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Auction: 8010 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 111

A Fine Great War C.M.G., C.B.E., D.S.O. Group of Nine to Air Commodore D. Le G. Pitcher, Royal Air Force and Royal Flying Corps, Late 39th King George´s Own Central India Horse, ´One of the Pioneers of Flying in India´ a) The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Companion´s (C.M.G.) neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, minor enamel damage b) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 1st type, Military Division, Commander´s (C.B.E.) neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel c) Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top riband bar d) 1914 Star, with later slide Bar (Capt. D. Le. G. Pitcher. 39/Horse.) e) British War and Victory Medals (Brig. Gen. D. Le G. Pitcher. R.A.F.) f) France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour, Officer´s breast Badge, 55mm including wreath suspension x 40mm, silver-gilt and enamel, with rosette on riband g) Italy, Kingdom, Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus, Knight´s breast Badge, 58mm including crown suspension x 36mm, silver-gilt and enamel h) Royal Humane Society, small bronze medal, unsuccessful (2) (Lieut. D. Le G. Pitcher. 13th April. 1904), planchet detached from suspension, with a duplicate medal, this complete, generally very fine or better, mounted court style as originally worn, with ten associated miniature awards, including for the duplicate Royal Humane Society Medal, and two copies of recipient´s obituary (lot) Estimate £ 3,400-3,800 C.M.G. London Gazette 1.1.1918 Maj. and Bt. Lt.-Col. (T./Brig.-Gen.) Duncan Le Geyt Pitcher, Ind. A. C.B.E. London Gazette 3.6.1919 Col. (A./Brig.-Genl.) Duncan Le Geyt Pitcher, C.M.G., D.S.O. (Ind. Army) (France) D.S.O. London Gazette 1.1.1919 Colonel (Acting Brigadier-General) Duncan Le Geyt Pitcher, C.M.G., R.A.F. France, Officer of the Legion of Honour London Gazette 22.8.1917 Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Duncan Le Geyt Pitcher, Indian Army Italy, Officer of the Order of St. Maurice & St. Lazarus London Gazette 26.5.1917 Major and Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel (temporary Brigadier-General) Duncan Le Geyt Pitcher, Indian Army Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal, 1904, joint citation for Lieutenant´´s D. Le. G. Pitcher and H.D.S. Keighley, ´´On the 13th April 1904, Lieutenant G.P. Hood, Central India Horse, was in a boat which capsized on a lake at Agar, Malwa, Central India. Pitcher and Keighley, at great risk, attempted to save him but failed, and he was drowned.´´ Air Commodore Duncan Le Geyt Pitcher, C.M.G., C.B.E., D.S.O. (1877-1944), born Naini Tal, U.P., India, son of Colonel D.G. Pitcher, who was a member of the Oudh Commission; educated Sedbergh School and Geneva University, before passing out from Sandhurst; Commissioned Second Lieutenant South Wales Borderers, 1898; transferred Lieutenant 11th Rajputs, 1901; Adjutant 1904; appointed Captain and Personal Assistant to the Agent in Central India, 1907; appointed tutor to the Maharajah of Holkar, 1908; Assistant Inspector Imperial Service Troops, Central India; Pilot´´s Certificate, Royal Aero Club, No. 125, 1911; served with the 39th King George´´s Own Central India Horse in Central Persia, 1911-13; joined the Central Flying School, 1914; with the outbreak of the Great War was attached to the Royal Flying Corps, ´´When the war broke out, the Royal Flying Corps took the field with all its available forces. There were at Farnborough at that time a small group of officers belonging to the newly formed Indian Flying Corps... All these were swept into the net. Captains H.L. Reilly and D. Le G. Pitcher were at once made Flying Officers of No. 4 Squadron´´ (War in the Air (Official History of the War), refers); Pitcher was posted with the squadron to France, 13.8.1914; appointed Assistant Commandant, Central Flying School, April 1915, before becoming Commandant in December of the same year; Major 1.9.1915; returned to the French Theatre of War as a Wing Commander from March 1916; Temporary Brigadier-General 1.4.1916; Brevet Colonel 3.6.1919 (Mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig´´s Despatch of 16.3.1919, London Gazette 11.7.1919); appointed Controller of Technical Design to the Air Board; Director of Equipment, Air Ministry, 1922-25; Officer Commanding 22nd Group R.A.F., 1926-29. For the Victoria Cross Group of Medals awarded to Captain H.W. Pitcher see Lot 106.

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