Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Inter-War K.C.B., Great War K.C.M.G. group of twenty-one awarded to General Sir William “Bill” Thwaites, Royal Artillery, who as a young Lieutenant ‘displayed great gallantry saving a gun at Lombard’s Kop’, fought in the Defence of Ladysmith and rose to senior command in the Great War, having seen extensive action at the Front and been twice wounded

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, K.C.B. (Military), Knight Commander’s set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels, and breast star, silver, with gold and enamel applique centre; The Order of St. Michael and St. George, K.C.M.G. Knight Commander’s set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels, and breast star, silver, with gold and enamel centre; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Defence of Ladysmith (Capt., R.F.A.); 1914-15 Star (Lt. Col., R.A.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Maj. Gen.); Victory Medal, M.I.D. oakleaf (Maj. Gen. Sir); Defence Medal; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; American Distinguished Service Medal (Army), officially numbered ‘626’; Belgian Order of Leopold I, Commander’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with swords; Belgian Croix de Guerre; French Legion of Honour, Commander’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; French Croix de Guerre 1914-1917, with palm; Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd class set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, and breast star, silver, with silver-gilt and enamel centre, both with central cabochons; Norwegian Order of St. Olaf, Knight’s breast badge, gold and enamel, with swords; Serbian Order of the White Eagle, 2nd class set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with swords, and breast star, silver-gilt, with silver-gilt and enamel centre, with swords enamel work chipped in places, especially on the Belgian, French and Serbian Badges, which have other minor damage and defects, otherwise generally good very fine (21) £2800-3200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Richard Magor Collection of Medals Relating to India and Africa, and other Fine Awards.

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K.C.B. London Gazette 1 January 1927.

K.C.M.G. London Gazette 9 June 1919: ‘For services rendered in connection with military operations in France and Flanders.’

Mention in Despatches London Gazette 8 February 1901 (South Africa); 1 January 1916; 4 January 1917; 11 December 1917; 20 May 1918; 20 December 1918 and 5 July 1919.

American D.S.M. (Army) London Gazette 12 July 1919.

Belgian Order of Leopold I London Gazette 7 June 1919.

Belgian Croix de Guerre London Gazette 7 February 1921.

French Legion of Honour London Gazette 5 November 1920.

French Croix de Guerre London Gazette 21 August 1919.

Japanese Order of the Rising Sun London Gazette 21 January 1921.

Serbian Order of the White Eagle London Gazette 15 October 1920.


William “Bill” Thwaites, who was born in June 1868, had an interesting childhood, his English father having married Jeanette Threlfall, ‘a German lady of good social standing’ and strong character. Attending school at Heidelberg, where he learned to understand both the German language and the German mentality, he also had to contend with his mother’s increasing forays against the locals in defence of her newly acquired British nationality. Indeed one of his obituarists, General Sir Walter Kirke, felt bound to record:

‘Living in Germany in the sabre-rattling days before the First World War, she did not hesitate to show her disapproval of German policy towards her adopted country and this she did in an original manner. When something had particularly roused her resentment, she would sally forth and select one of the “Verboten” notices, with which every German pleasure garden was plentifully besprinkled, and having ascertained that the fine for infringement was within her modest means, would then deliberately proceed to break the order before the scandalised eyes of the park keeper. When the inevitable summons followed, she would enter Court with great dignity, and having, so to speak, obtained both a platform and an audience, she would explain in courteous, but uncompromising terms why she had been impelled to register her formal protest. Having paid the fine she would then leave the Court with the same dignity with which she had entered it, carrying with her all the honours of war. It is not perhaps surprising that eventually she was told to clear out and never come back to Germany again.’

Back in England, young “Bill”, as he was invariably known to his fellow Gunners, completed his education at Wellington College and at Woolwich, where he was a good shot and a fearless rider to hounds. Commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery in February 1887, he gained advancement to Lieutenant in February 1890 and to Captain in October 1897, and ‘was one of the few lucky Gunners to escape from India to the South African War.’ His obituarist continues:

‘In the engagements preceding the investment of Ladysmith, he displayed great gallantry, saving a gun at Lombard’s Kop, and coming home after the relief of Ladysmith a marked man with a mention in despatches, which might well have been something much more distinguished.’

Having attended Staff College, Thwaites was appointed a G.S.O. 2 at the 2nd London Division (Territorial Force) in 1912, and by the outbreak of hostilities two years later, he had been advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel. Despite erroneous entries to the contrary, it seems certain that he did not go over to France until March 1915, when he accompanied his Division, the 47th (2nd London), into battle in the bitter fighting at Auber’s Ridge and at Festubert. And at the latter action, he was given command of the 141st Infantry Brigade when its commander was killed in action. His obituarist continues:

‘Bill Thwaites was an outstanding success as an infantry commander, so much so that, after recovering from wounds received at Vimy Ridge, he was appointed to command the 46th Division ... Thwaites took over the 46th when it had been badly knocked about, and to raise its morale put it through a course of ceremonial, in which he was a firm believer. The treatment appears to have been effective, for the Division fought with distinction on the Ancre and in pursuit of the Hindenberg Line ...’

His final wartime appointment was as Director of Military Intelligence, which office he occupied until September 1922. Meanwhile, he has been showered in Honours and Awards from the Allies, in addition to being many times mentioned in despatches and created a K.C.M.G. and a C.B. (London Gazette 1 January 1917).

Elevated to K.C.B. in January 1927, while holding the appointment of General Officer Commanding, 47th (2nd London) Division, Sir William next became G.O.C.-in-C. Rhine Army. And there, in 1929, he oversaw the final ceremonies before the Union Flag was hauled down, his men marching off in the knowledge that they had ‘upheld the credit of the British Army.’ His final post was that of Director-General of the Territorial Army.

Retiring to his home, “The Halfway House”, at Kintbury in Berkshire, the General regularly entertained old military friends and became a pillar of the local British Legion. He was prompt, too, to join the Home Guard and Special Constabulary on the renewal of hostilities. ‘Always cheery, confident and on top of the world’, this ‘great gentleman of the old school’ died in November 1947.