b. 09/10/1898 Garston, Lancashire. d. 04/05/1936 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
DATE OF AM ACTION: 04/05/1936 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Andre J M Melly MC AM
Andre was born on 9th October 1898 in Liverpool, one of five children of Colonel Hugh and Eleanor Lawrence Melly (nee Owen). He was educated at Marlborough College, Oxford and St Bartholomew’s Hospital, qualifying as MRCS, LRCP in 1926 and further qualified as BM, BCh (Oxon) and FRCS (Edin) in 1929 and 1931 respectively. He went to Abyssinia in 1934. During WWI, he served as a Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery, being commissioned in February 1917. He was awarded the Military Cross on 18th September 1918. He was the last Albert Medal in Gold awarded to a civilian after his posthumous award. The medal was presented to his mother by King Edward VIII at Buckingham Palace on 14th July 1936.
AM CITATION:
His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve that the Albert Medal in Gold (Land) be awarded posthumously to Andre John Mesnard Melly, Esq MC FRCS in recognition of the conspicuous gallantry which he displayed during the disorders in Addis Ababa in May 1936 in his efforts to rescue British and other foreign nationals and wounded Abyssinians, in the course of which he received injuries from which he has since died.
BURIAL LOCATION: LEGATION CEMETERY, ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: PRIVATELY HELD.
