O.B.Es. Investiture

Northern Advocate, 27 September 1943, Page 6

0.8.E5. Investiture

Giving an account of his investiture by the King in Buckingham Palace, Captain W. G. Higgs, 0.8-. E., an English merchant navy captain who won his decoration for participating in the famous Malta convoy in May of last year, said at the Whangarei Parochial Hall last night that the King was a "very good-looking young man, with not a single grey hair on his head.” On arrival at the Palace for his investiture, he said, he had joined others who were also waiting to be decorated. According to the class of the distinction, men were divided and entered separate rooms. There was one room for recipients of the 0.8. E. and, after he had been provided with a small gun-metal hook, on which the King would hand his order, Captain Higgs entered the room. After a short wait They were marshalled into a crocodile and entered a long, oblong room, in which the King; accompanied by the Lord Chamberlain, was standing on a raised dais.

The crocodile wound slowly towards the dais, and within a short time Captain Higgs was facing the King. Bowing from the hips in accordance with orders given before forming the crocodile, and taking the regulation t\vo steps forward, he received his order from the King, who spoke a few words of congratulation. Afterwards, he returned his gun-metal hook to an equerry, a case was provided for his order, and he returned to everyday •life.