Twice Awarded Twice
Warrant Officer 2 Leslie James Jopson Army Catering Corps
The Man Only a minimal amount of detail about Leslie (Les) James Jopson is known. He was born on 14th November 1921 in Croydon, his mother’s maiden name was Sayer. According to Les’s account, he enlisted into the Territorial Army, Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) at Croydon in 1938, transferring to the Army Catering Corps (ACC) when it was formed in 1942. He served in the Middle East, North Africa and North-West Europe, spending a lot of time being driven or shipped from one unit to another. In his own words “But as a cook you were always welcome - everyone wanted to be well fed as long as someone else did all the work!” He married Jane E Robinson in Croydon during the first quarter of 1942 and was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Defence and War Medal 1939-45. Following the war, Les returned to the Territorials, serving with Croydon’s own TA Transport Unit, 44 (Home Counties) Column RASC which became 151 (Greater London) Regiment Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers) in 1967; and rose to the rank of Warrant Officer 2. He was twice awarded the Lord Lieutenant of Greater London’s Meritorious Service Certificate, firstly in 1954 at Croydon Town Hall and then on 28th March 1972 at Chelsea Barracks by Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templar KG, GCB, GCMG, KBE, DSO. In civilian life Les was a Catering Advisor and lived with Jane at 19 Leverett Close, Addington, Croydon. He retired from the Territorial Army in 1982 aged 60 and was presented with a tankard engraved Presented to WO 2 L J JOPSON With Grateful Thanks for Service to Officers of 151 TPT REGT RCT(V). 3rd July 1982. The local press reported that it was believed he was the longest serving member of the ACC at that time. For his service in the Territorial Army Les was awarded the Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’ and following reorganisation in 1969 the Efficiency Medal ‘T&AVR’. Les died, having retired there, at 48 The Brendons, Sampford Peverill, Tiverton, Devon on 2nd February 1995 aged 73. Probate was granted at Bristol on 9th March.
The Story The group of medals awarded to Leslie James Jopson were acquired from E-Bay on 10th November 2013, and were of interest because of the award of the Efficiency medals with both ‘Territorial’ and ‘T&AVR’ clasps, together with the engraved tankard and brief details contained within two newspaper articles.Further brief details have been obtained from Ancesry.com, but at the time of writing nothing much else.
The Story The group of medals awarded to Leslie James Jopson were acquired from E-Bay on 10th November 2013, and were of interest because of the award of the Efficiency medals with both ‘Territorial’ and ‘T&AVR’ clasps, together with the engraved tankard and brief details contained within two newspaper articles.Further brief details have been obtained from Ancesry.com, but at the time of writing nothing much else.
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Efficiency Medal "Territorial': 22520996 W.O. CL.2.L.J.JOPSON. ACC.
- Efficiency Medal "T&AVR": 22520996 W.O.CL.2.L.J.JOPSON. ACC.
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Page last updated 28 Jul 14