The following Chinese award was made to a soldier of the Worcestershire Regiment for meritorious service. It is recorded in the London Gazette, indicating the granting of the award or decoration by His Excellency the President of the Republic of China, and intimating the British sovereigns permission for it to be accepted and worn by the recipient.

Order of Wen-Hu (Order of Striped Tiger)

China declared war on Germany on the 14th May 1917, shortly after the USA entred the war, but they did not take any significant part in the war. However, a large number of Chinese served with the Labour Corps or RAMC, and many British officers, particularly in those two corps, received the Order of the Striped Tiger (Wen-Hu).

The majority of these awards were made in February 1920. The order was issued in 5 classes and was normally issued as follows:
1st Class for the rank of Field Marshal or General.
2nd Class and 3rd Class for the rank of Colonel and Lieut.-Colonel.
4th Class for the rank of Major and Capatins.
5th Class for the rank of Lieutenant or lower ranks.

Order of Wen-Hu (Chinese)

Surname

Forename/s

Rank

Number

Award Class

Gazette Date

Deakin, O.B.E.

Charles

Capt. (Brevet Major)

-

4th Class

17/02/1920

Charles Deakin joined the 3rd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment at Aldershot, October, 1907, and proceeded to South Africa with it the following month, spending a year there, returning with it in 1908 to Dover. After four years there, he went with the Battalion to Tidworth, remaining there till March, 1914, when he was seconded to the Army Signal Service. In August, 1914, he went out with the headquarters of 9th Brigade (3rd Division) to France, being wounded on the 11th November 1914 at Hooge. After some months in hospital he joined the 13th Division, and proceeded to Gallipoli in June, 1915, but was invalided in October to Malta, returning to England at Christmas 1915. In April, 1916, he was appointed Chief Signal Officer Eastern Command, till January, 1917, when he went to the War Office for three years as Deputy Assistant Director Movements. In January he rejoined the 3rd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment at Chaubattia, India, and remained with them until returning to the Depot at Norton Barracks in 1921.

During the war of 1914, he was awarded the O.B.E., was twice mentioned in despatches, given the Chinese order of Wen Hu, and brevet rank of Major in 1917.

Owing to the reduction in establishment and the disbandment of the 3rd and 4th Battalions, he left the Depot in 1922, and was posted to the 1st Battalion at Nasirabad, proceeding to Meerut with them early 1923.

From then till April, 1927, he was at Delhi and Simla, having been appointed a D.A.A.G. at Army Headquarters. In April, 1927, he rejoined the 1st Battalion Worcestershire at Allahabad, and went with it to North China in 1929, returning to Plymouth in 1931.

In 1932 he took over command of the Depot until November, 1935, when he rejoined the 1st Battalion, then at Aldershot. In 1936 he proceeded to Palestine in connection with martial law, returning in December, 1936.

He commanded the 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment from 1937 to 1940.

His total service in the Regiment was 33 years.

Charles Deakin, O.B.E.