Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Lieutenant-Colonel J. G. Phimister, South African Army Postal Corps

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf; Africa Service Medal, ‘Defence’ unnamed, all others officially impressed (45421 J. G. Phimister) good very fine (6) £150-200

M.I.D. London Gazette 13 January 1944. ‘Capt. J. G. Phimister (45421)’

John George Phimister was born in Wick, Caithness, Scotland on 30 June 1896. Having moved to South Africa, he entered the Army on 22 August 1914, serving as a Signaller in the Natal Telegraph Corps, August 1914-August 1915; then as a Signaller in the South African Signals, October 1915-October 1917; and then as a Sapper in the South African Signals Company R.E., October 1917-June 1919. For these services he was awarded the 1914-15 Star trio of medals.

With the start of the second World War he returned to the services and served as a Serjeant in the South African Army Postal Corps, 6 September-31 October 1940. On 1 November 1940 he received a commission in that unit, being advanced to Acting Lieutenant on 18 December 1940; Temporary Lieutenant on 1 May 1941 and Temporary and later War Substantive Captain on 23 February 1942. He was promoted to Temporary Major in September 1944 and Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel in June 1945. Served in Egypt, October 1941-June 1943 and August 1943-September 1944 - for which he was mentioned in despatches; in Italy, September-October 1944; Egypt, October 1944-May 1945; Italy, May-October 1945, after which he returned to Egypt and thence home.

With a quantity of copied research including a detailed service history.