A Great War C.B.E. group of seven to Lieutenant Colonel James Toplis, Financial Adviser in Italy to the War Office.

ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE, C.B.E. (Civil) 1st type neck badge in its Garrard & Co case of issue; 1914-15 STAR TRIO (Lt. Col.); GENERAL SERVICE 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq; JUBILEE 1935, in box of issue; Italy ALTIPIANI MEDAL, silver, in its card box of issue, together with a group of six related miniature medals, extremely fine (13)

James Toplis was educated at St Paul's School, and Trinity College, Cambridge. He passed the Higher Division Examination for the Home Civil Service and was posted to the War Office in 1899; Asst. Financial Adviser to the G.O.C.-in-C. British Forces in France, 1915-18; Financial Adviser to the G.O.C.-in-C. British Forces in Italy, 1918-19; and to the G.O.C.-in-C. British Forces in Iraq, 1920-22; Asst. Director of Army Contracts, War Office, 1923-36; retired 1936; Asst. Director of Supply, Ministry of Home Security, 1936-45. He was awarded the C.B.E. in January, 1920, and died in 1961.