Mounted set of medals awarded to East Sussex Constabulary Supt. William E Britton 1945 - 1953

Object/Artifact

Old Police Cells Museum Brighton

Mounted set of medals awarded to East Sussex Constabulary Supt. William E. Britton 1945 - 1953

Name/Title

Mounted set of medals awarded to East Sussex Constabulary Supt. William E Britton 1945 - 1953

Entry/Object ID

379

Description

Mounted set of medals comprising of: a 1939 -1945 Defence Medal, a 1953 Coronation Medal and a George VI Police Long Service and Good Conduct medal. The Long Service medal is stamped around the edge "Supt. William E. Britton". Along with the medal are two small cardboard medal boxes, one typewritten "14 East Sussex Supt. William E. Britton" and the other stamped and typewritten "OHMS Official Paid Supt. W.E. Britton Court House Police Station Cantalupe Road Bexhill Sussex".

Use

To be worn by recipient on special occasions

Context

This set of medals were awarded to William E Britton who served in East Sussex Constabulary and retired as a superintendent in December 1954 (Sussex Agricultural Express 3rd December 1954). The Defence Medal would have been for police service during the Second World War, and was mainly awarded to civilians or those in the civilian services. The Long Service Medal was first instituted in 1951 and initially awarded for 22 year's service but from 2010 was awarded for 20 year's service. The Coronation Medal was awarded after nomination, to over 129,000 individuals from many walks of life including some police officers, in order to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. There would have been an allowance for every police force and recipients were normally senior officers and other ranks with the most service.