Orders, Decorations and Medals

Five: Captain P. D. Carter, Royal Army Service Corps, who was twice mentioned in despatches for his services in XXX Corps

1939-45 Star; Africa Star, (copy) clasp, 8th Army; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf, mounted court-style as worn, good very fine and better (5) £200-250

Mention in despatches London Gazette 9 August 1945 and 4 April 1946.

Paul David Carter was commissioned into the Royal Army Service Corps in December 1942 and served with XXX Corps in North Africa, Sicily, France, Belgium and Germany, and was twice mentioned in despatches ‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in North-West Europe’ (above London Gazette entries refer).

XXX Corps landed on Gold Beach on D-Day 6 June 1944 and, after harsh fighting, linked up on 10 June with American forces advancing from Omaha Beach. Soon after, General Montgomery appointed Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks to command the Corps and under the leadership of this charismatic leader the Corps spearheaded the Allied advance into Belgium and Germany. After the fighting around the Falaise Gap, Horrocks and his men rapidly advanced North-East and liberated both Antwerp and Brussels in Belgium. And they played a crucial but ultimately unsuccessful role in attempting to link up with the British Airborne Forces at Arnhem during “Operation Market Garden”, before breaking into Germany.

Sold with a quantity of related documentation, including original War Office letter of notification for one of the recipient’s “mentions”, related forwarding letter for the oak leaf emblem from G.H.Q., British Army on the Rhine, and a copy of the relevant London Gazette; together with assorted wartime period pamphlets, including 21 Army Group publication, Modern Administration in the Field, date stamped 28 October 1945, 30th Corps in Germany and a booklet with illustrations and identities of 21 Army Group unit badges.

Together with the recipient’s identity discs, a pair of XXX Corps commemorative medallions 1941-45, boxed, a large quantity of embroidered or metalled “pips”, assorted Corps and Brigade uniform patches (approximately 20), and 127 Company, Corps Transport, R.A.S.C. metalled badge and tie-pin.