Orders, Decorations and Medals

An impressive C.B., Great War D.S.O. and M.C., ‘Old Contemptibles’ group of ten awarded to Air Vice-Marshal C. T. Maclean, Royal Fusiliers, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Military) neck badge in silver-gilt and enamels, in case of issue; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R.; Military Cross, G.V.R.; 1914 Star, with clasp (2.Lieut., R. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col., R.A.F.); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Coronation 1953; France, Legion of Honour, 5th class, silver and enamels, the pre-WW2 medals on a contemporary Court mounting by Collacott & Son, Cairo, the Coronation 1953 loose as issued; together with various ribbon bars, a mounted group of miniatures of the first nine medals, the C.B. and D.S.O. both in gold and enamels, and the recipient’s inscribed G.V.R. Infantry Officer sword (Royal Fusiliers), generally good very fine or better (20) £2500-3000

C.B. London Gazette 2 January 1933.

D.S.O. London Gazette 3 June 1919.

M.C. London Gazette 18 February 1915.

M.I.D. Lomdon Gazette 14 January 1915, and 16 March 1916, and 8 November 1918.

Air Vice-Marshal Cuthbert Trelawder Maclean, the son of the Rev. T.B. Maclean, was born at Wanganui, New Zealand, and was educated at Wanganui Collegiate School and Auckland University. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant into the N.Z. Land Forces in 1911, he served as an infantry officer in France with the 7th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), being mentioned in despatches and winning an early Military Cross. Seconded to the Royal Flying Corps in 1915, he served as a pilot with No. 25 Squadron and on 22 June 1916 was credited with the destruction of an enemy aircraft: ‘Capt. C.T. Maclean and Lt Barraclough, in a F.E. of 25 Sqn, attacked a Roland biplane east of Lens at 8 a.m. while on patrol duty at 10,000 feet. The F.E. dived at the Roland, and following it down to 5,000 fired two drums at close range. At 5,000 feet the German dived perpendicularly, the F.E. overshooting it. Subsequently Capt Maclean saw the Roland on the ground.’ In 1916-17 he commanded No. 11 Squadron, a F.E.2b and Bristol Figfhter unit at Le Hameau and Bellevue. At the start of the German Spring Offensive on 21 March 1918 he held the overall command of the Tenth (Army) Wing’s 141 Camels, Bristol Fighters, D.H.4’s and S.E.5a’s at Bruay. Receiving a senior Permanent Commission in the R.A.F. in 1919, Maclean was Officer Commanding British Forces in Aden, 1929-31; Director of Postings, Air Ministry, 1931-34; Air Officer Commanding, R.A.F., Middle East, 1934-38; A.O.C. No. 2 (Bomber) Group. He was retired from the Service in 1940, and died in 1969.

The following original material is included in this lot: New Zealand Land Forces Commission, 9 September 1911; F.A.I. Aviator’s Certificate No. 1899, 16 October 1915; Three M.I.D. Certificates, 14 January 1915, 16 March 1916, 8 November 1918; Diploma for Legion d’Honneur, 21 July 1918; Two R.A.F. Commissions, (Temporary) Lieutenant-Colonel, 1 April 1918, (Permanent) Wing Commander, 1 August 1919; Two Royal Warrants, for C.B.& D.S.O.; Four agency photos of A.V.M. Maclean as A.O.C. 2 Group.