The Upfill-Brown Collection

A fine C.M.G., Mons D.S.O. group of nine to Brigadier-General Godfrey Gillson, Royal Horse Artillery, Cavalry Corps

THE MOST DISTINGUISHED ORDER OF ST. MICHAEL AND ST. GEORGE, C.M.G., neck badge in silver-gilt and enamel; DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER, G.V.R., with top suspender buckle; INDIA GENERAl. SERVICE 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (Lieut., F. Battery, R.H.A.), renamed; 1914 MONS STAR (Major, R.H.A.); BRITISH WAR and VICTORY MEDALS, M.I.D. (Brig. Gen.); KHEDIVE'S SUDAN 1896- 1908, 1 clasp, Sudan 1899, unnamed as issued; Turkey, ORDER OF THE MEDJIDIE, 3rd class neck badge; Montenegro, ORDER OF DANILO, 3rd class neck badge, the group mounted in a glass fronted display case, generally very fine or better (9)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The AA Upfill-Brown Collection.

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Sold with a quantity of original documents including three Commission documents; Warrants and Statutes for the C.M.G. and D.S.O. ; Warrants for the Orders of the Medjidie and Danilo; a privately printed biography of Brig-General Gillson; six MID. certificates and two portrait photographs. Brigadier General Godfrey Gillson was born 15 December, 1867 and educated at Rugby and Jesus College, Cambridge. He was commissioned into the Royal Horse Artillery and served with 'F' Battery in the Tirah campaign on the North West Frontier. In 1899 he was selected for service in the Egyptian Army, and, in charge of mule transport, took part in the final operations which led to the death of the Khalifa. He spent several years in Egypt and the Sudan, allowing him to enjoy his love of foxhunting to the point of importing his own pack which became known as the Abbassich Hunt. In 1904 he succeeded to the command of the Egyptian Artillery and in 1907, having completed the term of engagement with the Egyptian Government, was awarded the Order of the Medjidie, and returned to England. In 1914 he went to France, in command of 'D' Battery, forming part of the Divisional artillery of the 2nd Cavalry Division under the command of General Hubert Gough. He had a narrow escape on 8 September, 1914, at the battle of the Petit Morn, being wounded in the throat by a bullet, which deprived him of the power of speech for a time. During the summer of 1915 he was appointed C.R.A. of the Cavalry Corps, having been awarded the D.S.O. in February of the same year. He was six times mentioned in despatches, created a C.M.G. in 1918, and received the 3rd class Order of Danilo. He went on retired pay in 1919 and died on 2 June, 1937.