Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Twelve: Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Jay, Royal Army Service Corps, who was mentioned in despatches and awarded a Belgian decoration in each of the World Wars

British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Major, A.S.C. T.F.); Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19 (Major, A.S.C. T.F.) these three late issues; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf, these unnamed; Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Territorial, officially dated ‘1942’, reverse additionally inscribed, ‘Maj. R. B. Jay, R.A.S.C.’; Territorial Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (66229 Tpr. R. B. Jay, Sussex Yeo.) except for ‘Yeo’ officially re-impressed; Belgium, Order of Leopold II, unilingual, 4th Class breast badge, silver and enamel; Croix de Guerre, ‘A’ cypher, very fine and better (17) £700-750

M.I.D. London Gazette 30 December 1918. ‘Jay, Capt. (A./Maj.) R.B., Comdg. 36th Div. M.T. Coy.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 15 December 1942. ‘... in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East during the period November, 1941 to April, 1942.’ ‘Maj. (actg. Lt.-Col.) R. B. Jay (142397)’.

Order of Leopold II London Gazette 15 August 1946. ‘Major Reginald Branwhite Jay (142397), Royal Army Service Corps’.

Croix de Guerre London Gazette 4 September 1919. ‘Captain (acting Major) Reginald Braithwhite (sic) Jay, 36th Divisional Train, Royal Army Service Corps (Territorial Force)’.

Private Reginald Branwhite Jay, Sussex Yeomanry was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Home Counties Divisional Transport & Supply Column, A.S.C. in January 1913 (London Gazette 3 January 1913). Appointed Captain in September 1914; Adjutant in November 1914 and Major in March 1918. For his wartime services he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre. Was a Major in the R.A.S.C. T.A. Reserve in August 1939; appointed Acting Lieutenant-Colonel in June 1942. For his wartime services he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Belgian Order of Leopold II. Having reached the age limit, he ceased to belong to the T.A. Reserve of Officers in September 1949 and was granted the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Latterly associated with the Royal Norfolk Regiment, to whose museum he made a gift of some 280 medals and other material donations, Colonel Jay died in New Zealand on 23 June 1964.

With National Rifle Association (N.R.A.) bronze medal, unnamed, in Elkington & Co., Regent St. case of issue; a N.R.A. bronze cross, unnamed in a similar case; N.R.A. Rifle Clubs Medal, unnamed, in leather pouch; ‘Sussex Twenty Club’ medal, silver and enamel, hallmarks for Birmingham 1938, unnamed; Brighton & Hove I.R.C. Outdoor Section Medal, engraved silver, reverse inscribed, ‘Novices 1912 won by R. B. Jay average 92.33’, in case. With copied gazette extracts and other research.