Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War O.B.E. group of three awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel T. W. Bonner, Great Indian Peninsula Railway Volunteer Rifle Corps

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1919; Delhi Durbar 1911, silver, unnamed; Indian Volunteer Forces Officers’ Decoration, E.VII.R., reverse engraved, ‘Lt. Col. T. W. Bonner, 2d Bn. G.I.P. Ry. Voltr. Rifle Corps’, lacking top bar, mounted court style for wear, nearly extremely fine (3) £320-360

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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Thomas William Bonner was employed by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway in the Locomotive and Carriage Department, latterly achieving the rank of Locomotive Superintendent. Appointed a Lieutenant in the Great Indian Peninsula Railway Volunteer Rifle Corps on 3 October 1888, he was advanced to Captain in February 1895, Major in April 1904, and Lieutenant-Colonel in August 1905 - he was then Commandant of the 2nd Battalion G.I.P. Rly. V.R.C. He was awarded the Indian Volunteer Forces Officers’ Decoration, the award published in the Gazette of India of 20 July 1907. Bonner was awarded the O.B.E. (Civil Division), published in the London Gazette of 7 June 1918, awarded for ‘services in connection with the War’, ranked as ‘Locomotive Superintendent, Great Indian Peninsula Railway, Bombay’. His name was twice ‘brought to the notice of the Government of India for valuable services rendered in India in connection with the War up to 4th August 1917’; and again, ‘... up to the 31st December 1918’. T. W. Bonner, O.B.E., V.D., died on 12 May 1925 in Blyth, Northumberland. Sold with copied research.