The interesting Great War 1914 Officer’s group awarded to Captain sometime temporary Lieutenant Colonel H.J. Masters, Royal Engineers and Special Reserve of Officers. Masters was a civil engineer who was commissioned into the Special Reserve in July 1911. Present with the 55th Field Company out on the Western Front from October 1914, he was latterly with the Directorate of Engineering Stores from July 1918, and employed with the Disposal of Surplus Stores from March 1919. He then returned to his work as a civil engineer and ended up with Shell Oil. With the Second World War, whilst remaining a civilian, he was employed with the Petroleum Department performing much valuable and responsible work in the defences of Britain, and prior to the Japanese invasion of Malaya and the East Indies, he flew out there to advise, prepare, and initiate the destruction of oilfields and facilities when the invasion began. This trip covered 50,000 flying miles besides road, rail and naval transport, and was performed under the instructions of the Cabinet Office. His work also saw him involved in intelligence, for whom he provided targets and advice to the Admiralty, the War Office and the Air Ministry and Combined Operations. Later, the benefit of his experience was sought in providing information and preparing equipment for the Allied landings in North Africa and Normandy, for the latter he was involved in the construction of the “PLUTO” - Pipe Line Under the Ocean scheme which supplied fuel to the troops ashore.
Group of 3: 1914 Star; (2.LIEUT: H.J. MASTERS. R.E.); British War Medal and Victory Medal; (CAPT. H.J. MASTERS.)
Condition: Good Very Fine.
Together with a fine portrait of the recipient in the dress uniform of a 2nd Lieutenant with the Royal Engineers. This over coloured on canvas from a photograph, and touched in with paint. Signed by ‘Reynolds’ and framed in a gilt frame.
Harry James Masters was born on 27th June 1887 in Rotherfield, Sussex, the son of Alfred Thomas Masters, and Sarah Elizabeth Thomas. His father was a medical doctor, and by 1911 the family were living in Northam, Sussex, with Harry James Masters, being then shown as working as a civil engineer, he having been educated at the University of London, where he had been a member of the Officer Training Corps. As such he was then commissioned into the Special Reserve of Officers as a 2nd Lieutenant into the Royal Engineers on 5th July 1911.
With the outbreak of the Great War he was mobilised and saw service out on the Western Front with the 55th Field Company from 7th October 1914, being promoted from Lieutenant to Captain on 26th June 1917, and then to temporary Major whilst employed with the Directorate of Engineering Stores from 1st July 1918. He then switched to the department for officers involved in the Disposal of Surplus Stores as a Captain and temporary Lieutenant Colonel from 8th March 1919, but relinquished this rank on 20th July 1919, and eventually relinquished his commission in the rank of Captain on 27th June 1922, and transferred to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers, with who he remained until he reached the age limit on 27th June 1937.
In the meantime in October 1935 he married Mary Angela Marcia Beal in Cranbrook, Kent, he being photograph in the local paper on this occasion, and erroneously described as a Colonel. He had by then returned to his work as a civil engineer, and as of 1939 is shown as living with his wife in Orpington, Kent, when he was working for Shell Oil.
With the Second World War his services were once again required, but this time whilst remaining a civilian and employed with the Petroleum Department. As such he helped to construct the defences of Britain, performing much valuable and responsible work, which saw him involved in intelligence, for whom he provided targets and advice to the Admiralty, the War Office and the Air Ministry and Combined Operations.
In June 1941 he was sent out by the Cabinet Office to the Middle East and then to Malaya and the East Indies to advise, prepare, and initiate the destruction of oilfields and facilities when the Japanese invasion began. This trip covered 50,000 flying miles besides road, rail and naval transport. Later, the benefit of his experience was sought in providing information and preparing equipment for the Allied landings in North Africa and Normandy. In 1943 he visited North Africa to assist in developing and repairing the petroleum facilities there to make them capable of supplying requirements for the campaign in Italy. For the invasion of Normandy he played a significant role in the development of the “PLUTO” - Pipe Line Under the Ocean scheme which supplied fuel to the troops ashore in Normanby after the landing there.
After the war he took over the rehabilitation of the Shell Oil Group property in Europe, which position he fulfilled until his retirement. He died in Lewisham, London, in 1961.