A most unusual Great War ‘Italian theatre’ M.C. group of eight awarded to Major R. W. B. Simms, Assistant Provost Marshal on the General List, late Royal Marine Artillery and Northumberland Fusiliers, he was unusually the recipient of the Royal Navy L.S. & G.C. medal and the Army M.S.M.

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Major R. W. B. Simms.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (R. W. B. Simms, Sergt. No. 1981 R.M.A.) impressed naming; Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., coinage head (Sjt-Mjr. R. W. B. Simms. M.C. North’d Fus.); Belgium, Order of the Crown, 5th class breast badge, lacking enamels to both centres; Belgian Croix de Guerre, together with a second award of the same, mounted as worn, good very fine (8) £1,800-£2,200

Provenance: J. M. A. Tamplin Collection.

M.C. London Gazette 3 June 1918: ‘For distinguished service in connection with Military operations in Italy.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 7 November 1917 (Haig).

Crown of Belgium London Gazette 21 August 1919.

Belgian Croix de Guerre London Gazette 21 August 1919.

Belgian Croix de Guerre London Gazette 4 September 1919.

Sold with original M.I.D. certificate; Ministère des Affaires Étrangéres letter concerning Order of the Crown ‘avec attribution de la croix de guerre’; certificate for Croix de Guerre; and various copied photographs and research.

Robert William Benjamin Simms was born on 11 August 1865, and joined the Royal Marines in June 1881 and served in the Royal Marine Artillery. He had been promoted to Sergeant and received his Naval L.S. & G.C. medal by April 1898 as he is shown wearing it in a group photograph as a Sergeant Instructor in The Globe and Laurel of 7 April 1898. On the formation of the 3rd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers in 1900, Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor of Musketry Simms transferred to the Army and to that battalion. He was promoted to Sergeant-Major of the 3rd Battalion on 5 June 1900, which was serving at Strensall Camp, York, at the time he joined it. It was subsequently stationed in the Isle of Wight and later in South Africa. Simms was a very good shot in his day and won many medals and prizes, representing his regiment at Bisley. Sergeant-Major Simms was discharged to pension in April 1906.

On the outbreak of the Great War in 1914, Simms rejoined the Army and was appointed temporary Quartermaster and honorary Lieutenant, 28 October 1914, of the Portsmouth Battalion, Hampshire Regiment; this was later called the 14th (Service) Battalion, (1st Portsmouth), the Hampshire Regiment. He was appointed temporary Lieutenant on 30 November 1914, and a temporary Captain on 11 March 1915. He was transferred to the General List, and appointed an Assistant Provost-Marshal (graded as Staff Captain) on 21 April 1917. He was mentioned in Haig’s despatch of 7 November 1917 (London Gazette 11 December 1917), and awarded the Military Cross (London Gazette 3 June 1918) for distinguished service in connection with Military operations in Italy, where he was serving with the 41st Division. This division later returned to France in March 1918. He was promoted to temporary Major on 1 May 1918, and from 1 March 1920 he held the appointment of Deputy Assistant Provost Marshal. On 1 July 1920 he he was appointed a Camp Commandant, holding this appointment until he relinquished his commission on 10 November 1920, retaining the rank of Major. Many years later Simms was awarded the M.S.M. with Annuity in Army Order 16 of 31 January 1935. Major Simms died at Portsmouth on 17 October 1955, aged 90.