Beschreibung:

The Richard Magor Collection of Medals Relating to India and Africa, and other Fine Awards A fine Inter-War K.C.B., Great War K.C.M.G. group of twenty-one awarded to General Sir William “Bill” Thwaites, Royal Artillery, who as a young Lieutenant ‘displayed great gallantry saving a gun at Lombard’s Kop’, fought in the Defence of Ladysmith and rose to senior command in the Great War, having seen extensive action at the Front and been twice wounded The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, K.C.B. (Military), Knight Commander’s set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels, and breast star, silver, with gold and enamel applique centre; The Order of St. Michael and St. George, K.C.M.G. Knight Commander’s set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels, and breast star, silver, with gold and enamel centre; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Defence of Ladysmith (Capt., R.F.A.); 1914-15 Star (Lt. Col., R.A.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Maj. Gen.); Victory Medal, M.I.D. oakleaf (Maj. Gen. Sir); Defence Medal; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; American Distinguished Service Medal (Army), officially numbered ‘626’; Belgian Order of Leopold I, Commander’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with swords; Belgian Croix de Guerre; French Legion of Honour, Commander’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; French Croix de Guerre 1914-1917, with palm; Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd class set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, and breast star, silver, with silver-gilt and enamel centre, both with central cabochons; Norwegian Order of St. Olaf, Knight’s breast badge, gold and enamel, with swords; Serbian Order of the White Eagle, 2nd class set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with swords, and breast star, silver-gilt, with silver-gilt and enamel centre, with swords enamel work chipped in places, especially on the Belgian, French and Serbian Badges, which have other minor damage and defects, otherwise generally good very fine (21) £2800-3200 Footnote K.C.B. London Gazette 1 January 1927. K.C.M.G. London Gazette 9 June 1919: ‘For services rendered in connection with military operations in France and Flanders.’ Mention in Despatches London Gazette 8 February 1901 (South Africa); 1 January 1916; 4 January 1917; 11 December 1917; 20 May 1918; 20 December 1918 and 5 July 1919. American D.S.M. (Army) London Gazette 12 July 1919. Belgian Order of Leopold I London Gazette 7 June 1919. Belgian Croix de Guerre London Gazette 7 February 1921. French Legion of Honour London Gazette 5 November 1920. French Croix de Guerre London Gazette 21 August 1919. Japanese Order of the Rising Sun London Gazette 21 January 1921. Serbian Order of the White Eagle London Gazette 15 October 1920. William “Bill” Thwaites, who was born in June 1868, had an interesting childhood, his English father having married Jeanette Threlfall, ‘a German lady of good social standing’ and strong character. Attending school at Heidelberg, where he learned to understand both the German language and the German mentality, he also had to contend with his mother’s increasing forays against the locals in defence of her newly acquired British nationality. Indeed one of his obituarists, General Sir Walter Kirke, felt bound to record: ‘Living in Germany in the sabre-rattling days before the First World War, she did not hesitate to show her disapproval of German policy towards her adopted country and this she did in an original manner. When something had particularly roused her resentment, she would sally forth and select one of the “Verboten” notices, with which every German pleasure garden was plentifully besprinkled, and having ascertained that the fine for infringement was within her modest means, would then deliberately proceed to break the order before the scandalised eyes of the park keeper. When the inevitable summons followed, she would enter Court with great dignity, and having, so to speak, obtained bo