Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A post-War M.B.E. group of eight awarded to Captain F. M. Withers, Gold Coast Regiment, late London Regiment and Machine Gun Corps

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Civil) Member’s 2nd type breast badge, silver; 1914-15 Star (169 Sjt. F. M. Withers, 15-Lond. R.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. F. M. Withers.) initials officially corrected on VM; Jubilee 1935, unnamed as issued; Coronation 1937, unnamed as issued; Coronation 1953, unnamed as issued; Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (169 Sjt: F. M. Withers. 15/Lond: R.) very fine and better (8) £300-£400

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

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M.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1959: Frederick Matthew Withers, Esq.
‘For public services in Nyasaland.’

Frederick Matthew Withers attested for the London Regiment and served with the 15th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 17 March 1915, before being commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 1st/7th Battalion, London Regiment, on 30 January 1916. Seconded to the Machine Gun Corps on 24 April 1916, he was promoted temporary Lieutenant in the Machine Gun Corps on 1 July 1916, and was appointed Second in Command of a Machine Gun Company on 25 September of that year. Seconded to the Gold Coast Regiment, West African Frontier Force, on 25 September 1917, he was promoted temporary Captain on 1 November 1918.

Post-War, Withers resided in the Gold Coast, and held a number of civilian posts. The Roll for the 1935 Jubilee medal lists his as ‘Secretary of Chamber of Commerce and Convention of Associations’; the Roll for the 1937 Coronation Medal lists him as ‘Unofficial, Nyasaland’; and the Roll for the 1953 Coronation Medal lists him as ‘Assistant Editor, Nyasaland Times.’ He was awarded the M.B.E. in 1959 ‘for public service in Nyasaland.’

Sold with copied research and medal roll extracts.