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Auction: 24113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 632

The C.I.E. group of five to Inspector J. B. Brooks, Kenya Police Reserve, late King Edwards's Own Gurkha Rifles and who served as Chief Conservator of Forests for Bombay

The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, Companion's (C.I.E.) neck Badge, gold and enamel; British War Medal 1914-19 (2 Lt. J. B. Brooks.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Kenya (E.4756 I. P. I. (R). J. Brooks.); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, the campaign medals mounted as worn, very fine or better (5)

C.I.E. London Gazette 1 January 1945.

John Birtwhistle Tyrrill Brooks was born at Oxford on 13 December 1889 and was educated at Marlborough College and later at Christ Church College, Oxford, graduating in 1912. He then joined the Indian Forest Service (Bombay) on 5 December 1912 as an Assistant Conservator of Forests. Brooks had Great War military service between 8 November 1917 and 24 November 1918, during which time he was additionally promoted to Deputy Conservator in December 1917. He received a British War Medal 1914-20 for his Great War Service and this was issued in India.

Brooks is noted as having served with the 2/2 King Edward's Own Gurkha Rifles and also the Special Mahratta Brahmin Company. A total of 287 Brahmins were listed in the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Gurkhas in the strength return table for 1 January 1919. An entry in the Battalion's Digest of Services for September 1918 stated that 'A special company of Mahratta Brahmins was attached to the Battalion for training and discipline from this month'. The Battalion at that date was stationed at Tank in the North West Frontier Province.

Brooks returned to Oxford in 1919 to complete his Master's and then returned to the Indian Forest Service. He continued to appear in the Indian Army Lists of January and April 1920 with the 2nd Goorkhas. Brooks became Chief Conservator of Forests in the Bombay Region between 1944-45 and was awarded the Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire in 1945. Later in the same year, he retired and moved back to Oxford but was soon on the move again and resettled in Kenya in 1947. He was to see service again, this time with the Kenya Police Reserve during the Mau-Mau uprising. His wife died in 1953 and Brooks died in 1962.

For his miniature dress medals, please see Lot 798.


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Sold for
£1,700

Starting price
£700