A WW!-WW2 Senior Officer's ribbon bars

[tjnier]

This impressive set of ribbon bars recently came from London, UK, via eBay. I searched the website "British Army Officers -- 1939-1945", but could not find any decent match-up. This officer may have reached the rank of Colonel by the end of WW2 to have rated a CB. His DSO & MC/bar may be WW1 awards. His OBE was a Civil award, and the MID on his GSM is rather uncommon. Do the GMIC members have any suggestions as to how to identify this unusual combination of ribbons?? Perhaps there is a book about the British 8th Army's service in North Africa, which also contains a list of senior officers?? Any leads would be greatly appreciated.

[Ulsterman]

WoW!! That has every device possible on it.

The key is the colonial service campaign medals I think. I reckon Brigadier at end of his career. I'd wager 100 $ the MC was for WW1 and he was a Captain, acting Major.

Tanks? REME? He has every European campaign star there was, so he was on a first name basis with Monty.

[Gunner 1]

An interesting array of medals for an officer who was a TF officer during the Great War (note the TFWM). It is also interesting that he has a CB and a Civil OBE/CBE. The right hand medal in the third row completely perplexes me as it appears to be a Royal Navy LS & GC Medal which does not seem to fit the rest of the ribbons. The GSM with the MiD emblem must be a pre-WWII campaign as it is worn prior to the WWII medals. It is also rather interesting that he received the CB but did not have an MiD for WWII. There can't be too many officers who have the CB, Civil CBE/OBE, DSO, MC/Bar combination. Gunner 1

[Paul L Murphy]

An interesting array of medals for an officer who was a TF officer during the Great War (note the TFWM). It is also interesting that he has a CB and a Civil OBE/CBE. The right hand medal in the third row completely perplexes me as it appears to be a Royal Navy LS & GC Medal which does not seem to fit the rest of the ribbons. The GSM with the MiD emblem must be a pre-WWII campaign as it is worn prior to the WWII medals. It is also rather interesting that he received the CB but did not have an MiD for WWII. There can't be too many officers who have the CB, Civil CBE/OBE, DSO, MC/Bar combination. Gunner 1

The right hand medal on the 3rd row is the 1909 India General Service Medal.

[Gunner 1]

Paul: You are most likely correct. I hadn't considered the fact that the green stripes on the ribbon had completely faded to white!! Gunner 1

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

[...] and a Civil OBE/CBE [...]

Certainly a CBE, as it comes between his CB and DSO (unless the first one is KCB... or higher ). This may help narrow the circle of suspects.

[Noor]

Very nice ribbon bar!

Interesting to see, what more knowledged members can find out about your bar...

Meantime sorry to post mine in here. I would like to query, is there any site, from where I can find out more about the pre WW1 period awardings to the British officers.

Also what level they usually should be for first two of the bar, how many was awarded and is there any chance to narrow down a figure, how many similar combinations was possible at this time?

[dante]

Very nice ribbon bar!

Interesting to see, what more knowledged members can find out about your bar...

Meantime sorry to post mine in here. I would like to query, is there any site, from where I can find out more about the pre WW1 period awardings to the British officers.

Also what level they usually should be for first two of the bar, how many was awarded and is there any chance to narrow down a figure, how many similar combinations was possible at this time?

I would say unique, ok here goes CB and CBE (civil) possibly interwar years or post war, territorial pre war DSO and MC(bar) with India and possibly Iraq, so Territorial army unit with Afghanistan NWF1919 and GSM clasp Iraq, that would put him as Mespot then India then back to Mespot, with the gallantry in those theatres.

Back to his profession no TD so did not stay in the unit, my money would be engineers, medical or gunners so civvie street interwar, then WW2, he has tranferable skills and is fit, so back in uniform and picked up his CB at the end of WW2 and a CBE on retirement from his civvie job.........Engineer or Doctor

Also no foreign muck............