Orders, Decorations and Medals

1st King George’s Own Gurkha Rifles, a most important assembly of items pertaining to the late Major General Sir Douglas David Gracey, KCB, KCIE, CBE, MC & Bar, the principal elements being two magnificently decorated Presentation Kukris 1940 and 1941/42, a silver plated pouch belt plate to the 1st Prince of Wales’s Own Gurkha Rifles, a hall marked silver multi part pouch belt plate to the successor unit 1st King George’s Own Gurkha Rifles (Birmingham 1913 J & Co) and his compiled WWII War map for Bengal Burma and Assam; other elements include Staff tabs and buttons, lanyards and post War shot-gun licences, a six page research article accompanies this collection, some tears to the War map but no parts missing otherwise in excellent condition overall £800-1000

See Colour Plate V

Douglas David Gracey (b3/9/1894) commissioned 2nd Lieut. August 1914; Lieut 1/9/1915; Captain 15/8/1915; Brevet Major 1/7/1930; Major 15/8/1932; Brevet Lieut Colonel 1/1/1938; Lieut Colonel 28/2/1939 A/Brig 28/4/1941 T/Brig 28/10/1941 T/Major General 1/4/1943 Major General 11/2/1945 A/Lieut General 28/5/1946. Retired as Major General 4/6/1948. Died 5 June 1964.

MC 1917, Bar 1918; OBE c1941; CBE 1943 ; CB 1944; KCIE 1/1/1948; KCB 1950. MID (Burma) 9/5/1946; Legion d’Honneur 1946; Croix de Guerre 1946; Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Cambodia 1946. Awarded Freedom of the City of Saigon 1946.

The following letter which was published by The Times 17th June 1964 is reproduced by the kind permission of Major-General M Hayaud Din. ‘I had the privilege of serving under General Sir Douglas Gracey both in war and peace in many places. He was the last British Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army and before that he was made its Chief of Staff. The part that he played in those early days in shaping, organising, and putting on sound lines the foundation of the Pakistan Army cannot be forgotten. In fact, we in Pakistan were fortunate to have a person like him, for his sympathetic attitude, tact, and friendliness earned everyone’s love and affection. The Sepoys used to call him Chacha (Uncle) Gracey. He had a great regard for them. On many occasions when driving along a road he would stop his car to give a lift to a Sepoy, often to the embarassment of the person concerned. When in French Indo-China as Head of the Control Commission, he selected the Subadar Major of the Battalion I was commanding at the time to accept the sword of surrender from the Japanese. Although a strict disciplinarian, he was most human and understanding. The greatest contribution that he made, in my opinion, was in helping to create and develop in the early days of Pakistan, friendship, co-operation, and understanding between Great Britain and Pakistan, which to his last days he continued to help strengthen.’