Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Mesopotamia’ C.I.E., D.S.O. group of seven awarded to Colonel J. A. Yates, 5th Maharatta Light Infantry, late Rifle Brigade

The Order of the Indian Empire, C.I.E., 3rd type neck badge, gold and enamels; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R.; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1902 (Lieut., Rifle Brigade); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Maj.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq (Major); Delhi Durbar 1911, generally good very fine (7) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to The Rifle Brigade and Affiliated Regiments from the collection formed by Michael Haines.

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C.I.E. London Gazette 25 August 1917 (Mesopotamia).

D.S.O. London Gazette 28 August 1918: ‘For distinguished service in connection with military operations in Mesopotamia. Major, C.I.E., 103rd Maharattas, Indian Army.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 15 August 1917, 27 August 1918, and 5 June 1919.

John Ainsworth Yates was born on 4 November 1883, and educated at Reading School. He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant into the 5th (Militia) Battalion of the Rifle Brigade on 2 September 1901, and served with the 5th Battalion in South Africa in Cape Colony and Orange River Colony, from December 1901 to May 1902. Yates transferred to the Regular Army in September 1902, as a Lieutenant in the Leicestershire Regiment, and in 1907 transferred into the Indian Army.

Yates was posted to the 103rd Mahratta Light Infantry and served with them during the operations in Mesopotamia between 4 August 1916 and 31 October 1918 (Despatches thrice, C.I.E., D.S.O.). He was next employed on active operations during the Arab Revolt in Iraq in 1919-20, when he commanded the 1st Battalion of the 5th (formerly 103rd) Mahratta Light Infantry. He was promoted to Brevet Colonel in 1929 but died in December of the same year.