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Auction: 9004 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 941

Family Group: A 1955 Civil Division ´Africa Peacekeeping´ O.B.E., 1944 ´Kohima´ M.C. Group of Seven to Major W.S. Smith, 7th Rajputs, Indian Army, Later Administrative Officer Western Region, Nigeria a) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Civil Division, Officer´s (O.B.E.) breast Badge, silver-gilt b) Military Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse privately engraved ´E.C.93. Major W.S. Smith. Kohima 18 April´ and officially dated ´1944´ c) 1939-1945 Star d) Africa Star, with ´8th Army´ Bar e) Burma Star f) Defence and War Medals, nearly extremely fine, mounted as worn, with the related miniature awards, all housed in a Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co., London, leather case, and with the following official documentation &c.: - Royal Mint cases of issue for the O.B.E. and M.C. - Commemorative Medallion celebrating the Royal Visit to Nigeria 1956, in Royal Mint case of issue, together with named Government House, Nigeria, enclosure, dated 18.2.1956 - Copy of the Statutes of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, together with named Central Chancery enclosure - Letter to the recipient from Downing Street, informing him of the award of the O.B.E., dated 2.6.1955 - Letter to the recipient from the Colonial Office congratulating him on his O.B.E., dated 24.6.1955 - Letter to the recipient regarding the investiture of the O.B.E., at Government House, Nigeria, dated 20.1.1956 - Letter to the recipient regarding the formation of the Chapel of the Order of the British Empire, dated June 1957 - Four letters to the recipient congratulating him on the award of his M.C., including one from Lieutenant-General William Slim, C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., M.C., General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Fourteenth Army, dated 19.8.1944 - The Recipient´s Officer´s Record of Service Book - Various documents relating to the recipient´s emergency commission and subsequent service - Letter to the recipient from the Colonial Office on the occasion of his retirement, dated 1.2.1963 - Newspaper cuttings regarding the award of the M.C. - Two Portrait photographs of the recipient - Various buttons, shoulder titles, badges, and riband bars Three: Captain S. Smith, Royal Army Medical Corps 1914-15 Star (Lieut. S. Smith); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. S. Smith), extremely fine, together with an Ottoman Empire medalet, the reverse engraved ´S. Smith R.A.M.C. Capt.´ (10) Estimate £ 1,400-1,800 O.B.E. London Gazette 14.6.1955 Major William Stephen Smith, M.C., Administrative Officer, Western Region, Nigeria ´´For courage and devotion to duty during a riot in Ogbomosho, Ibadan Province, Nigeria, when armed groups threatened to over-run the district.´´ M.C. London Gazette 27.7.1944 Lieutenant (temporary Captain) William Stephen Smith (93), 7th Rajput Regiment, Indian Army ´´In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Burma.´´ The Recommendation states: ´´During the operation on April 18 to clear the wounded from Kohima, a group of walking wounded came under heavy shell-fire and several were severely wounded. Drivers of lorries took cover, and the rapid evacuation of the wounded from the danger area was only made possible by the action of Captain Smith, who personally turned the lorry in the area being shelled and then rushed the wounded into it. Later in the day the whole medical staff were knocked out by mortar fire, and Captain Smith, regardless of personal safety, rendered first-aid until another medical officer could be brought to the scene.´´ Major William Stephen Smith, O.B.E., M.C., born 17.9.1915, the son of Captain S. Smith, Royal Army Medical Corps; Commissioned 4th Battalion, 7th Rajput Regiment, Indian Army, 22.1.1940 (Emergency Commission 93); served with the Regiment as part of the 8th Army throughout the Middle East Campaign and in North Africa; Lieutenant, 19.9.1942; served with the 14th Army in Burma, and awarded the Military Cross for operations at Kohima, 18.4.1944; attended the Staff Course at Quetta, 18.7-24.11.1944; Captain and Temporary Major, 15.6.1945; relinquished his Commission with the rank of Major, 7.9.1945. After the War, Major Smith served as the Administrative Officer of the Western Region, Nigeria, and was awarded the O.B.E. when, ´´after five days and nights of tension, he led a small party and dispersed armed rioters who were threatening to overrun the defensive positions of the Police, showing courage of a high order´´ (letter to the recipient from the Colonial Office refers). He was presented with his O.B.E. at Government House, Nigeria, by H.M. The Queen, 11.2.1956, during Her Majesty´´s Visit to Nigeria. Major Smith retired to Scotland, January 1963. Captain Sydney Smith, born December 1887; Temporary Lieutenant, Royal Army Medical Corps, 18.8.1914; Temporary Captain, 18.8.1915; Captain, 18.2.1918.

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£2,300