Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Salonika’ M.B.E. group of three awarded to Major G. H. G. Smith, Royal Engineers

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E., (Military) Member’s 1st type breast badge, silver, hallmarks for London 1919; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Major G. H. G. Smith) good very fine (3) £140-£180

This lot is to be sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Lieutenant-Colonel Edward De Santis.

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M.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1919.

George Henry Gould Smith was born at Horbling, Folkingham, Lincolnshire on 22 February 1922 and was educated at Winchester College and Magdalen College, Oxford. Appointed an Assistant Surveyor in the General Post Office in April 1912, he applied for a commission in the Royal Engineers in February 1917. Embarked for Salonika as a Second Lieutenant in June 1917, he was attached to XII Corps as a Deputy Assistant Director of Postal Services (D.A.D.P.S.). Having then been appointed a Temporary Major in October 1918, he established new Army Post Offices at Kavala and Dedeagatch in Greece. Latterly deployed to Batoum in Turkey, Smith was twice Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazettes 1 October 1918 and 1 March 1919) and awarded the M.B.E.. He returned home in the summer of 1920. Rejoining the G.P.O. on being demobilised, he was appointed Director of Postal Service in 1937, following which he retired to Folkestone, Kent, where he died in January 1965.

Sold with an old reunion dinner photograph.