The Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service, usually known as the British Empire Medal (BEM), is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown. Recipients are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "BEM", and it is divided into military and civil divisions in a similar way to the Order of the British Empire itself. While recipients are not technically counted as members of the Order, these medals are nevertheless affiliated with it. The BEM was awarded to subjects of the United Kingdom until 1992.
This is an incomplete list of British Empire Medal [BEM] recipients from the London Borough of Lewisham area and is being added to as new people are found.
| Alfred Elijah Bowden | Electrician, Southern Railway | Deptford | KM 12 September 1941 |
| George Alfred Callow | Leader, ARP Rescue Service Depot | MB Deptford | KM 9 May 1941 |
| Frederick Curtis | AFS Section Officer | ||
| John Arthur James Dixon | Officer in Charge, ARP Stretcher Party, Deptford | MB Deptford | KM 13 June 1941 |
| Allan James Dunmore | Sick Berth Attendant, HMS Jasmine | Deptford | KM 6 March 1942 |
| Edward Horner | CD Leader | MB Deptford | KM 2 May 1941 with portrait |
| Mrs G H M Hunt | Officer in Charge | Civil Defence First Aid Post Lewisham | |
| Miss Mary Elizabeth McCrossan | Student Nurse | LCC Hospital Services Lewisham | London Gazette 6 October 1944 |
| George Arthur Minshall | Permanent Way Inspector, Southern Railway | of Deptford | KM 26 June 1942 |
| Thomas George Pippin | CD Labourer | MB Deptford | KM 1 August 1941 |
| Edwin George Read | Locomotive Inspector, Southern Railway | of Deptford | KM 26 June 1942 |
| James Slavin | Leader, ARP Stretcher Party, Deptford | Deptford | KM 13 June 1941 |
| Daniel James Bramwell Sweatman | Carpenter, ARP Rescue Service Depot | MB Deptford | KM 9 May 1941 with portrait |
| Bertram Edwin Tyler | CD Carpenter | MB Deptford | KM 18 July 1941 |
| Harry Wadsworth | Leader, ARP Rescue Service Depot | MB Deptford | KM 9 May 1941 with portrait |
| Henry John Wheeler | Plumber, ARP Rescue Service Depot | Rescue Service Depot, Deptford | KM 9 May 1941 with portrait |
| Annie Matilda WILKINS | Auxiliary firewoman | of Lewisham | |
| Bessie WULBURN | Auxiliary firewoman | of Lewisham |
If you know of any more, please let us know. Or do you have more information on the people named above? If so click here to contribute information.
by Local History and Archives Centre, Lewisham and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence