United Kingdom. An Obe Group To Lieutenant Colonel John William Abraham, Brigade Major To The Middlesex Territorial Cadets

Includes:

1. Group of Four:

(i) Order of the British Empire, Officer Badge, Civil Division: in silver gilt, maker marked "SG" (Sebastian Garrard), hallmarked with the British lion, marked with a leopard's head (made in London) and date marked "d" (1919) on the reverse, measuring 47.7 mm (w) x 62.3 mm (h).

(ii) Order of St. John, Officer (Brother) Breast Badge: in frosted silver, measuring 41.2 mm (w) x 42 mm (h).

(iii) British War Medal: (MAJOR J.W. ABRAHAM.), in silver, naming is officially impressed, measuring 36 mm in diameter.

(iv) Badge of the Order of the League of Mercy: two-piece construction, in silver gilt with red, white and black enamels, measuring 39 mm (w) x 52 mm (h), League of Mercy Long Service clasp in silver gilt with red enamels affixed to its ribbon.

Court-mounted with swing bar pinback, original ribbons, housed in a presentation case, brown leather exterior, inside lid in white cloth, padded and maker marked "SPINK & SON Ltd.", medal bed in black felt, measuring 170 mm (w) x 132 mm (h) x 34.5 mm (d), exhibiting scuffing on the exterior.

2. Order of St. John, Commander Neck Badge: in silver with white enamels, measuring 53.5 mm (w) x 54 mm (h), fine chipping evident in the white enamels on the reverse of the arm at 9 o'clock, on its original full-length neck ribbon.

Near extremely fine.

Accompanied by assorted paperwork that includes a brief biography of Abraham, along with various research papers.

Footnote: John William Abraham was born on June 3, 1875, the son of John George Abraham of Grove Lodge, Muswell Hill. He married Mable Eleanor Wilson, daughter of George Thomas Wilson of Tollington Park and was educated at Totteridge. As part of his First World War service, he was an officer commanding Transport East on Command Voluntary Ambulance Convoy and a Radiographer for the Middlesex Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) and the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. He organized, equipped and ran a travelling cinematograph show, which entertained over 100,000 men in four years. In the rank of Major, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Badge of the Order of the League of Mercy.

Abraham held a Licentiate in the Royal Institute of British Architects as of October 1919. He was appointed Brigade Major to the Middlesex Territorial Cadets with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in September 1920 and was appointed Assistant Director of Road Transport, Ministry of Food (Regents Park). Major John William Abraham, officer of the Civil Division OBE rendered great assistance to the Ministry of Food as a Transport Officer, the announcement appearing in the Third Supplement to the London Gazette 31840 of Friday, March 26, 1920, on Tuesday, March 30, 1920, page 3774 and is mentioned in an extract from Burke's Handbook of the OBE in 1920.

John William Abraham OBE had his commission signed by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Middlesex, the announcement appearing in the London Gazette 32061 of Friday, September 24, 1920, page 9450. Temporary Major Abraham relinquished his commission as of August 19, 1923 and was granted the Honourary Rank of Major, the announcement appearing in the London Gazette 32857 of Tuesday, August 28, 1923, page 5843. Lieutenant-Colonel John William Abraham was promoted to Officer in the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, the announcement appearing in the London Gazette 33728 if Tuesday, 23, 1931, page 4072. In the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, he was awarded the Commander of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, the announcement appearing in the London Gazette 34174 of Tuesday, June 25, 1935.