Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Second World War C.B.E., Great War D.S.O. group of twelve awarded to Colonel GR Lynn, Indian Medical Service
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) Commander’s 2nd type neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; 1914 Star, with clasp (Capt. G. R. Lynn, I.M.S.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Maj. G. R. Lynn); India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1936-37 (Col. G. R. Lynn, I.M.S.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, mounted court-style as worn where applicable, together with St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, Alfred Willett Merit Medal, silver (G. R. Lynn, 1909), and St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Athletic Club medal, bronze, good very fine or better (14) £2000-2500

C.B.E. London Gazette 30 December 1941: ‘In recognition of distinguished services in the Middle East.’
D.S.O. London Gazette 3 June 1917: ‘For distinguished service in Mesopotamia.’

Graham Rigby Lynn was born in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, in January 1885, and was educated at Tonbridge School before studying medicine at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, where he was awarded the Alfred Willett Merit Medal for gaining the highest marks in operative surgery in the Brackenbury Scholarship Examination.

Commissioned in the Indian Medical Service in July 1909, he was advanced to Captain in July 1912 and first entered the French theatre of war in September 1914, where he remained actively engaged until December 1915. He next witnessed active service on attachment to the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force in Iraq in the period January 1916 to December 1917, in which theatre of war he won the D.S.O. and was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 15 August 1917 refers), following which he was attached to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force from January 1918 until the War’s end, latterly as D.A.D.M.S.

Post-war, in the rank of Major, he served in Palestine in 1922-24, one time as Deputy Principal Medical Officer, in addition to an appointment in Hygiene & Pathology back in India in 1930-34, following his advancement to Lieutenant-Colonel. Having then been placed on the Retired List in the rank of Colonel in December 1938, Lynn was recalled on the renewal of hostilities in September 1939, and served in various capacities in India, the Middle East and Eritrea, and was awarded the C.B.E. in December 1941 The Colonel, who sportingly listed ‘accepting geriatrism’ among his recreations in Who’s Who, died in January 1966; sold with a file of copied research, including verification for the Jubilee 1935 Medal.