Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Great War C.M.G., Second World War C.B.E., Boer War D.S.O. group of fourteen awarded to Brigadier-General J. B. Wells, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s neck 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; Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Belmont, Modder River, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Lieut. J. B. Wells, 1st L.N. Lanc. Regt.); King’s South Africa, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lieut. J. B. Wells, D.S.O., L.N. Lanc. Rgt.); 1914-15 Star (Major J. B. Wells, D.S.O., L.N. Lan. R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col. J. B. Wells); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; France, Legion of Honour, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver, silver-gilt and enamel; Serbia, Order of the White Eagle, 3rd Class neck badge, with swords, silver-gilt and enamel, minor enamel damage to the wreaths on the first, and to the last two, otherwise generally good very fine (14) £2400-2800

C.M.G. London Gazette 3 June 1918.

C.B.E. London Gazette 1 July 1941.

D.S.O. London Gazette 31 October 1902:

‘In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa.’

John Bayford Wells, who was born in April 1881 and educated at Westminster, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment in May 1899, direct from the Militia.

Quickly embarked for South Africa, where he would be advanced to Lieutenant in the 1st Battalion in January 1901, he was present in the advance on Kimberley, including the actions at Belmont, Enslin, Modder River and Magersfontein; so, too, in the action at Lindley in June 1900.

He was twice mentioned in despatches (London Gazettes 20 August 1901 and 29 July 1902, refer), the former despatch citing his ‘special good work on the occasion of the Boer attack on a convoy to Ventersdorp on 23 May 1901’. Here, then, probable grounds for his additional award of the D.S.O.

Advanced to Captain in May 1906, while serving as Adjutant of the 1st battalion, Harrison attended the Staff College at Camberley and was serving as a Staff Captain at the War Office on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914.

He subsequently served as D.A.A.G., G.H.Q. in France and Belgium in January-May 1915, in which period he was given the Brevet of Major; as D.A.A.G. and afterwards A.A.G of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in Gallipoli in the period June 1915 to January 1916; likewise in the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in the period January to April 1916. he was twice mentioned in despatches (London Gazettes 28 January and 13 July 1916, refer), and was awarded the French Legion of Honour (London Gazette 24 February 1916, refers).

Back on the home establishment, he served as A.A.G. at the War Office in the period April 1916 to November 1917, gaining the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel; and as Deputy Director of Organization from the latter month until the end of hostilities, in which latter period he was given the Brevet of Colonel and held the temporary rank of Brigadier-General.

He was awarded the C.M.G., brought to the notice of the Secretary of State for War (London Gazette 6 July 1918, refers), and received the Serbian Order of the White Eagle (London Gazette 10 September 1918, refers).

Remaining a regular between the wars, Harrison served as a Colonel on the Staff of H.Q. British Troops, Egypt 1923-27 and was placed on the Retired List in 1929. He also served as Colonel of the Loyal Regiment 1931-45 and was awarded the C.B.E. in 1941 for his services to the Home Guard.

The General died at Cranleigh, Surrey in April 1952, aged 70 years; his son, Theodore, was killed in action in North Africa in April 1943, while serving in the 1st Battalion of his father’s old regiment; sold with a file of copied research.