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WW2 British Army Meritorious Service Medal to 7574631 Warrant Officer Class 1 Frederick Thomas Ruse, Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Medal is impressed named to: 7574631 W.O.cL.1. F. T. RUSE. R.A.O.C. and is in generally very fine condition.

Ruse was born on the 28th February 1901, was a pre war regular soldier for 17 years and 336 days, including 2 years as a Warrant Officer Class 2 and 3 years as Warrant Officer Class 1. He would have received this M.S.M. sometime in 1939, as he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in August 1939 (service number 96312), being mentioned in the London Gazette as serving in Malta in February 1943, receiving the M.B.E. 18th February 1943 for 'Services in the Middle East' (Many in this date were for Tobruk), Acting Major September 1943, Lieutenant Colonel January - March 1945, Executive Ordnance Officer 1950 and finally retired as a Major due to age February 1956.

The medal was instituted on 19 December 1845 to reward distinguished and meritorious service by non-commissioned officers of the rank of sergeant and above. From October 1916, immediate awards for valuable and meritorious were made and from January 1917 it was also awarded for acts of gallantry other than in the face of the enemy. Only approximately 30,000 of these were issued during WW1, making this a rarer medal than the Military Medal.