Medals of Glory

7

November 30, 2012 by sfrshistory

At the start of this history project and after speaking to the Chief Fire Officer Paul Raymond about my ideas – he suggested I take a look at some of the archived items in the store cupboard located at Shrewsbury Fire Station. Excitedly I headed up to the cupboard and found a big box full of old trophies and plaques. At the bottom of the box was a brown envelope with something heavy inside. I tipped out the contents onto a worktop to discover a bar of military medals and ribbons – I checked the envelope to see if there was any information of their owner or where they had come from but there was nothing. They were in a pretty poor state and looked like they needed a good polish and clean.

I have to be honest Military medals are not really my forte so I started the search for their owner with some help from some ex military fire fighters, they quickly pointed out that one of the medals was the Queens Fire Service Medal (QFSM) and that it would have the name of its receiver engraved on the rim. This read: WILOUGHBY M H DRAKE – M.B.E. CH.OFF. SHROPSHIRE FIRE BRIGADE.

After some research I managed to find out enough information to form a brief history:

Willoughby Mervin Hammett Drake.

Born: 11th April 1912

Willoughby Drake was the only child to his parents Hammett Drake and Bridget Willoughby; he grew up in the town of Hartley Wintney in Hampshire. In 1931 he married Hilda Shanks in Brentford Middlesex.

When World War Two broke out Mr. Drake was 27 years old. Unfortunately I’m unable to find any military records of his service throughout the war. I have however found a document detailing the reasons for his MBE medal.

Details:
To be an Additional Member of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire: —( Supplement to the L/G
35233, 1st August 1941. pp. 4416.)
Willoughby Mervyn Hammett DRAKE, Chief Officer, Stourport-upon-Severn Fire Brigade.
Awarded the British Empire Medal (Civil Division): — (Supplement to the L/G 35233, 1st August 1941. pp. 4416.)
William Thomas HILL, Inspector, Plymouth Police Fire Brigade.
During an air raid a number of fires broke out. Inspector Hill at once began firefighting operations and was later joined by Chief Officer Drake of Stourport Fire Brigade in charge of several appliances and crews. Although at one time a large area was threatened by fire, these two Officers, by their masterly handling of the situation, prevented the fires from spreading and their courageous and persistent efforts resulted in much valuable property being saved. Chief Officer Drake and Inspector Hill showed courage and steadiness in very dangerous conditions and set a splendid example to their men.

Mr Drake was the first official Chief Fire Officer of the newly formed Shropshire Fire Brigade after the Fire Service Act in 1948.

Salop County Council’s official report from the Fire Brigade Committee meeting that took place on the 13th of November 1948 states: “It is likely to be some long time before a house can be built, as a site has yet to be purchased. In the meantime it has been found possible on the authority of the General Purchase Committee to purchase a house in Shrewsbury at public auction, at a price with the District Valuer’s valuation, and into this house the Chief Fire Officer has now moved. This house, while adequate to meet the situation until a new home is ready is not entirely satisfactory and the Home Office approving its purchase have indicated that it may be regarded as being required for a subordinate officer, and that the approval previously given to the building of a new house for the Chief Fire Officer is not affected”. The house that he is living in at this time is called Crosswinds on Oakfield Road, Copthorne, Shrewsbury. The house that is later built to accommodate Mr Drake is Orchard House, Mayfield Drive off London Road Shrewsbury. He lived there for the rest of his career. Neither of these houses have the same name today which makes them difficult to locate exactly.

On the 2nd of January 1956 Mr Drake received The Queen’s Fire Service Medal for Distinguished Service. He left Shropshire Fire Brigade in 1959 after 11 years service and took up the position as the Cheif Fire Officer of Devon Fire and Rescue Service.

Here is a photo of Mr. Drake talking to some officials at what I think is the West Midlands Show Ground. Notice he is wearing his Medal Bar.

Mr Drake died in Febuary 1984 in Devon. I can’t find any evidence that he had any children. I have however made contact with an ancestor through ancestry.com and forwarded photos of Mr. Drake’s medals.

The medals have now been cleaned and framed and will be hung beneath Mr. Drake’s portrait which is displayed in a meeting room at Shrewsbury Headquarters.