Dr Jessamy Carlson, principal record specialist for Family, Local and Community History at The National Archives, explores the archives to tell the story of the investitures of VE Day in 1945.

As we approach the 80^th Anniversary of VE Day, there is an opportunity to reflect on events that day across the country. On the morning of VE Day, records show that the King was up early, sending messages of congratulations to the Heads of States in the United Nations, before lunching with the Prime Minister at Buckingham Palace.

In addition to these duties, the King and Queen also hosted the first peacetime investitures for some six years, and The Gazette gives us some sense of how long some of these men had been waiting to be invested with their awards.

Major Lewis Ligertwood Legg Tevendale

The first recipient in the ceremony was Major Lewis Ligertwood Legg Tevendale, recently commissioned in the Leicestershire Regt., who was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.) for gallantry at the Litani River, in Syria on 24^th June 1941 while serving in the Gordon Highlanders.₁ Tevendale’s recommendation for his award is documented in files held at The National Archives (see image, right).

Tevendale’s career can be traced through The Gazette, as his promotions are documented there, in 1941 when he attained the rank of 2^nd (Gazette issue 35478) and subsequently to Captain in the Gordons, effective 21^st November 1945 (Gazette issue 37434). His promotion to Major was gazetted on 2^nd July 1946 (Gazette issue 37635).

The events in Syria which lead to Tevendale’s nomination for gallantry had seen Tevendale assume command of his detachment, when all three of the others were killed in action, leading his party forward and inflicting severe casualties on the enemy as they retired. By cutting field telephone lines and capturing messengers, Tevendale actively prevented information being passed back from the enemy’s front line. The records show he was originally nominated for the Military Medal by his commanding officer, Col. Laycock but this was changed to the D.C.M. during consideration.

Tevendale’s position as first recipient was reported in a number of newspapers across the country, not least a number of Scottish titles including the Aberdeen Weekly Journal which reported on Tevendale’s award on Thursday 10th May, 1945.

Major Tevendale had joined the Gordons in 1928, and upon conclusion of his service in 1935, joined the Kincardineshire Police Force. He rejoined the unit in 1939, initially seeing serviced with the Scottish Commandos, and was then commissioned in the field. He retained his commission after the war, and was a successful heavyweight boxer, competing on behalf of both the Police and the Army during his service. He died aged just 51, in 1961.₂

Captain Charles Upham

A series of investitures was held in the days after VE Day and anecdotes from several of these made their way into the press. The modesty of two Victoria Cross recipients, both New Zealanders, drew praise from the Daily Herald. Captain Charles Upham and Sergeant John Hinton had separately been taken prisoner of war in Greece, immediately after the actions leading to their commendations. Both had been released only a month prior to the investiture.

In the aftermaths of the Second World War, Upham’s attempts to escape the various camps he spent time in as a POW came to light, including no fewer than 14 tunnel schemes, and for these, Upham was put forward for a Mention in Despatches (MID) (see image, right).

Upham was the third man to have been awarded the Victoria Cross twice (and the only fighting combatant to have been so decorated), in 1941 for actions during the Battle of Crete, gazetted on October 14^th 1941 (Gazette issue 35306), and in 1942 he was awarded the Bar for actions during the 1^st Battle of El Alamein, gazetted 26^th September 1945 (Gazette issue 37283).

Sergeant John Hinton

Sergeant John Hinton’s award was gazetted on October 14^th 1941 (Gazette issue 35311), and like Upham, made a number of attempts to escape his POW camp. The alignment of their investitures may have been deliberate, given the proximity of their awards in 1941, or it may have been a practical decision, while they waited for repatriation to New Zealand.

The documenting of these stories can be traced across a number of sources, between The National Archives and The Gazette, and indeed the British Newspaper Archives, and allow us a degree of insight into the experiences of those serving their country during the Second World War. Further information about researching the Second World War through these sources can be found at The National Archives and The Gazette.

About the author

Dr Jessamy Carlson is the principal record specialist for Family, Local and Community History at The National Archives. She is a historian and an archivist, with a range of interests in 20^th century social history.

See also

VE Day and The Gazette - 80th anniversary

WWII Victoria Cross recipients

How to search The Gazette

References

1. Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, May 8^th 1945, front page
2. Tiger & Sphinx, Vol. V (new series) no. 15. November 1961 p. 517

Images

MPVHistory / Alamy Stock Photo

The National Archives, WO-373-27-32

The National Archives, WO-373-103-429

Publication date

30 April 2025

Any opinion expressed in this article is that of the author and the author alone, and does not necessarily represent that of The Gazette.