Offered is an unusual 1936 Civil C.B.E., 1919 Military O.B.E. group of four awarded to Major F. R. E. Davis, Royal Air Force, Royal Naval Air Service and later he held the position as the last Secretary of the Great Western Railway Company.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Civil) Commander’s 1st Type neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with neck riband; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st Type breast Badge, silver-gilt; British War and Victory Medals (1914 – 18), with M.I.D. device affixed to Victory ribbon, both impressed named MAJOR F.R.E. DAVIS R.A.F. Swing mounted as worn and come with copies of R.N.A.S. & R.A.F. service records, medal roll, London Gazette extracts, G.W.R employment records and ‘Who was who extract.

C.B.E. Gazette 1 January 1936: 'On the occasion of the centenary of the [Great Western] Railway.'

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1919.

Major Francis Robert Edward Davis C.B.E., O.B.E. was born on 21/3/1887 and educated at St Mark's, Chelsea. He commenced to work for the Great Western Railway on 9/6/1902 in the Passenger Agreements Audit Department. On the 20/4/1903 he was transferred to the Secretary’s Office followed by the Clerks Register Folio in 1907.

During the Great War he was commissioned Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on 3/8/1915, having entered the service in July 1915. He served with the Royal Naval Air Service, being made Lieutenant Commander in December 1917 and ended as a Major (as of May 1918) in the Royal Air Force. In October 1916 he applied for a transfer to the Army (Military Railways), but this was withdrawn two months later. He travelled to the United States aboard the Baltic on 7/10/1917 in order to serve with the United States Naval Airship Station', also serving with the Naval Staff in Washington, being further attached to the Staff of Commodore Grant in February 1918. Returned to the United Kingdom, he served with the United States Navy at 30 Grosvernor Gardens, London. Davis had sat on the Air Department S.C.E. Committee since December 1916 and finished the Great War with a 'mention' to go with an O.B.E., with his Service Record also noting an Order of St. Michael and St. George, although no trace of this has been located.

His personal (1917) file notes 'Acts as my personal technical assistant on all civil engineering matters. Especially recommended for promotion. (1918) Improvements in the N.A.S. of U.S. has largely been brought about by him'. Exceptional organising & genius ability.

Post war, Davis passed the Bar final examination in 1919 and was a Fellow of the Chartered Surveyors, Past President of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries. He was a Member of the Kensington Royal Borough Council. He continued to work for the G.W.R. rising to become the Secretary. It was whilst holding this position he was appointed a Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Civil) in the January 1936 honours list, having been awarded the C.B.E. for the centenary of the Great Western Railway.

The 1939 census records him as Secretary Great Western Railway, during WW2, he was Commanding Officer of the Kensington R.N.V.R. Sea Cadet Corps (1942).

He retired from the G.W.R in 1947, as a result of the company being nationalized in 1948. He died on 12/7/1960.