A good Great War C.M.G., C.B.E. group of nine awarded to Brigadier-General Sir Charles Magniac, Kt., Royal Engineers

The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) Commander’s 2nd type neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; 1914 Star (Capt. C. L. Magniac, R.E.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Col. C. L. Magniac); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (Brig.-Genl. C. L. Magniac, I.A.); Delhi Durbar 1903, with silver riband buckle; Coronation 1937; France, Legion of Honour, Officer’s breast badge, gold and enamel, mounted as worn where applicable, enamel work on the last slightly chipped in places, generally good very fine (9) £1200-1400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Brian Kieran Collection.

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C.M.G. London Gazette 1 January 1919.

C.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1919.

Charles Lane Magniac was born at Wardha, India in December 1873, the son of Major-General Francis Magniac of the Madras Staff Corps. Educated at the United Service College, Westward Ho, and the R.M.A. Woolwich, he was commissioned in the Royal Engineers and posted to India in September 1896, where he joined the Military Works at Attock in the Punjab.

In March 1897, he was lent to the Government of the United Provinces for famine work, gaining the thanks of the local government and, shortly afterwards, to the North-West Railway as an Assistant Engineer, the latter posting resulting in the official thanks of the Government of India. Transferring to the Eastern Bengal Railway in 1898, for work on the Ganges river crossings, he next took up appointment as Traffic Officer in charge of the Delhi-Durbar Light Railway and was awarded the Medal in 1903. Another traffic appointment having followed with the Eastern Bengal Railway, he became Deputy Agent of the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Company in 1908, but was ordered to France on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914.

On arrival at Marseilles that September, he was ordered to join the Transportation Branch, and was appointed Personal Assistant to the Commanding Officer, in which capacity he served at Boulogne, Abbeville and elsewhere, taking responsibility for regulating stations and depots for the B.E.F., and drawing up rules for all B.E.F. train movements, including those for troops, reinforcements and ammunition. Subsequently appointed Assistant Deputy Railway Transport, he served on Brigadier-General V. Murray’s staff, and continued as such until returning to India in March 1919. He was awarded the C.M.G., the C.B.E. and the French Legion of Honour, in addition to being mentioned in despatches on five occasions and given the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel.

Back in India, Magniac was ordered to Army H.Q., Simla, to take up appointment as Director of Railways under Sir Edward Altham, and it was in this capacity that he served in the Third Afghan War, gaining another mention in despatches (Medal & clasp). Following the end of hostilities, he became Agent of the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Company and was elected Chairman of the Indian Railway Conference Association in 1921. Placed on the Retired List as a Brigadier-General in the following year, he received a knighthood in June 1923. Sir Charles, who was ‘a good and loyal friend’ but ‘did not bear with fools gladly’, died in June 1953.