A Great War O.B.E. group of eleven awarded to Major I. S. C. Rose, Grenadier Guards, late King’s Royal Rifle Corps, who served as a Squadron Leader in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve during the Second War, and was Mentioned in Despatches

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1919; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (Lieut. I. S. C. Rose, K.R.R.C.) engraved naming; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lieut. I. S. C. Rose. K.R.R.C.) engraved naming; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (Lieut. I. S. C. Rose. King’s Rl: Rif:); 1914 Star, with copy clasp (Lieut. I. S. C. Rose. G. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. I. S. C. Rose.); 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf, these three inscribed (Maj. I. S. C. Rose, Gren. Guards); Special Constabulary Long Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Ivor Rose) light contact marks, nearly very fine and better (11) £800-£1,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of David Lloyd.

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Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, March 2008.

O.B.E. London Gazette 22 March 1919.

Ivor Sainte Croix Rose was born on 16 March 1881 and was educated at Eton. He was commissioned into the King’s Royal Rifle Corps from the Militia in February 1900 and was promoted to Lieutenant in March 1901. Serving in the Boer War with the 3rd Battalion, he was present at operations in Natal, March-June 1900, including the action at Laing’s Nek, and was in the Transvaal, November 1900-May 1902. He then served in operations in Somaliland, 1902-04, being employed as a Transport Officer to the Somaliland Field Force. In 1907 he was placed on the Reserve. As a Lieutenant in the Special Reserve he was transferred to the Grenadier Guards in August 1908. He served with the 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards during the Great War on the Western Front from 12 October 1914, and was promoted Captain on 2 November. He was wounded in November 1914 during the 1st Battle of Ypres, having to be dug out of a collapsed trench that had been hit by shell-fire. During the battle his ability as a marksman was much appreciated in holding off German snipers. In May 1915, still with the 2nd Battalion, he was serving as Divisional Observation Officer during the Battle of Festubert. He was employed by the Ministry of Munitions in 1917 and retired in 1919, being created an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

During the Second World War Rose was re-employed as a Temporary Major, attached to the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, receiving the brevet of Major in September 1939. Transferring to the Administration and Special Duties Branch, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, in July 1941, he was advanced Squadron Leader, and was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 2 June 1943). He finally relinquished his commission on 17 August 1954, retaining the rank of Squadron Leader.