Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. To coincide with the OMRS Convention

An interesting M.B.E. attributed to Lieutenant Thomas Armitstead, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, who was recommended for the Albert Medal in 1916

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Civil) Member’s 1st type breast badge, the reverse arms neatly inscribed (T. Armitstead 20 Jan. 1920) very fine £80-100

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Awards to Civilians from the Collection of John Tamplin.

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Ex Muirhead Collection 1950.

Thomas Armitstead was commissioned as Temporary Second Lieutenant in the 11th (Service) Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, on 12 May 1915. He served with various battalions of the regiment in France from December 1916 until March 1918, when he relinquished his commission on account of ill-health.

Prior to going to France, Armitstead was involved in a training incident for which he was recommended for an Albert Medal: ‘At Monk House Farm, North Shields, on the 22nd June 1916, for gallantry in picking up a grenade and throwing it out of the trench, thus averting what might have been a fatal accident.’ However, this act was not considered to be worthy of an award by the V.C. Committee and nothing further came of it.

Armitstead was appointed an M.B.E. (Civil) on 1 January 1920, for his services as Joint Honorary Secretary of the Soldiers’ Rest Club in Darlington. Sold with full research.