Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Second War ‘British Expeditionary Force 1940’ C.B.E., Great War ‘Western Front’ D.S.O., ‘Gallipoli’ M.C. group of eight awarded to Brigadier A. G. Barry, Lancashire Fusiliers, Machine Gun Corps, and Royal Tank Corps, who was five times Mentioned in Despatches, and died on active service in 1942

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) Commander’s 2nd type neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with full neck riband; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top riband bar; Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (Lieut. A. G. Barry. Lan. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Lt. Col. A. G. Barry.); 1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; together with the recipient’s Great War riband bar, lacquered, very fine and better (8) £3,000-£4,000

C.B.E. London Gazette 31 January 1941.
The original recommendation, by Major General A. B. Beauman, states: ‘Throughout the period under review this officer had very heavy responsibilities as a great number of GHQ Installations were situated in his sub area. During the critical period when the enemy had seized the bridgeheads over the river Somme, he was responsible for evacuating both the personnel and material from these installations. Owing to the energy, good judgement and powers of organisation of this officer, a great proportion of the valuable stores and all the personnel were safely evacuated. Throughout he showed himself a determined and cool headed commander.’

D.S.O. London Gazette 3 June 1919.
The original recommendation states: ‘Has commanded 11th Battalion Machine Gun Corps (11th Northern Division) since its formation (on 28 February 1918). His personal character and energy have had much to do with the successful welding of four different companies (32nd, 33rd, 34th and 250th) into an excellent Battalion with a good fighting spirit. His work in command of the Battalion, both in trench warfare and subsequently in open warfare, has been thoroughly good, and has materially assisted in the success of operations.’

M.C. London Gazette 3 June 1916.
The original recommendation states: ‘Was present at the landing at Sulva Bay in August 1915. Has shown continual good work as Adjutant and Battalion Commander. Received a Regular Commission for services at Sulva.’

Arthur Gordon Barry was born 6 September 1885 in St Germans, Cornwall, the son of Commander Arthur Barry, Royal Navy. Educated at Oriel College, Oxford, he was commissioned Temporary Second Lieutenant in the 9th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers on 6 September 1914, and was promoted Lieutenant 28 January 1915. Serving as the Battalion Machine Gun Officer and Adjutant, he landed with his Battalion at Sulva Bay on 6 August 1915. His battalion sustained very heavy casualties during the landings and more during the next few weeks, so many that still only a Lieutenant, he found himself in command of his battalion. Barry’s own account of the landing, dated 23 August 1915, states:

‘We left Imbros on the evening of August 6, our Brigade landed first on “W” beach and the Manchester and Lancashire Fusiliers got ashore first. We left in the Lighters and were towed to the entrance of the bay by Destroyers, than cast off and made for the shore. As soon as we got well inside, the Turks opened on us, showing we had not caught them napping. After nearly an hour someone got ashore with a line and we had to land as best we could, starting in about 4 feet of water. I was inside, packed like sardines, pitch dark, with my section at rear of hold and got fed up with the delay, so I eventually got up the gangway and board and so to the shore where the rest of the section joined into one and we dug ourselves in on the beach until daylight, as the orders were no firing only the bayonet.

The delay caused by the grounding of the Lighter and the finding of the Turks in great force on the shore (where we hoped to find little resistance) hitched all plans and the only thing to do was to form up in the darkness as soon as the Company could be got together, and bring off into the dark after the enemy. The result was we drove them back and got them on the run, but lost 14 officers and 300 men killed and wounded. Their shrapnel did great execution and they had the range to perfection. We were 48 hours hard at it, a regular mix up and open fighting, no trenches and only one water bottle all the time, and on the middle of the third day we had about 200 men who could not move until we got up some water. Some of the Irish Brigade who were on our left broke badly and came back through me until I finally threatened to turn Machine Guns on them and so got them back into the firing line, entirely want of water did it. That night we spent on a ridge, we had a days rest then off to a line of trenches on the right where we were shelled at odd times every day.

Last Saturday our Division were in for it again. After a bombardment by the guns, we were ordered to take the Turkish Trenches across open country 450 yards away. Well, the men went across in tine style and shifted them out alright. They waited until they were 80 yards off then went, a lot couldn't get out quick enough, they were quickly stuck (with the bayonet). Not a sole came up to reinforce us and eventually, after using all our ammunition, had to retire in the early morning when they started bombing us. We were now 1 officer (myself), not counting the Doctor and Quartermaster, 240 men, rather sickening to think of, the loss due entirely through lack of support after doing our job in such gallant style. It is a dead country to attack in and we now hold nearly all the plain with the Turks up in the hills, and I think it will eventually become another Atchi-Caba. I am very fit and had some lucky escapes so far - had a tiff on the head with a bit of shell, but my (sun) helmet saved me entirely.’

Officially promoted Temporary Captain on 22 August 1915, Barry finally left the peninsula on 23 December 1915. For his gallantry during the landings and his subsequent command of his battalion, Barry was awarded the Military Cross, and was also Mentioned in Despatches for his service at Gallipoli (London Gazette 13 July 1916). Barry Subsequently saw service in Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria, before being posted to Egypt on 28 January 1916. Serving with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force from 19 March, he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps on 22 March 1916. Nominally a Captain in the Manchester Regiment from May 1916, he served in that theatre until landing in France on 7 July 1916. Promoted Major in January 1917, he took over command of 34th Company, Machine Gun Corps and in December 1917, was again Mentioned in Despatches for his service with this Company (London Gazette 21 December 1917). Promoted Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel on 27 December 1917, he was appointed to command of 11th Battalion Machine Gun Corps in February 1918; it was for his leadership during the last year of the War that he was awarded the D.S.O. and received his third Mention in Despatches (London Gazette 10 July 1919).

Staying on with the Army post-War, Barry retained the rank of Captain and joined the Royal Tank Corps on 26 September 1923, graduating from the Royal Staff College the same year. He was additionally admitted to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers on 17 September 1924. Promoted Major, Royal Tank Corps, on 11 October 1927, and Brevet Colonel on 5 September 1938, he was appointed a General Staff Officer 1st Grade at the War Office on 16 December 1938, and was promoted Colonel on 27 September 1938. Shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War he was advanced Brigadier, and served with the British Expeditionary Force in 1940, latterly with the Beauman Division. This Division was an ad-hoc force under the command of Brigadier-General A. B. Beauman, formed from troops who had escaped across the Seine and were withdrawn to re-organise during the Battle of France. On 16 June 1940, the Tenth Army ordered a general retirement with the eventual aim of establishing a defensive position on the Brittany peninsula and the Beauman Division was therefore ordered to fall back on Cherbourg for evacuation, conducted as Operation Ariel, the successful evacuation taking place on 17 June 1940. It was for his leadership and organisational skills during the withdrawal of British units to Cherbourg for evacuation, that he received the C.B.E. He was also twice more Mentioned in Despatches for his service during the battle for France (London Gazette 26 July 1940 and 20 December 1940).

Appointed Assistant Adjutant General and Quartermaster General, Scottish Command, Brigadier Barry died on active service on 21 August 1942, aged 56 years. He is buried in St. Andrew’s Western Cemetery, Fife.

Sold with a quantity of original items, including the original award documents for the C.B.E. and D.S.O.; four Mentioned in Despatches Certificates; named Army Council enclosure slip for Second War medals; his wife’s Red Cross training certificates; photographs of his wife with Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) and Queen Mary during War Committee work; a number of portrait photographs of the recipient in uniform; various letters; and a very large number photographs and newspaper cuttings carefully extracted from a scrap album.