Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine ‘Croatian operations’ O.B.E. group of twelve awarded to Colonel D. A. Wilkins, The Buffs

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; 1914-15 Star (Lieut., E. Kent R.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine, M.I.D. oakleaf (Lt. Col., The Buffs); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oakleaf, these five all inscribed (5252 Col. D. A. Wilkins, The Buffs); Jubilee 1935, unnamed; Denmark, Order of the Dannebrog, F.R.VIII, 4th Class breast badge, base gilt metal and enamel, uniface, with rosette on ribbon, court mounted for display, the Great War medals polished and worn, others good very fine (12) £550-650

O.B.E. London Gazette 13 December 1945. ‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Italy’.

Recommendation reads: ‘Col. Wilkins has commanded 207 Sub Area in Zadar (Croatia) under conditions of peculiar difficulty. By careful handling of a very delicate situation, British relationship with the Jugoslav authorities considerably improved, thereby enabling not only the development of the port and airfields to be carried out but also the evacuation of our forces to be completed without incident. The administration of the area under his command was excellent and was largely responsible for the smooth running of Operations Bingham & Residue as well as for the easier maintenance of good discipline among troops of all three services. These special circumstances entailed demands quite beyond those usually expected of a Sub Area Commander’.

M.I.D. London Gazette 15 September 1939 (Palestine); 1 April 1941 and 29 September 1942.

Denison Alfred Wilkins was born on 28 July 1892. He served in the Buffs during the Great War, January to May 1915 when he was wounded. He subsequently served as Staff Captain with the Home Forces, November 1917 to February 1918, and as Staff Captain, Eastern Command and Northern Command, March 1918 to March 1920. For his wartime services he was awarded the M.B.E. Promoted to Major in April 1932, and to Lieutenant-Colonel in October 1938, he was mentioned in despatches for his work in Palestine. He acted as Area Commandant in Palestine and Trans-Jordan from January to December, 1941, and was Sub-Area Commander, Middle East, from December 1941 to July 1942, for which he was twice mentioned in despatches. Later still he was Sub Area Commander for an area of Croatia - for which work he was promoted in the Order to O.B.E.

With copied recommendation and gazette extract.