A ‘Jubaland 1917-18’ group of seven awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel William Allison Gutsell, East Surrey Regiment and King’s African Rifles, who was murdered by terrorists in Malaya in 1949

Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Jubaland 1917-18 (Lieut., 5-K.S. Rif.); British War and Victory (Lieut., 5 E.S.R.) regiment unofficially impressed; Jubilee 1935 (Lt. Col., M.S.V.R.); Coronation 1937 (Lt. Col., F.M.S.V.F.); Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service, G.V.R. (Capt., M.S.V.R.) officially impressed later issue, naming rubbed as often found; Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Malaya, reverse inscribed, ‘Lieut. Col. William A. Gutsell, F.M.S.V.F.’, mounted for wear, minor contact marks, very fine and better (7) £800-900

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

View
Collection

William Allison Gutsell was born in Tonbridge, Kent, in 1888. In September 1914 he joined the Hertfordshire Yeomanry and was granted a commission as a Temporary 2nd Lieutenant in the East Surrey Regiment on 7 April 1915, being placed in the 11th (Reserve) Battalion of that regiment. On 13 January 1916 he was transferred to the 2/5th (Territorial) Battalion, being promoted to Temporary Lieutenant on 1 February 1916. With the battalion he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 30 August 1916. In 1917 he was seconded for duty with the Colonial Office and on 5 January 1917 was appointed Temporary Captain with the King’s African Rifles; within the East Surrey Regiment he was promoted to Lieutenant on 3 July 1917. Gutsell served with the 5th Battalion K.A.R. and took part in the Jubaland Operations, 1917-18, for which service he was granted A.G.S. Medal with clasp - this scarce to Europeans. In June 1919 he was restored to the establishment of the East Surrey Regiment and in December he transferred to the Territorial Force Reserve of the 5th Battalion and thence, in 1921, to the General List Reserve (T.A.)

After the Great War Gutsell lived in Malaya and was employed as a Planter, firstly in Selangor, 1920-27 and then in Negri Sembilan. He served in the Federated Malay States Volunteer Force, joining in 1921 and being appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the Reserve of Officers, Malaya States Volunteer Regiment, in January 1927. He attained the rank of Captain in March 1930. As such he was awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal (Federated Malay States Government Gazette 5 December 1930). He was promoted to Major in May 1932, and in August was appointed Chairman of the Advisory Committee of Negri Sembilan in Volunteer matters. On the occasion when a Colour was presented to the Negri Sembilan Battalion on 19 May 1934, Major Gutsell, the C.O., was present in command of the parade. He attained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel on 24 July 1934. Following the re-organization of the F.M.S. Volunteer Forces in 1936, Gutsell commanded the 3rd (Negri Sembilan) Battalion. Having previously been awarded the Jubilee Medal 1935; in 1937 he commanded the official contingent of Malayan Volunteers (11 in all) at the Coronation of George VI. Lieutenant-Colonel Gutsell resigned his commission in the F.M.S. Volunteer Force Reserve of Officers on 31 December 1940, being given permission to retain his rank and wear the prescribed uniform. Following the invasion of Malaya, Gutsell, as a civilian Rubber Planter, was interned by the Japanese at Changi. After the war he was awarded the Efficiency Decoration (Malaya), this announced in the Malayan Union Government Gazette of 5 December 1946

Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. Gutsell, E.D., J.P., was shot dead by terrorists in an ambush at Paroi, Negri Sembilan, on 10 February 1949, aged 60 years. The group is featured in The Efficiency Decoration, by J. M. A. Tamplin. Sold with copied research.