Badge: Order of the British Empire, 3rd class (military)

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 with central grey stripe. In fitted case of issue with two investiture tickets for Buckingham Palace dated 10 Jun 1947. Awarded to Captain Frederick Henry Taylor, CBE, DSC, RN in December 1945.

Captain Frederick Henry Taylor C.B.E., D.S.C., RN (1888-1953). Naval officer and submariner. He entered the Royal Navy on 15 January 1903 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1909. From 1913 he commanded submarines and in 'C24' he sunk 'U-40' off Aberdeen on 23 June 1915. He continued in the service after the end of the war and was promoted Captain on 30 June 1930, retiring in 1936. He was re-employed at the beginning of the war as Captain RN (retired) commanding the armed merchant cruiser HMS 'Rajputana' on convoy escort duties in the North Atlantic. 'Rajputana' was sunk off Iceland by 'U-108' in on 13 April 1941. Taylor was on board but survived and continued to serve on escort duties during the rest of the Battle of the Atlantic. He was mentioned in despatches on 15 August 1944 and was awarded the CBE on 11 December 1945. Official reports of his character and competence are generally favourable but mention a 'hot temper easily aroused.' He married Elaine Muriel Bell on 11 October 1919 at Westminster.

Object Details

ID: MED1411
Collection: Coins and medals
Type: Order
Display location: Not on display
Date made: 1937
People: King George V; Taylor, Frederick Henry Queen Mary, Consort of King George V
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 62 mm
Parts: Badge: Order of the British Empire, 3rd class (military)