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Auction: 9004 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 942

A Well Documented Second World War Military Division O.B.E. Group of Three to Brigadier and Chief Paymaster B.L. Burgess, Royal Army Pay Corps, Including Letters From His Son Who Was Taken P.O.W. by the Italians During the Conflict a) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Military Division, Officer´s (O.B.E.) breast badge, silver-gilt, in Royal Mint case of issue b) Defence and War Medals, extremely fine, in original card box of issue adressed to ´Brig. B.L. Burgess, O.B.E., The Rocks, High Hurstwood, Uckfield, Sussex.´, with enclosure slip, riband bar, two lapel badges of the Civil Defence Corps and a lapel badge of the R.A.P.C. Old Comrades Association, and with the following contemporary related items: - Photograph album compiled by the recipient while he was in Iraq in the 1920s, with a large number of photographs of local scenes; other photographs including the United Services Club at Kowloon - Christmas card from the R.A.P.C., Cairo, 1926 and one from the R.A.P.C., Woolwich, of the same date; a Christmas card from the Command Pay Office, Shanghai Defence Force 1927, including a group photograph - Typed Memorandum to recipient at Mkina from Captain Corbishley, Commanding, Detachment, 1st Armoured Car Company, Tank Corps, dated 26.6.1922 - Four Prisoner of War Letters from recipient´s son, Captain D. Burgess, R.A.S.C., from 21-I Settore Camp, Italy, dated 5.11.1942, 15.4.1943, 28.6.1943 and 1.7.1943 respectively (lot) Estimate £ 180-220 O.B.E. London Gazette 1.1.1944 Lieutenant-Colonel (Staff Paymaster 1st Class) (temporary Colonel, Chief Paymaster) Benjamin Luke Burgess (2254), Royal Army Pay Corps. Brigadier Benjamin Luke Burgess, O.B.E., born Macclesfield, 1888; served in the ranks for 1 year and 72 days, before being commissioned as Temporary Captain, Royal Army Pay Corps, 11.2.1919 (no service for Great War shown); Lieutenant and Paymaster, 6.7.1920, and whilst posted to Iraq, Base Cashier, Mkina, he received the following Memo from Captain Corbishley: ´´Dear Burgess, The Command Paymaster, Baghdad has now returned to me my Imprest Bank Book..... and three perfectly charming notes telling me what I have done wrong and informing me, in recondite terms and phrases, exactly what to do, what not to do and how to do it! If your kind offer to go into this matter thoroughly and clear it up once and for all, still holds good will you please come up here where past letters and documents will be easily accessible and where you can work in peace and quiet under a rotating fan with a glass of Kia-Ora and soda by your side. Any time you mention will be suitable to me. Yours till the Cash Book balances, Corbishley´´ Burgess was advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel and Staff Paymaster, 1st Class, 17.7.1941; Temporary Brigadier, 29.9.1944; retired Honorary Brigadier, 1947; a resident of Worthing, Sussex, in later life he died in 1968.

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£320