A most unusual Great War M.B.E. group of eight awarded to Captain H. T. Phillips, Australian Imperial Forces, late Royal Marine Artillery, including rare awards for services in the Sudan 1896, a Royal Marines M.S.M. and “royal visit” Spanish decoration

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 1st type breast badge, silver, hallmarks for London 1919; Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (3912 Br. H. T. Phillips, R.M.A.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Captain H. T. Phillips, A.I.F.); Victory Medal 1914-19, naming erased; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (H. T. Phillips, Sergt., No. 3912 R.M.A.); Royal Marines Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R. (3912 H. T. Phillips, Q.M.S. 1, R.M.A., 16.7.44); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Hafir, unnamed; Spain, Order of Naval Merit, breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, the second with loose re-pinned suspension claw, minor enamel chip to anchor on last, contact marks to the earlier awards, otherwise nearly very fine and better (8) £1600-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals The Property of a Gentleman.

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M.B.E. London Gazette 12 December 1919.

Herbert Thomas Phillips was born at South Hayling, Hampshire in December 1869 and enlisted in the Royal Marine Artillery in August 1889. Advanced to Bombardier in September 1895, he was embarked for Egypt in June of the following year, and served in the Nile Flotilla until that November, thereby qualifying for one of just 44 Queen’s Sudan Medals and 16 “Hafir” Khedive’s Sudan Medals awarded to R.N. and R.M. personnel.

Having then been awarded the L.S. & G.C. Medal in October 1904, and attained the rank of Colour-Sergeant in July 1907, he joined the Renown in October of the latter year, and added the Spanish Order of Naval Merit to his accolades as a result of the King and Queen of Spain’s visit to England, both being conveyed in the battleship from France to England in October, and re-embarked for the return trip in early December - his service record confirms the date of award as 18 November 1907.

Phillips reverted to the rank of Sergeant in April 1908 and was pensioned ashore in August 1910.

Shortly thereafter emigrating to Australia, where he settled at Birkenhead, he joined the Royal Australian Naval Reserve, but following the advent of hostilities, he enlisted in the 16th Australian Infantry at Keswick in July 1915. Remaining employed in that capacity in Australia, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 43rd Battalion that September, and was embarked for the U.K. in June 1916, and thence for France where he witnessed active service in the periods November 1916 to February 1917, and September to November 1917. Latterly he commanded an A.I.F. depot in London, and was awarded the M.B.E., while many years later, in July 1944, aged 75 years, he received his rare M.S.M.; sold with a file of research.