nwfrontier

Noor, It's a King George VI (GRI) issue - 'G: BR: OMN. REX ET INDIAE IMP' so issued 1937-48. He had to serve 18 years so he had to have adult service starting after 1919 and before 1930. The rank on your medal is the rank he held when he qualified. Like Tony said though, his service papers are not available. At the moment if 'your man' served on the army on or after 1922 his papers are not available to non-family members (i.e. medal collectors) I can shape his service dates slightly. Your chap is S/12837 S/12666 (171 enlistments before your chap) died in 1942 a Warrant Officer Class I (S.S.M.) aged 38 so born cira 1904 S/12781 (56 enlistments before your chap) died in 1942 a Warrant Officer Class II (S.Q.M.S.) aged 42 so born circa 1901 S/12866 (29 enlistments later then yours) died in 1942 a Serjeant aged 47 so born circa 1895 Considering boys could join aged 14 if the WO 2 enlisted as a boy he joined anything after 1915 Service time towards a LSGC starts no earlier than when the soldier is aged 17 1/2 So even if he joined at age 14 as a boy soldier his service before age 17 1/2 does not count towards the award of a LSGC The rank of Warrant Officer Class II he would have been a Squadron Quarter Master Sergeant (S.Q.M.S.) To give you the only example from my collection: The recipient was born 30th January 1906 Enlisted in the Royal Artillery on 26th April 1920 aged 14 years 4 months Service to count to LSGC at age 17 ½ onwards so 30th July 1923 onwards Needs 18 years service Became eligible 30th July 1941 I hope that helps Matthew

From the January 1936 Indian Army List Auxillary Force - India The Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Rifles Majors First Comissioned : 28th November 1908 Names : 2. Peebles, Archibald, V.D. Date of Rank : 6th April 1928 The 2. indicates 2nd battalion He is still in the Oct 1936 IAL same as above but no longer listed in the Oct 1937 IAL. The Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway rifles came about by the joining indicated earlier on this thread but in 1910, a slight name change in 1917 with '32nd' being added to the front when it was made part of the Indian Defence Force, howver they reverted to the old name in 1920. Hope that helps, Matthew

Gentlemen, Sorry for the delay but thank you for your replies. It does seem he was present but I want now are detailed German accounts of the action and forces available. Thanks again, Matthew

Mervyn, Thank you for the welcome. My interest lies with the Indian Army of the period and yes this collection of medals and paperwork could be of interest to me as although not an Indian Army officer per se, he was attached to an Indian Army unit that interests me, even if they did not serve in any active theatres. Please email me and let me know either way. I have been a member for some time but only an occasional visitor here though I am on other forums. I have only recently started trying to understand the qualification rules for WW2 medals and I have a lot to learn. Regards, Matthew

Folks, Bear with me. I know nothing about the German military, any period. However, I am trying to find the citation or at least a definate reason for the award of the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross to D. pl. Ing. Dr Ernst Eberhard Bolbrinker (if i have got that right). I am lead to believe that it was awarded for North Africa in early 1941. The reason for my interest in him (and the DAK) is the action at El Mechili (various spellings of this) between the 3rd and 8th April 1941, where the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade's refusal to surrender until they were over run by DAK Mark III & IV's backed up by Italian Bersaglieri infantry and artillery on the morning of the 8th April held up Rommels attempt to cut off the retreat of Allied forces in Cyrenica and allowed the 9th Australian Division to get back into Tobruk and prepare it's defences. This was at a cost of approx 2500 troops still went into the bag. I have read British, Indian & Australian accounts and now I want to see what I can find out 'from the otherside of the hill'. On the 5th the first Axis troops arrived near the fort at El Mechili mostly infantry of Colonna Santamaria and German antitank guns of Vorausabteilung Schwerin but the initial attack was easily driven off. What little I have put together is that the Axis forces available for the assault on El Mechili on the 8th were as follows: 5th Light Division Divisional Headquarters Streich (West) Group Schwerin, (Gerhard von Schwerin) (North & North East) Including Panzer IIc? Group Bolbrinker [elements 1st Bn 5th Panzer Regiment] including command PzIIC, & Pz IVD ? Schwerin reports he has 8 tanks by dawn of the 8th April ? Group Fabris [elements 3rd Bersaglieri Motorcycle Battalion of the Ariete Divison & Santamaria reconnaissance Group ] (East) Battalion HQ, (under Lt-Col Fabris) 1 Motorcycle company 142nd AT Gun company 2 Batteries, 1/132nd Artillery Regiment Group Montemurro [elements 8th Bersaglieri Regiment and 12th Bersaglieri Autoporto Battalion] HQ, 8th Bersaglieri Regiment, -Colonel Guiseppe Montemurro) 12th Bersaglieri Battalion HQ 72nd AT Gun company, with: 1 Battery, 1/132nd Artillery Regiment 2nd MG Group Now was Bolbrinkers award for this action - is it possible to find out? Also, where can I find detailed German & Italian accounts of this action? Thanks in anticipation Matthew

Mervyn, Very nice grouping the medals, photographs and paperwork. I am envious. I am lucky to own the Scinde Horse history which covers WW2 and from digging into that plus the London Gazette and a few other things off my shelf here is what I have put together: Maurice Lionel Gilbert Emergency commissioned from cadet 1st February 1941 into the Royal Tank Regiment (officer number (174025)) (Its slightly later then expected LG 8/8/1941). He was an RTR officer and so wears RTR badges in the photograph. British service attached to Scinde Horse July 1941 Left for Training Centre April 1942 Rejoined the regiment July 1942 The regiment was mechanised in 1938 and on the North West Frontier as part of Bannu brigade (but split up by troop) from before the war until October 1941. They then moved Risalpur and in November to Karachi. In April 1942 they then went to Persia. They were issued Grant Tanks in Basra in November 1942 but were re-equipped with Sherman's in November/December 1943 Batches of officers were sent to the C. M. T. C. (I do not know what stands for a tank school of some sort) in Italy in 1944 and although officially forbidden most of them managed to get attachments to active units I suspect this is how he earned his Italy Star as the regiment as a whole did not go. He was a War Substantive Lieutenant by July 1943 He was a War Substantive Captain by April 1945 Went on release September 1945 He was apparently a Major when the left the regiment but I have not seen a gazette for that perhaps an temporary, acting or local rank? The regiment returned to India in January 1946 Appointed from Lt (W.S. Captain) R.T.R. Emergency commission to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers for the Royal Armoured Corps as a Captain 8th August 1951 and granted the honorary rank of Major. (LG 7/8/51). He relinquished his commission due to reaching the age limit and retained the honorary rank of Major 19th February 1962. I believe the age limit was 45 for Captains & Majors. The qualifying areas for the Africa Star include:- (i) North Africa (troops under Allied Force Headquarters, and Middle East Command Excluding formations not West of the Suez Canal and Red Sea) From 10.6.40 to 12.5.43 The Africa Star's minimum qualifying period was one day. The regiment sent men on courses on Grant's to Cairo from July onwards maybe this is how he earned his. Full (pre-1947) title of the regiment is "The Scinde Horse (14th Prince of Wales Own Cavaly). At partition in 1947 the regiment was allotted to India The then Captain M. Aslam Khan, who was comissioned in the Indian Army in August 1942, joined the regiment in September 1942 had left the regiment in July 1945 on posting to Babina, the Indian Armoured Corps training centre. As a Muslim he opted to join the newly formed Pakistan Army at Partition and after retiring a Brigadier was chosen to be come Colonel of the 13th Lancers. The 13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (as they were in 1947) were allotted to Pakistan at Partition. After Pakistan became a republic in 1956 they would have dropped the Duke of Connaught's Own part of the title. Can I ask a small price for all this? Could you scan all the association newsletters you have and email them to me? I would really appreciate it and perhaps using them I can help others in the future. Thanks Matthew

Jeff, I have to say that so far I can not match the miniatures, which sound nice and something I would like though I am not a miniatures collector, to a calling card to Lt A. W. Bean, Indian Army. One thing that strikes me was until at least the 1940's officer in polite society, until they reached the rank of Captain were known as Mr, so I would have expected this to read 'Mr A. W. Bean, Indian Army.' The card must pre-date 1947 one would think. I cannot trace a regular Indian army officer called A. W. Bean in this period. Not in my Oct 1939 or April 1944 Indian Army lists. Darn shame. The only A. W. Bean is Allan Willard Bean who I spoke of before You did not say - was the ribbon on the MBE Military or civil? Regards, Matthew

Jeff, Can you supply any more detail on your Lieut A. W. Bean? The only chap of those name and intials I can find in the April 1947 Army List is a Emergency Comissioned Royal Army Service Corps officer, African Colonial Forces section, comissioned 2/Lt 1/7/42 with no hight rank, temporary, Acting or war substantive. No MBE either but then you did not indicate if its was military or civil. The combination is a typical IA group of the period - but he is not a pre-war IA officer. Not in the October 1939 Indian Army List. Matthew

Folks, I did purchace this book when it came out, It is the largets book I have ever bought but I feel it was worth it - an excellent tome and although Ed was not happy with the binding I think it's okay. Just breaks your back getting it off the shelf! Matthew

Hugh, Thank's very much for posting this - I found it most interesting, especially the illusitation of the Imtazi Sanad - not seen one on the market. The challange of researching pakistan medals and their recipients is formidable. One of the stumbling blocks for your Group Captain, like other awards to officers are the unavailability of Navy, Army & Air Force lists, or at least as far as I know. Can you shed any light on this situation? Does the Gazette of Pakistan function like the London Gazette in announcing awards, officer promotion, etc? I have never seen it so I could be very wide of the mark. I have managed to collect a number of Pakistan Medals commerating the creation of in 1947 to both Pakistani nationals and attached British officers and would love to flesh out their service. Regards, Matthew B.