Figure 3: The “Boots”-style naming on the reverse of Scott’s three stars.

Six days later the book arrived. Nice Cover. I hoped Scott received a mention! Shock! Scott was well represented in the book! Numerous photos and details of missions flown! Details of his last mission, after wwhich he was due to Figure 5: “Boots”-style naming on the 1939-1945 War return to the United Kingdom for promotion. Photos of Medal his aircraft burning in the sea after the mast strike. Fast forward a day, after a drive home, dinner and then a bit of computer work: “name, rank, and serial number” A neat twist to why Scott was so well covered. The author as they used to say. I found a site on the Malta Memorial of the book was directly related to Scott’s air gunner, who on the Internet that states that Scott’s aircraft hit the mast was flew with Scott for almost all of his missions. The of a ship he was attacking on August 26, 1941. Well, author wrote the book with details provided from many a good start, so I pressed on and searched further for others, among whom was Scott’s sister, who also provided information on 105 Squadron. The basic information is a number of photos. The air gunner had sent these details there: Blenheim’s, low level attacks in France, etc. and home prior to his loss. then off to Malta. Wait, a book about 105 Squadron’s services from 1939-1941! I ordered same and then the When you read the stories of aircrew lost a on these types waited. of mission. Other questions form as to what if, or why? In my case it was why did Scott and crew not receive a DFM

Figure 6: The box in which Scott’s medals were posted.

38 JOMSA for their tour? It may have been in the wind for his return and promotion,; Commander Hughie Edwards, VC, DFC.

On the mission that Edwards was awarded the VC, a low level attack on Bremen, Scott was on his left wing, spaced at some distance which was normal as the aircraft picked their targets during the low-level attack. Scott’s bombing did a fair amount of damage and his aircraft was shot up quite well, his gunner being slightly injured from a shell passing up the backstraps of his parachute harness. Edwards got the VC, the crew on his right, all slightly injured, received DFMs. Scott? Just another mission chalked up.

Scott’s last mission was to be a photo-reconnaissance of ships reported in a harbor. Two aircraft were sent, with Scott as lead. After the photos were taken, and the planes were enroute back to Malta, a medium-sized vessel was sighted, identified as an enemy, and an attack was set up. Scott made one run in, circled and then made another run. of an Officer Cadet Training Unit he was commissioned These anti-shipping bomb runs were flown at anywhere 2nd Lieutenant, RA on March 2, 1947. He served with from 10 to 20 feet off the water at full power and at a 73 Heavy Antiaircaft Artillery, RA in Tripolitania until speed of nearly 200 mph. Scott’s wingman was holding being demobilized on May 6, 1948. He later joined the off to one side and his observer, with camera in hand, was Territorial Army eventually reaching the rank of Major observing the attack. When Scott’s Blenheim hit the mast on November 1, 1962. For his services with the Territo- of the ship on the pull up and exploded, the observer in rial Army he was awarded for the Efficiency Decoration the other aircraft snapped photos of the wreckage burning (Territorial) in the London Gazette of March 16, 1962. on the water. Then his aircraft made their own run on the ship and claimed a hit on the stern. John started collecting in 1943, when as young schoolboy he bought a Territorial Force Efficiency Medal in Folk- Sergeant Ron Scott and crew were lost. Memories of them stone. Over the next 65+ years he amassed a large and live in the names inscribed on the Malta Memorial and varied collection of medals, and was especially known of course with the few that would have known of them for his research and knowledge of long service medals. that are still alive today. I did not find my DFC or DFM He served for over 30 years as editor of the Journal of group, but I did find Sgt. Scott’s group and it is perhaps the Orders and Medals Research Society and received a better find. It was a good day at OMSA 2014. that society’s Award of Merit in Gold. John was a long- time OMSA member attending conventions on a regular basis who was honored as a Distinguished Member of the society in 1994. “For services to the Orders and Medals IN MEMORIAM Research Society” John was honored as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in New Year’s Honors MAJOR JOHN MICHAEL ALAN TAMPLIN, in January 1998. MBE, TD (1927-2015) Most importantly John was not only a fount of wisdom John Michael Alan Tamplin, a long-time OMSA mem- regarding British orders, decorations and medals, but he ber and well-known collector and researcher of British shared his knowledge willingly with fellow collectors and medals passed away on January 5, 2015 at the age of 81. researchers. His publications include The Lambeth and John was born in Folkestone on September 1, 1927, the Southwark Volunteers: A Century of Voluntary Service younger son of Colonel Guy Ronald Tamplin, MC and in the Volunteers and Territorials, 1860-1960; eleven Katharine Bertha Tamplin (née Major). He was educated volumes on volunteer and long service awards published at Uppingham School from 1942 to 1945. On May 3, 1945 by Spink; and with P. E. Abbott British Gallantry Awards he joined the British Army as a Gunner and was posted to in two editions. A true gentleman and friend he will be 10 Field Training Regiment, Royal Artillery at Deepcut; greatly missed by many. receiving the 1939-1945 War Medal. After passing out Harry Bendorf

Vol. 66, No. 2 (March-April 2015) 39 A RARE MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL?

FRED L. BORCH

This medal is not listed in the Medal Yearbook issued by Token Publishing yearly. It is struck in cupro-nickel and has a green, yellow and blue ribbon. The obverse (Figure 1) depicts Queen Elizabeth wearing the Tudor crown, with the inscription ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F.D.; this indicates that the medal was struck between 1954 and 1980. The reverse (Figure 2) has the inscription FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE. Only the fact that the reverse also has the coat of arms of the Solomon Islands indicates the origin of this medal; a medal that apparently is not only rare but is largely unknown in the medal collecting community.

A quick search of the World Wide Web confirms that this Meritorious Service Medal was created in 1980, two years after the Solomon Islands gained its independence from the United Kingdom. The country consists of a large number of islands lying to the east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu. The best-known island Figure 2: Reverse of the Solomon Islands Meritorious in the solomons is Guadalcanal, the scene of much bloody Service Medal. combat in World War II. 1/4-inches (32mm). Note too that the colors of the ribbon echo the colors on the shield of the Solomon Islands coat-of-arms (Figure 3). The ribbon is attached by a ring (diameter 1/2 inch (13 mm) through a ball on the top edge of the planchet.

Figure 1: Obverse of the Solomon Islands Meritorious Service Medal. Figure 3: The coat-of-arms of the Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands Meritorious Service Medal measures 1½-inches (39mm) in diameter. The planchet But how many Solomon Islands Meritorious Service is suspended from a green-yellow-blue-yellow-green Medals have been struck? How many have been awarded? vertically-striped ribbon. The green stripes are 1/4 inch Who are the recipients? Who designed this medal? What (7 mm) wide and the yellow stripes are 1/8 inch (3 mm) are the award criteria? These questions, and more, need wide. The blue stripe is the widest of all the stripes at to be answered. The author invites those who read this 1/2 inch (13mm). This makes the ribbon’s total width 1 article to contact him with any additional information.

40 JOMSA