Orders, Decorations and Medals

A good ‘post war’ C.B. ‘Palestine’ M.I.D. group of seven awarded to Brigadier R. H. Maxwell, Suffolk Regiment, later Royal Armoured Corps

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath (Military), C.B., in silver-gilt and enamels, in Spink & Son Ltd fitted case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, with 1st Army clasp; Defence and War Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1945-48, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Brig., Staff); Coronation 1953, the campaign medals contained in a hinged fitted case, generally good very fine or better (7) £800-1000

C.B. London Gazette 10 June 1948

M.I.D. London Gazette 20 December 1940 (Major, Suffolk Regiment) ‘..... in recognition of distinguished services in connection with operations in the field, March-June 1940.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 7 January 1949 (Brigadier, Commands and Staff) ‘..... in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Palestine during the period 27 September 1946-26 March 1947.’

Brigadier Richard Hobson Maxwell was born in Belfast in August 1899 and was educated at Marlborough before entering the Royal Military College Sandhurst, passing out just before the end of the Great War. He was commissioned into the Suffolk Regiment as a Second Lieutenant then promoted to Lieutenant in 1920. He served as the Regimental Adjutant from 1923 until 1926, being promoted to Captain in 1930 and between 1934 and 1937 was an instructor at R.M.C. Sandhurst, back with the Suffolk’s he saw promotion to Major in 1938.

With the commencement of the Second World War the 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment was sent to France with the B.E.F. with Major Maxwell serving as company commander. The Regiment suffered heavy losses during the German advance into France in 1940 and what remained of it was evacuated from Dunkirk.

Back in England Maxwell was given command of the newly formed 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (made up of many Dunkirk veterans). In 1941 this battalion was redesignated as 142 R.A.C. and given the new Churchill tanks, this unit in turn formed part of 25th Army Tank Brigade and Richard Maxwell was made the Brigade Commander with the rank of Acting Brigadier. This unit arrived in Algiers, North Africa in January 1943 to take part in the battles that were to drive the Germans and Italian Armies from Tunisia and finally North Africa.

After the fighting ended Maxwell, other senior officer’s and several N.C.O’s. visited one of the sites of their battles, an anti-personelle mine exploded killing several of those there and severely injuring Brigadier Maxwell. So while his battalion moved on to Italy Maxwell was repatriated home.

Due to the extent of the injuries he received Maxwell’s career was now destined to be as a Staff Officer. During mid 1944 he became Chief Instructor at the A.F.V. School until in 1945 he was given command of the school. In 1946 he was appointed to the General Staff, being promoted to District Commander in 1947, before moving to the War Office as Inspector of Physical Training. After a final posting as Provost Marshall and while ADC to the Queen from 1952 to 1955 he retired from the army in 1955, taking various honorary posts including Colonel of the Suffolk Regiment and with the amalgamation with the Norfolk Regiment, Colonel of the 1st East Anglian Regiment. Richard Maxwell died in 1965, aged 66. Sold with various copied research detail, including a picture of Maxwell with the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret.