Orders, Decorations and Medals

A K.C.M.G. and Great War ‘Western Front’ M.C. group of eight awarded to Sir Philip Mainwaring Broadmead, Diplomatic Service, late Captain, King’s Royal Rifle Corps

The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, K.C.M.G. Knight Commander’s set of insignia, neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; breast star, silver, gold appliqué and enamel, in Garrard, London case of issue; Military Cross, G.V.R. unnamed; 1914-15 Star (Lieut., K.R. Rif. C.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt.); Coronation 1953, unnamed; France, Croix de Guerre,1914-1917, star on ribbon, medals mounted court style as worn, good very fine and better (8) £1400-1600

K.C.M.G. London Gazette 5 June 1952.

C.M.G. London Gazette 8 June 1944.

M.C. London Gazette 4 June 1917.

M.I.D. London Gazette 20 December 1918.

Croix de Guerre London Gazette 21 August 1919.

Philip Mainwaring Broadmead was born in Romford, Essex, on 3 December 1893, the son of Colonel Henry Broadmead, Essex Regiment. He was educated at Wellington College and Christ Church College, Oxford, where he gained a B.A. in 1912. In September 1914 he applied through Oxford University for appointment to a Temporary Commission in the Army and on 29 September 1914 was gazetted a 2nd Lieutenant in the 12th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps. Promoted to Temporary Lieutenant in February 1915, Broadmead and the 12th Battalion departed for France on 22 July 1915. He was promoted to Temporary Captain in September 1915 and assumed the duties of Adjutant in September 1916. Captain Broadmead left the 12th K.R.R.C. in January 1917 on his appointment to Staff Captain and returned in May 1919. He was discharged in September 1919 and relinquished his commission in January 1922. For his wartime services he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Military Cross and Croix de Guerre. Postwar he entered the Diplomatic Service, and in December 1920 was appointed 3rd Secretary at H.M. Embassy, Berlin. Further postings followed, being appointed 2nd Secretary, H.M. Embassy, Constantinople, in August 1923 and Chargé d’Affaires at H.M. Embassy Warsaw, 1929-32, being appointed 1st Secretary in December 1929. Posted to H.M. Embassy Addis Ababa in January 1932, he acted as Chargé d’Affaires during the following year. Then in China, he was appointed Acting Councellor of the Embassy in December 1938, Acting Chargé d’Affaires at Shanghai in 1940, Councellor of the Embassy in China, December 1940, and was again Chargé d’Affaires in 1941. In April 1941 he was appointed Councellor to the Embassy at Rio de Janeiro. For his services he was awarded the C.M.G. in 1944. Broadmead was appointed Ambassador at H.M. Embassy Bogota, Columbia, 1945-47 and Damascus, 1947-50; Prague, 1950-53. In 1952 he was appointed a K.C.M.G. and on 15 August 1958 Sir Philip Broadmead retired from the Diplomatic Service. He died on 23 May 1977. Sold with an original photograph of the recipient as a young army officer; another, in diplomatic dress wearing his K.C.M.G. and other medals; a Foreign Office letter of congratulation on the award of the K.C.M.G., dated 4 June 1952, signed by Anthony Eden; two other letters of congratulation; Foreign Office letter of thanks on his retirement, dated 16 September 1953, signed by Lord Salisbury; and a large quantity of copied research.