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Auction: 25112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 648

The Superb C.B.E., 1926 Knight Batchelor group of seven awarded to 2nd Lieutenant Sir A. H. King, East Surrey Regiment late Cadet, Inns of Court O.T.C., who was seriously wounded in 1914, later returning to the legal profession he ended his career as the Senior Master of the Court of Appeal with the role of Queen's Remembrancer

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Commander's (C.B.E.) neck Badge, civil division, in its Garrard & Co. case of issue with its Warrant to 'The Late King George VI'; Knight Bachelor's Badge, 1st type breast Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, hallmarks for London 1926, in its original case of issue; 1914 Star, clasp, (2. Lieut: A. H. King. E. Surr:R.); British War and Victory Medals (2.Lieut. A. H. King.); Defence Medal 1939-45; Coronation 1953, the campaign awards mounted as worn, sold together with a silver war badge and with an enamelled, gilt, Worshipful Company of Scriveners Master's Badge, good very fine (7)

Knight Bachelor London Gazette 2 June 1962.

C.B.E. bestowal document states 14 March 1959.

Anthony Highmore King was born at Croydon, Surrey on 22 April 1890, the son of Sir George and Mabel King. Educated at St. Mary's College Winchester, he attended Corpus Christi, Oxford and after matriculating was called to the bar of the Inner Temple in 1913. King also served in the Oxford University O.T.C. but preferred a career in the legal profession to the military.

Upon the outbreak of war he was one of many lawyers to enlist at Lincoln's Inn with the Inns of Court O.T.C. (number 822) on 4 August 1914 and was mobilised that same day. Commissioned Second Lieutenant on 15 August 1914 with the 4th East Surrey Regiment, King entered the war in France on 25 September 1914. He was seriously wounded in action less than a month later on 13 October 1914 - the Battalion War Diary states for this day:

'The Battalion advanced at 5.45 AM pushing back Germans very rapidly, though arm enclosures and across open fields (plough on boots). An unfordable and muddy dyke delayed our advance until two temporary foot bridges were thrown across.'

In spite of this light resistance the War Diary does note: '…still our casualties numbered 4 officers and 42 other ranks'. This included King who had suffered a bullet wound in both arms; his medical report notes that the same bullet had passed through both arms, severing a nerve in his right arm. His injury saw King invalided back to Britain and in the long run unable to return to active service.

Whilst he was undergoing medical treatment King returned to his home in Croydon, as such he would likely have been a witness to the bombing raid conducted by Zeppelin L14 in October 1916. Unfortunately his injury was severe and King would wear a splint on his arm for the next seven years; this forced him to a desk-based job in the Ministry of National Service from 1916-1918.

After the war he returned to the legal profession, being appointed Assistant Registrar of the Court of Appeal 1933. Holding this position until 1946 he was appointed Queen's Coroner and Attorney, Master of the Crown Office and Registrar of the Court of Appeal. As a result he appears upon the roll for the 1953 Coronation Medal as Registrar of the Court of Criminal Appeal.

Finally appointed Senior Master of the Court of Appeal and Queen's Remembrancer in 1960, he retired in these roles. King was additionally Master of the Worshipful Company of Scriveners in 1933 and 1947 and Honorary Liveryman, Glass Sellers Company in 1966. He died at Cobham Hospital on 28 March 1977; sold together with an enamelled, gilt, Worshipful Company of Scriveners Master's Badge, the reverse engraved 'George Anthony King Master 1906-7 - Anthony Highmore King Master 1933-34 1947-48', in its Lambert Jewellers box of issue, along with the recipient's illuminated Coat of Arms issued by the College of Arms.

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Sold for
£2,300

Starting price
£1100