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Lt. Colonel George Vere Taylor, D.S.O., O.B.E., M.C.16th Battalion Rifle Brigade & Norfolk RegimentCAMPAIGNSWWI - FRANCE AND BELGIUM 23/2/1916 - 11/11/1918IRAQ - 31/8/1922 - 30/9/1926DECORATIONSDISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER GAZETTED 3/6/1919ORDER BRITISH EMPIRE (MILITARY) GAZETTED 2/6/1923MILITARY CROSS GAZETTED 4/1/1918BRITISH WAR & VICTORY MEDAL (Twice MID - 4/1/1917 & 19/7/1919)GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL 1918-62 (with KURDISTAN CLASP)
FULL SIZE GROUP AWARDED TO: Lt. Colonel Herbert Vale Bagshawe, C.B.E., D.S.O., Royal Army Medical Corps (1874 - 1962)Herbert Vale Bagshawe was born on 11 August 1874 and commissioned a Lieutenant in the R.A.M.C. in September 1902, he attained the rank of Major in September 1914. During the war he was Assistant Director of Medical Services, G.H.Q. Egyptian Expeditionary Force, October 1916.
For his many services in the Egyptian theatre of war he was awarded the C.B.E., D.S.O., the Order of the Nile and the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel (London Gazette 3 June 1918), and was three times mentioned in despatches.
He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1924, and was placed on retired pay in 1929.
C.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1919. ‘... for valuable services rendered in connection with Military Operations in Egypt’.
D.S.O. London Gazette 3 June 1916 M.I.D. London Gazette 21 June 1916, 6 July 1917, 5 June 1919.
Order of the Nile Edinburgh Gazette 16 January 1920.
Lieutenant-Colonel Bagshawe, C.B.E., D.S.O., died on 17 March 1962 at St. Helens Hospital, Hastings, Sussex.
Major Eric Lines, M.M., ( 1921-1977 )Airborne ArtileryHis MM citation reads: This NCO has displayed the greatest gallantry through the whole of the NWE-campaign. Because of his well-known aggressive spirit he has been allotted in each deployment the most dangerous position for his gun, and on each occasion he has more than justified the confidence placed in him. Immediately on landing in Jun 44 his gun was deployed in defence of PEGASUS bridge over the river ORNE at BENOUVILLE. The position was directly exposed to short range artillery fire, so that movement outside the gun-pit was impossible by day, and all food and ammunition had to be brought up by night. Nevertheless his gun engaged enemy armoured convoys coming within range with steady and accurate fireregardless of the covering fire given by the enemy artillery. At NIJMEGEN in September 1944 his gun was in a similar position on the NORTH bank of the WAAL river beside the EAST fort, when the regiment deployed in defence of the town a few days after its capture, and at the RHINE crossing his gun was the first to cross TWIST bridge on D-day.AT BELSEN in Apil 1945 Sergeant Lines took a leading part in organisation of the female reception camp of some 10,000 women. He was i/c reception, and his sypathetic handling of the thousands of forlorn creatures rescued from the Concentration Camp evoked a personal letter from the Military Governing Commander recommending his outstanding work for recognition. Whatever job was allotted to him, Sgt LINES has always maintained the highest personal standards - his steadiness under fire, his cheerfulness, his physical fitness, and his aggressive spirit have been a magnificent example to everyone in his Battalion.
Major Bramwell Henry Withers, O.B.E. (1888 - 1968)Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, late Camel Corps, 11th Sudanese Battalion, Egyptian Army, "Miralai" (Colonel), Sudan Defence Force and latterly Major 5th Company Lancashire Battalion Home GuardWorld War One Service - WITHERS joined the 2nd Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment and served in Bangalore, India in August 1914. He first saw active service during World War One at Tanga, German East Africa, landing there on the 3rd November 1914 with the 27th Indian Brigade. He moved onto Mombasa on 7th November and commenced operations in East Africa until May 1916, when he moved to South Africa, to allow him time to recover from mass ill-health. He moved to Egypt, landing at Suez on 18th January 1917 and on the 14th April 1917, he was attached to the 232nd Brigade, 75th Division. The Battalion was moved in rapid succession to the 233rd and 234th Brigades of the same Division, and detached as a result of a medical board on 9 August 1917; he was moved to Sidi Bashr and then placed onto Lines of Communication at Gaza. He moved to France, landing at Marseilles 27th May 1918 and on the 4th June 1918, he was attached to the 94th Brigade, 31st Division and on the 28th June 1918, transferred to 101st Brigade, 34th Division. He became Adjutant of the 2nd Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment on the 19th November 1915, and a post he held until 28th June 1917. He was promoted to Temp Major in September 1918 whilst carrying out duties as Assistant Commandant Prisoner of War Camp. Egyptian Army Service - Seconded for service with the Egyptian Army from 4th November 1918 till 16th January 1925 when he transferred to the newly formed Sudan Defence Force (17th January 1925). He was in Darfur, being one of the officers who joined GRIGG's patrol (#99) which was sent out in January 1922 to arrest the dozen surviving leaders of the Fiki Abdullahi Suheina uprising. The patrol was sent out at the end of January, just after the closure of the award period for the Nyala clasp (The Darfur 1921 clasp had expired on 22nd November 1921). In 1924, he was the Officer Commanding, the 11th Sudanese Battalion at the time of its Mutiny at Khartoum. Discontent among Egyptian Officers which infected a minority of the Sudanese soldiers flared into outright mutiny in 1900.
WINGATE, who had recently succeeded KITCHENER as Sirdar and Governor-General of the Sudan, was able to suppress this outbreak without bloodshed, but 24 years later his successor, El Ferik, Sir. Lee STACK Pasha was assassinated by Egyptian Terrorists in Cairo in November 1924. This outrage led to a number of demands and penalties upon the Egyptian Government by the British High Commissioner, ALLENBY. This included the withdrawal of all Egyptian Troops from the Sudan and sparked a series of disturbances within the Egyptian Army, the most serious of which was at Khartoum. The Egyptian Troops themselves presented little problem, but on the 27th November 1924 a small number of Sudanese Officers and men of the 11th Sudanese Battalion seized the Military Hospital compound and having killed a British Doctor and an N.C.O. barricaded themselves in the Officers Mess. Here they held out for many hours against elements of two British Battalions and a Field-Gun, inflicting a number of casualties on the British. Eventually, however, their stronghold was reduced to rubble and most of the mutineers were killed or wounded. Four of the ringleaders were court-martialled and executed.
Major Bramwell Henry Withers, O.B.E. -
Major Withers married Lillian Julia Bibby on the 11th March 1930, and a close friend’s account, recalled that ‘Uncle Bram' as he was known to him, returned to England from Australia, as a young child. The Major spent a good deal of time in the near east. Married but childless; a widower when I knew him, which was when he was retired and living at Murcot (a hamlet on Otmoor, near Oxford). He had a delightful house made from several cottages knocked together, furnished with souvenirs of his army and overseas days.
He is still remembered today (A.D.2000) at Murcot for his good works in the neighbourhood; he did a lot for deprived lads in the way of providing training and opportunities. He was also a J.P. and I have lots of fond memories of him and the times spent in his extraordinary home. I recall one of his cars had, completely by chance, the registration plate OBW 80 which he told us stood for Old Bloody Withers nearly eighty but our mother was told Old Bramwell Withers nearly eighty - no wonder we loved him! He smoked an extraordinary tobacco mix which gave the house its exotic aroma. The place was a warren of many low, rooms and winding, stair ways with floors and walls covered with spears, swords, shields, Indian and African drums, elephant tusks and exotic pieces of furniture, just a wonderful treasure store in which stories were told of the exploits associated with the exhibits.
William Rohrs, B.E.M., Chief Steward, S.S. City of Keelung (Ellermann & Bucknall Steamship Company Ltd)Professionally cleaned and swing mounted by Spink & Sons William Rohrs was awarded his British Empire Medal, which appears on the London Gazette on the 9th January 1946. He was Chief Steward aboard S.S. City Of Keelung, London which belonged to the Ellermann & Bucknall Steamship Company. She was renamed City of Keelung in 1936, with picture of her at Capetown, South Africa in 1940. She was sold in June 1947 to China Hellenic Lines and renamed Hellenic Trader, resold to NKK in 1951 and renamed Nichian Maru and broken up in Japan in 1960.
Air Chief Marshall Sir Roderic Maxwell Hill, Royal Air Force K.C.B. London Gazette 1.1.1944 Acting Air Marshal Roderic Maxwell Hill, C.B., M.C., A.F.C., Royal Air Force.
C.B. London Gazette 1.7.1941 Acting Air Marshal Roderic Maxwell Hill, M.C., A.F.C.
M.C. London Gazette 14.11.1916 Temp. 2nd Lt. Roderic Maxwell Hill, North'd Fus. and R.F.C.
'For conspicuous skill and gallantry. Under heavy fire he dived at an enemy balloon, and brought it down in flames. On the day before he had dived at a balloon under heavy fire at a low altitude, but had just missed his mark.'
A.F.C. London Gazette 3.8.1918 Capt. (Hon. Maj.) Roderic Maxwell Hill, M.C., Squadron Commander, Experimental Flight.
A.F.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 2.1.1922 Squadron Leader Roderic Maxwell Hill, M.C., A.F.C.
Air Chief Marshall Sir Roderic Maxwell Hill (1894-1954)
Roderic Hill studied architecture prior to WWI. He then joined the army, later transferring to the Royal Flying Corps. He earned the Military Cross, and the Air Force Cross for his work as an experimental pilot. He was skilled in drawing and contributed to the journal Flight during WWI. He gave 32 years service to the Royal Flying Corps and the RAF, during which he undertook much technical experimental work himself. He was Director of technical Services to the British Air Commission in Washington 1941-1942 and became Commander in Chief of Fighter Command, continuing to fly operations himself. His removal of the guns to the coast during WWII saved London from the threat of many of the flying bombs.
Air Chief Marshall Sir Roderic Maxwell Hill (1894-1954)
Roderic Hill studied architecture prior to WWI. He then joined the army, later transferring to the Royal Flying Corps. He earned the Military Cross, and the Air Force Cross for his work as an experimental pilot. He was skilled in drawing and contributed to the journal Flight during WWI. He gave 32 years service to the Royal Flying Corps and the RAF, during which he undertook much technical experimental work himself. He was Director of technical Services to the British Air Commission in Washington 1941-1942 and became Commander in Chief of Fighter Command, continuing to fly operations himself. His removal of the guns to the coast during WWII saved London from the threat of many of the flying bombs. He retired for the RAF and became Rector of Imperial in 1948. Here he gave great consideration to the sciences that he knew little of. He was a charming and energetic man, who saw the need for students to gain a rounded education, hence his introduction of Touchstone weekends – a general studies and discussion forum at place Silwood Park alongside music recitals and arts lectures at lunchtimes in College. Hill was appointed to a post his father had also held, that of Vice Chancellor of London University in 1953. Air Chief Marshall Sir Roderic Maxwell Hill, K.C.B., M.C., A.F.C., born 1.3.1894; educated at Bradfield and University College, Oxford; enlisted as a Private in the 18th Royal Fusiliers, October 1914; Commissioned 12th Northumberland Fusiliers, December 1914; served during the Great War (wounded, Mentioned in Despatches); transferred, Royal Flying Corps, 1916; served with No. 60 Squadron over France, 1916-17 (M.C. and Mentioned in Despatches); in charge of Experimental Flying Department, Royal Aircraft Establishment, 1917-23 (A.F.C. and Second Award Bar for Experimental Flying); Graduated Royal Air Force Staff College, Andover, 1924; Commanded No. 45 (Bomber) Squadron, Iraq, 1924-26; Technical Staff, Middle East Headquarters, Cairo, Egypt, 1926-27; Directing Staff, Royal Air Force, Staff College, Andover, 1927-30; Chief Instructor, Oxford University Air Squadron, 1930-32; Deputy Director, Repair and Maintenance, Air Ministry, 1932-36; Air Officer Commanding, Royal Air Force, Palestine and Trans-Jordan, 1936-38 (twice Mentioned in Despatches); Director of Technical Development, Air Ministry and Ministry of Aircraft Production, 1938-40; Director General of Research and Development, Ministry of Aircraft Production, 1940-41; Controller of Technical Services, British Air Commission, Washington, D.C., U.S.A., 1941-42; Commandant, R.A.F. Staff College, 1942-43; Air Officer Commanding No. 12 (Fighter Group), 1943; Air Marshal Commanding, Air Defence of Great Britain, 1943-44; Air Officer Commanding in Chief, Fighter Command, 1944-45; Member of Air Council for Training, Air Ministry, 1945-46; Member of Air Council for Technical Services, 1946-48; Principal Air Aide-de-Camp to H.M. The King, 1946-48. Air Chief Marshall Sir Roderic Maxwell Hill retired in 1948 and he died on 6.10.1954.
Captain WRD IRVINE (1868 - 1933) - RMS LACONIA when it was sunk by a German U-Boat (U-50) February 1917 with the loss of 12 lives. RMS Laconia was a Cunard Ocean liner built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, launched on 27 July 1911, delivered to the Cunard Line on 12 December 1911, and began service on 20 January 1912. She was the first Cunard ship of that name. On the outbreak of World War I, Laconia was turned into an armed merchant cruiser in 1914 and based at Simonstown in the South Atlantic, from which she patrolled the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean until April 1915. She was then used as a headquarters ship for the operations to capture Tanga and the colony of German East Africa. Four months later she returned to the patrolling of the South Atlantic. She was handed back to Cunard in July 1916 and on 9 September resumed service. Under the command of Captain W.R.D. Irvine, on 25 February 1917 she was torpedoed by the German U-50 six miles (11 km) northwest by west of Fastnet while returning from the United States to England with 75 passengers (34 first class and 41 second class) and a crew of 217. 
The first torpedo struck the liner on the starboard side just abaft the engine room, but did not sink her. Twenty minutes later a second torpedo exploded in the engine room, again on the starboard side, and the vessel sank at 10:20 pm. twelve people were killed, six crew and six passengers, including two American citizens, Mrs. Mary Hoy and her daughter, Miss Elizabeth Hoy, who were originally from Chicago. Chicago Tribune reporter Floyd Gibbons was aboard Laconia when it was torpedoed and gained fame from his dispatches about the attack. Six weeks later, America entered into World War One.
His Obituary published in the London Times on 1st November 1933 made comment: Captain Irvine Captain William Robert Duncan Irvine, R.N.R. (retired), who died at his home at Hadnall, Salop, on Friday (27th October, 1933), commanded the Berengaria when the Prince of Wales crossed to New York in her in August, 1924 (Newspaper photograph of him with the Prince of Wales).
He joined the service of the Cunard Company in 1895 as fourth officer in the Pavonia, and after working his way up to chief officer of the Ivernia was, in 1905, given the first command of the Veria, a cargo steamer of 2,000 tons.
At the outbreak of the War in 1914 he was commanding the old Laconia. He served in her while she was an armed cruiser off the German East African coast, and remained until she was torpedoed in February, 1917.
After the War he was appointed to the Carmania and then to the Samaria and the Aquitania. In 1922 he was given the command of the Berengaria
(pictured above) and held it until his retirement in December, 1926.
Brigadier-General Sir Henry Maybury, C.B.E., K.C.M.G., C.B., SIR HENRY PERCY MAYBURY (1864 – 1943)
FIRST WORLD WAR SERVICE Henry Percy Maybury (1864 – 7 January 1943) was a Civil Engineer. He began his career as a railway engineer, working on many railways in England and Wales before becoming the county surveyor for Kent. At the start of the First World War he was appointed to supervise roads used by the Allies in France, holding the rank of Brigadier-General. In recognition of his services in this theatre he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath and a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George and awarded an officer of the Legion of Honour by the French. After the war he held various civil service positions, mainly within the Ministry of Transport, and was elected president of the Institute of Civil Engineers in 1933. Maybury was born in Uffington in Shropshire and was educated at nearby Upton Magna. Upon finishing his studies Maybury began work for the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway, a joint venture between the Great Western and London and North Western railway companies. He worked on the Glyn Valley Tramway during the rebuilding in 1886. From 1892 until 1895 he served as the engineer and surveyor of the Ffestiniog Railway, followed by a similar appointment to the Tewkesbury and Malvern railway. From 1904 until 1913 Maybury served as the county surveyor for Kent. In 1910 he was a member of the Advisory Engineering Committee to the Road Board, serving as their Chief Engineering Officer upon leaving his position in Kent. From the start of the First World War he was appointed by the War Office to build and maintain roads at military camps in the United Kingdom. In 1916 he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and placed in charge of the Roads Directorate which supervised the roads used by Allied forces in France. The directorate was responsible for 40,000 men and 4,000 miles of roads. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath and an Officer of the Legion of Honour in 1917.
In 1919 he was created a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George and was appointed Director General of the Roads Department of the Ministry of Transport, a position he would hold for the next nine years. He served as president of the newly formed Institute of Transport in 1921 and as a Justice of the Peace for Kent in 1922. He was appointed to the twelve member London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee when it was formed in 1928 and had responsibility to advise the Minister of Transport on the London Traffic Area.
In 1927 he officially opened Maybury Road in Edinburgh, named in his honour, in his capacity as Director General of the Ministry of Transport. Upon retiring from the ministry in 1928 he was given the freedom of the city of Shrewsbury. Maybury was elected as president of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1933, an annual accolade awarded to the profession's most regarded engineers. He died, at his home in Shrewsbury, on 7 January 1943. His legacy lives on within The National Portrait Gallery holding ten portraits of Maybury in its photographical collection.
Full Size Medal Group complete with matching riband bar and miniaturesCaptain J. W. Grimston, R.D., R.N.R.1914/5 trio, MID oakleaf, RNR Decoration hallmarked for 1919, French Croix de Guerre. All awards guaranteed original and the trio is correctly impressed as above. All awards confirmed London Gazette. Service history details and citations obtained from National Archives. Grimston was, in later life Elder Brother (and Past Warden) of Hull Trinity House. He lived at 35 Hamlyn Avenue, Hull.Present Jutland on battleship HMS King George V, from August 1917 he joined Coastal Motor Boats where he assumed duties of Navigational, Intelligence and Educational Officer to Coastal Motor Boat's officers and crews. Recommendation states, among much else: "has done much to secure the success of C.M.B. operations, especially in the case of the blocking operations 22-23 April 1918". (i.e., Ostende / Zeebrugge Raids).Mounted on old pin with original ribbons, these medals were apparently recovered from a skip in the 1960s when Grimston died unmarried in July 1962, (extract from London Times 14th July 1962). Also related matching miniatures and cased silver war badge no. RN37568.Grimston's promotions are recorded in the London Gazette:Sub-Lieutenant 1 July 1913, Lieut. 1st July 1915, Lt. Commander July 1923, removed from Active List physically unfit March 1919, reinstated November 1920. Retired from service in 1936 with rank of Captain, RNR. Further research highlighted that in the matter of a Formal Investigation held at The Guildhall, Hull on the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th days of August, 1944 before R.F. Hayward, Esq., K.C., assisted by Captain Piers de Legh, Captain J.W. Grimston, R.D., R.N.R., (Retd.) and G. Robb, Esq., into the circumstances attending the stranding of the steam trawler "LIMESLADE" at Veidios in Medalland Bugt, Iceland on the 7th March, 1944.The Court having carefully inquired into the circumstances attending the above-mentioned shipping casualty finds that the stranding was caused by the faulty navigation of the trawler "WAR GREY", the appointed leader of the section, and the failure of the skipper of the "LIMESLADE", Alexander Stoners, to take soundings.The Court suspends the certificate of competency as skipper of Alexander Stoners for six calendar months from this date.Captain J.W. Grimston went on to carryout further Board of Trade Wreck Report investigations over the next decade and these included the:Empire Waveney 1946, Empire Clansman 1947, Famagusta 1947, Grimsby Town 1947, Epine 1948, St. Amandus 1948, Warren Grove 1948, Magdalena 1949, Pintail 1949, William Mannell 1949, Sargon 1949, Mildenhall 1949, Chiswick 1950 and St. Ronan 1953.Captain John William Grimston, (1886-1962) R.D., R.N.R. - Coastal Motor Boats (Full Size group with miniatures and riband bar)
A Great War Nurse Medal Pair, British War Medal and Victory Medal awarded to Staff Nurse Blanche Thomas, Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. On 20th March 1918, Blanche Thomas entered her first Theatre of War at Salonika, Greece and served with the Queens Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve.
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