Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War M.B.E. group of seven awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel David Whitelaw, Ceylon Planters’ Rifle Corps, late Highland Light Infantry

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 2nd type breast badge, silver; British War and Victory Medals (Lieut.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Kurdistan (Capt., H.L.I.); Defence and War Medals, unnamed; Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Ceylon, reverse inscribed, ‘Capt. D. Whitelaw, C.P.R.C.’, mounted as worn, slight edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine and better (7) £450-550

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

View
Collection

M.B.E. London Gazette 1 July 1941. ‘Major, E.D., Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps

David Whitelaw was born in Musselburgh on 24 January 1894 and educated at the Edinburgh Academy. By occupation he was a Tea Planter in Ceylon. In the Great War he was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant on probation with the Highland Light Infantry, Special Reserve of Officers, November 1915. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 July 1917. Immediately after the War, he commanded a H.L.I. Company attached to the 5th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment. This company served in Kurdistan at Mosul. Whitelaw was appointed an Acting Captain on 23 March 1919. After completing his military service he returned to the tea plantations of Ceylon and later joined the Ceylon Defence Force. He became a 2nd Lieutenant in the Ceylon Planters’ Rifle Corps on 28 October 1930, and was promoted to Lieutenant in October 1933 and Captain in July 1937. He was awarded the Efficiency Decoration (Ceylon) in 1938, this published in the Ceylon Government Gazette of 5 August 1938. Subsequently promoted to Major, he was awarded the M.B.E. (Military) in the Birthday Honours of 1941. Later in the War, Whitelaw was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the H.L.I. with a Regular Army Emergency Commission with seniority 26 March 1942. He was later promoted a War Substantive Major and Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel. On his release, he was granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Sold with copied research.