made in 1927, another individual Murray Boulter Matheson being awarded his for his acts in the same incident:
‘On the 6th April 1926, a fire broke out in a truck of explosives in Ferozopore Arsenal, near the magazine. Serjeant Matheson knew that the truck contained explosives, but in spite of this he entered the truck and immediately started to unload it, and assisted in pouring water over the burning boxes of explosives. By his gallant conduct he helped to extinguish the fire, and materially prevented a serious explosion and consequent loss of life.’
By the time of the 1939 register taken at the outbreak of the Second World War, Turner was living in Greenwich and was still living there at the time of his death on 1st January 1956.
