Auction Catalogue

24 & 25 June 2009

Starting at 2:00 PM

.

Orders, Decorations and Medals

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

Lot

№ 469

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25 June 2009

Hammer Price:
£300

Seven: Captain (Temporary Major) William Thomas Matthew Rowe, Indian Army Reserve of Officers and Grand Indian Peninsula Railway Regiment, a P.O.W. Camp Officer during the Second World War

British War and Victory Medals (Lt.); 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; War Medal, M.I.D. oak leaf; India Service Medal, these unnamed; Efficiency Medal, G.V.R., India, with Second and Third Award Clasps (Sjt., 2 G.I.P. Ry., A.F.I.) mounted as worn, good very fine (7) £200-240

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

View Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin

View
Collection

William Thomas Matthew Rowe was born in Twickenham on 26 July 1898. After serving in the ranks from 8 September 1914, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers on 5 November 1917 and was promoted to Lieutenant in August 1918. He was appointed a Company Officer with the 2nd Battalion 124th Duchess of Connaught’s Own Baluchistan Infantry on 19 July 1918 and later served with the 10th Baluchistan as a Company Officer and Quarter Master, and Commandant of the 4th Government Camel Corps. He retired under the Surplus Officers Scheme of 1922. After the Great War he served in the 2nd Battalion of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway Regiment. In the rank of Sergeant he was awarded the Efficiency Medal (India) and Clasp, this notified in I.A.O. 531 of October 1934. As a Sergeant in the 1st Battalion, he was awarded the second clasp to his medal, listed in I.A.O. 1139 of December 1937.

With the onset of war he was re-employed on 19 May 1941, as a Lieutenant on the General List, holding the rank of Acting Captain in May 1941 and War Substantive Captain and Temporary Major in August 1943. He was employed as Adjutant of 21 Prisoner-of-War Camp, May 1941-July 1942; Staff Captain, H.Q. Group 4 P.O.W. Camps, July 1942-August 1943; Second-in-Command, 23 P.O.W. Camp, August 1943-March 1944, and O.C. D.A.A. & Q.M.G. 4 Group P.O.W. Camp from March 1944. He was mentioned in despatches for gallant and distinguished service in Burma (London Gazette 19 September 1946). Rowe was released from service in January 1947. Latterly living in Tiptree, Essex, he died on 30 January 1969. Sold with a quantity of copied research.