Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A ‘Malaya service’ M.B.E. group of nine awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel W. Barnes, Royal Army Medical Corps

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 2nd type breast badge, silver; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Officer ‘s (Brother’s) breast badge, silver and enamel; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Kenya (Capt., R.A.M.C.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, E.II.R. (Major, R.A.M.C.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Regular Army (Capt., R.A.M.C.), mounted court style, generally good very fine (9) £400-460

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to the Medical Services formed by Colonel D.G.B. Riddick.

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M.B.E. London Gazette 26 September 1958. ‘... in recognition of distinguished service in Malaya for the period 1st January to 30th June 1958’. ‘Major (NM) Walter Barnes (282226), Royal Army Medical Corps’.

Walter Barnes was born in Manchester on 10 February 1913. Entering the Army he served in the ranks, 1931-42. After serving as a Warrant Officer Class 2, 1942, and Class 1, 1942-43, he was given an emergency commission of Lieutenant (Quartermaster) on 30 June 1943, at which rank he served through most of the war. He served overseas in Egypt, 1934-35 and 1936-39 and in the Sudan, 1935-36. Promoted to War Substantive Captain (Quartermaster) in June 1946, he was promoted to Major in June 1955 and Lieutenant-Colonel in July 1964 and held the rank of Temporary Colonel in September 1965. Post-war he served with the B.A.O.R., 1945-50 and was O.C. of the Army Medical Equipment Depot (A.M.E.D.), B.A.O.R., 1948-49 and Deputy Assistant Director of Medical Services, B.A.O.R., 1949-50. He became an Officer in the Order of St. John in 1948. Then in East Africa he was O.C. Command Central Equipment Depot (C.M.E.D.), 1950-53. Returning to the U.K. he was then C.O. A.M.E.D. Rhyl/Solihull, 1953-56. Then in the Far East he was O.C. C.M.E.D. Singapore, 1956-60, for which service he was awarded the M.B.E. Possibly for W.W.2 service, he was also awarded the Belgian Military Cross, 2nd Class (not with lot).