Neck badge. Silver gilt cross patonce the arms enamelled blue grey on reverse. In the centre within a circle enamelled red the motto 'FOR GOD AND THE EMPIRE' gilt conjoined busts of King George V and Queen Mary. Reverse: The Royal cypher 'GRI' within a rope circle. Suspended from a pink ribbon edged grey. In fitted case of issue. Awarded to Theobald John Claude Purcell Buret CBE, DSC, MN, (Royal Mail Lines).

Buret was born in London in 1879 and first went to sea aged fifteen. Between 1894 and 1899 he was an apprentice and then third mate on the steel three-masted ship Pass of Balmaha' (1888). He qualified as master in 1907 (certificate number 034334) and for twenty-six years was engaged in that capacity on ships of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. His zeal and devotion to duty during the First World War were recognised in the award of the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) in 1917. Between 1940 and 1942 he commanded the troopship 'Andes' (1939) on voyages to Africa, the Far East, New Zealand and America. He was commodore of the Royal Mail Lines fleet between 1940 and 1944. His troopship work was recognised when he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) on his retirement from seagoing engagements in 1942. During the remaining war years he lectured for the Ministry of Information on subjects including convoys and troopships. Buret’s surname was changed to Purcell-Buret by deed poll in 1941. He died at Winchester, Hampshire, in 1974.