He was awarded the Albert Medal which he subsequently exchanged for the George Cross because of his action during the Quetta earthquake of May 1935 . Cowley received his Albert Medal for rescuing earthquake survivors from the ruins of a collapsed hospital . At the time , he was posted to India and was attached to the 16th Army Troops Company , 2nd Queen Victoria 's Own Madras Sappers and Miners ( now the Madras Engineer Group of the Indian Army ) : Cowley was promoted to captain on 3 September 1936 . From 16 November 1936 to 17 December 1938 , he was an instructor at Woolwich . He was promoted to major on 3 September 1942 , and served in the Second World War in the Middle East , Italy and North West Europe . Ending the war as a brigadier and war-substantive lieutenant colonel , he was promoted to colonel on 10 March 1949 . In 1953 he became Chief of Staff at Headquarters Eastern Command . He was then appointed Vice Quartermaster-General in 1956 , Controller of Munitions at the Ministry of Supply in 1957 and Master-General of the Ordnance in 1960 ; he retired in 1962
Quetta earthquake
1935 Quetta earthquake
John Cowley (British Army officer)