Description
Ceylon Volunteer Service Medal, Lieut Herbert Johnson Lovett, Serjt Ceylon Volunteers, commissioned into the Rifle Brigade and ASC. His full entitlement for the war.
Medal officially impressed to front panel: “H.J. Lovett”
Good condition example.
A rare medal awarded only about 3,000 times to members of the Ceylon Defence Force who took part in World War 1, including the European exclusive Ceylon Planters Rifles Corps.
The unusual medal was unique in that Ceylon was the only “British Crown Colony” to issue a medal of its own for its citizens who served in the war. Also the medal was a Campaign Medal yet was not designed to be worn on uniform.
His Obituary in his local Sevenoaks Chronicle, 3rd April 1953:
“ACCOUNTANT DIES
Mr Herbert Johnson Lovett, of The Lawns, Dartford Road, Sevenoaks, died on Wednesday, aged 75.
The funeral took place at Croydon Crematorium on Saturday.
Born in the town, Mr Lovett went to the New Beacon School and Marlborough. He was articled to a firm of chartered accountans, qualified for his A.C.A. and went to Croydon.
He went abroad in the service of the Post Office in the Crown COlonies, he returned to Ceylon after the war service, and retired to Sevenoaks about 1932.
Until the hospital management committee was set up in 1948 voluntarily audited local hospital accounts.
His entry in the Book, “Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon – Its History, People, Commerce Industries and Resources.” Edited by Arnold Wright published in 1907:
“H.J. LOVETT
The Assistant Accountant of the General post Office, Colombo, Mr H. J. Lovett, is the son of Mr John Lovett, of London, and was born in 1877.
After receiving his education at Marlborough College he served his articles with Mr Henry Spain, a London Accountant and became a Member of the Chartered Accountants in 1900. He obtained an appointment in the Post Office Staff in Ceylon, in 1901, and has acted for the Accountant during the latter’s absence.
He is a Golf enthusiast, and in 1906 was the Winner of the Governor’s Cup.”
His commission in the Civil and Military Gazette (Lahore), 18th Dec 1914
“The appointment to a temporary Second Lieutenant of Sergeant Herbert Johnson Lovett, Ceylon Volunteers, notified in the Gazette of September 8, 1914, is antedated to September 4th, 1914.”
During the war, we know that Herbert served as both a 2nd Lieutenant in the Rifle Brigade, and a Lieutenant in the Army Service Corps.
He has a medal index card, but he got no campaign medal, not even a BWM as it says he was “Ineligble for Medals (Home Service Only)…”
This was the only medal he would earn for his service.
Herbert Johnson Lovett, was born in Sevenoaks, Kent in July 1877.
The son of John Smith Lovett (1846) and Mary Sophia Consedine (1848). His father was a Hop Factor Agent, who connected Hop Growers with Brewers.
He received his education as a Boy in The Beacon Boarding School, St Johns Road, Sevenoaks, Kent.
The 1901 Census lists him living at home as an Accountants Clerk, as recounted in the book above, later that year the young man set off for Ceylon.
Whilst in Ceylon he also became a Mason, signing up with the Grand Lodge of England Freemasons Colombo Branch in Ceylon during 1913.
Following the war he looks to have returned back to Ceylon where he lived most of his life, in Feb 1918 he is recorded travelling back to Ceylon via Bombay on the P&O Ship Nellore.
In his retirement he would return back home to Sevenoaks circa 1932, where he died aged 76 during 1953.
Whilst keeping himself busy having retired he involved himself in local affairs and was always at the ready when someone needed an accountant pro bono.
During World War 2 the local Kent Newspapers were consistently thanking him for his account auditing, on one occasion in 1941 for the Sevenoaks and Holmesdale Hospital: “Mr Herbert Lovett for preparing the accounts in such a clear manner & Messrs Sidney Cronk and Co for the way they had carried through their voluntary work as Auditors.”
The Newspapers note:
“LOVETT – On March 25th, Herbert Johnson Lovett, A.C.A. of The Lawns, Dartford, Sevenoaks, Late of Colombo (Ceylon), in his 76th year.”
