Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War M.C. group of six miniature dress medals attributed to Major E. W. Forbes, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, late Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Military Cross, G.V.R.; 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals; Defence; Territorial Decoration, G.V.R., with top bar, mounted as worn, generally good very fine (6) £80-100

M.C. London Gazette 24 June 1916. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and skill. He was acting as Observer when attacked by two enemy aeroplanes, and was wounded in the chest. On recovering from the shock he saw that his pilot was killed. Climbing into the pilot’s seat he succeeded in bringing his machine back from behind the enemy’s lines and landing safely’.

T.D. London Gazette 1 November 1929.

Ellert Webster Forces was born on 31 March 1895. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 29 June 1914. Serving in France with them, he was wounded in May 1915 whilst ranked as a Temporary Lieutenant. Forbes was attached to the R.F.C. from December 1915, qualifying as an Observer early the following year. He was decorated for his courageous action on 16 May the same year, and was promoted to Temporary Captain on 1 June. He was appointed a Captain (Acting Major and simultaneously a Flight Lieutenant) on 1 April 1918 in the newly formed R.A.F. He took his release from the R.A.F. in January 1920. He reverted to Captain in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and gained the substantive rank of Major in February 1928. During the Second World War he was employed by the Royal Artillery; he died on 25 July 1967. Sold with some copied research.