Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War C.M.G., D.S.O. group of seven awarded to Lieutenant Colonel G. S. Tovey, Royal Field Artillery

The Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., neck badge in silver-gilt and enamels, enamel damage to reverse centre and surround; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R.; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Transvaal (Capt., R.F.A.); King’s South Africa, 2 clasps (Capt., R.F.A.); 1914 Star, with Mons bar (Major, R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. (Lt. Col.) together with R.A. officer’s cap badge and various other badges, the Boer War pair with edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise generally good very fine (7)

C.M.G. London Gazette 3 June 1918.

D.S.O. London Gazette 14 January 1916.

M.I.D. London Gazette 10 September 1901 (South Africa), 22 June 1915 (Neuve Chapelle), 1 January 1916, 15 June 1916, 4 January 1917, and 20 May 1918.

George Strangways Tovey was born in September 1975, son of Colonel H. Tovey, Royal Engineers. One of his brothers, John Cronyn Tovey, later became Admiral of the Fleet and C-in-C Home Fleet during the Bismarcke episode during WW2. George Tovey graduated from the Royal Military Academy in 1896 and served in Malta prior to going to South Africa with the 65th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, in November 1899. He was later attached to ‘O’ Section Pom-Poms and served as Assistant Military Secretary to G.O.C., South Africa. In 1902 he returned to the 65th Battery in Bloemfontein. He subsequently served in India until 1914 when he became Assistant military Secretary to Lieut. General Murray. In August 1914 he was posted to 23 Battery, R.F.A., in France, becoming Battery Commander in October 1914. He was wounded whilst serving with this battery and awarded the D.S.O. Later in the war he served as a Brigade Commander in the 19th Divisional Artillery, and as CO of 232 Army Artillery Brigade with the 3rd Army. He was temporarily placed on half pay on account of ill health caused by wounds on 29 April 1920, and retired on 21 March 1921. He died on 13 January 1943.