Orders, Decorations and Medals

The Great War C.B., C.M.G. group of six awarded to Brigadier-General E. C. F. Gillespie, Royal Army Service Corps

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s neck badge conversion from a breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel; The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s neck badge, silver-gilt, gold and enamel; 1914 Star, with clasp (Lt. Col., A.S.C.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oakleaf (Brig. Gen.), these three mounted as worn; France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour, Officer’s breast badge, gold and enamel, rosette on ribbon, the group held in fitted Spink, London leather case, good very fine (6) £1400-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the Army Service Corps.

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Ernest Carden Freeth Gillespie was born on 20 May 1871. Educated at Sandhurst, he entered the Army in 1890 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Leinster Regiment. He was advanced to Captain in the Army Service Corps in 1897; Major in 1903, and Lieutenant-Colonel in 1912. During the Great War he was further advanced to Colonel in 1916 and Brigadier-General in 1917, being placed in command of the 5th Divisional Train, August-November 1914; Reserve Parks G.H.Q., November 1914-July 1915; 7th Corps Ammunition Park, July-November 1915; and 8th Corps Ammunition Park, March-July 1916. He was afterwards on the Staff. He served in France and Belgium, August 1914-November 1918. For his extensive services, Gillespie was six times mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 19 October 1914; 15 May 1917; 11 December 1917; 20 May 1918; 20 December 1918; 5 July 1919; created a C.B. (1915) and C.M.G. (1917), and awarded the Legion of Honour (1920). Continuing to serve after the war, he was appointed A.D.S.T. Egypt Expeditionary Force, 1919-20 and A.D.S.T. Scottish Command, 1920-21, retiring in 1921. Brigadier-General Gillespie died on 19 January 1942.

With original bestowal documents, with associated documents for the C.B. and C.M.G., in envelope addressed to ‘Brigadier General E. C. F. Gillespie, Headquarters, Fourth Army, B.E.F. France’; bestowal document for the Legion of Honour, six original M.I.D. certificates, in envelope addressed to him as ‘A.D.S.T. Scottish Command, Edinburgh’; copied research and copied photographs.