Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An inter-war C.B. group of seven awarded to Brigadier L. S. H. Smithers, Indian Army

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Military) neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Abor 1911-12 (Captn., 17th Infy.); 1914-15 Star (Capt., 17 Infy.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Major); Jubilee 1935; Serbian Order of the White Eagle, 5th class breast badge, with swords, silver, gilt and enamels, mounted as worn, the C.B. with slightly recessed reverse centre and the last slightly chipped, otherwise generally good very fine (7) £1200-1500

C.B. London Gazette 1 January 1936.

Serbian Order of the White Eagle London Gazette 9 March 1917.

M.I.D. London Gazette 5 September 1916.

Leonard Sueton Hirsch Smithers was born in January 1879, the son of Major-General Otway Frances Smithers, Indian Staff Corps, and was educated at Bedford School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Originally commissioned in July 1898, he joined the 17th Rajputs in October 1899 and served as a Captain and Double Company Commander in the Abor operations of 1911-12, winning a mention in despatches (London Gazette 16 July 1912 refers).

Advanced to Major and appointed Second-in-Command of the 10th Jats in September 1915, Smithers was mentioned in despatches by General Sir Charles Monro (w.e.f. 6 March 1916), in addition to being awarded the Serbian Order of the White Eagle. Subsequently employed as a Brigade Major in Scottish Command, he was advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel in April 1918.

His post-war appointments included a stint as Colonel and Commandant of the 4th Bombay Grenadiers between 1922-26, as Commandant of Kitchener College, Nowgong between 1929-31 and as a Brigadier and Assistant Adjutant General in India in the following year. Latterly C.O. of the Ahmednagar Infantry Brigade, Southern Command, India, he was created a C.B. in 1936, the year of his retirement. The Brigadier died in January 1954.