Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The mounted group of eight miniature dress medals attributed to Major-General C. J. Wallace, C.B., Highland Light Infantry

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top riband bar, reverse central medallion missing; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type badge, silver-gilt, on 2nd type Military riband, gilding almost all rubbed from obverse; Military Cross, G.V.R.; 1914 Star; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves; Coronation 1937; France, Third Republic, Croix de Guerre, bronze, reverse dated ‘1914-1918’, with bronze palm emblem on riband, mounted as worn and housed in a Garrard, London fitted case, good very fine (8) £200-£240

D.S.O. London Gazette 1 January 1918.

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1919.

M.C. London Gazette 23 June 1915.

French Croix de Guerre London Gazette 14 July 1919.

Charles John Wallace was born on 6 February 1890, the son of Lieutenant-Colonel H. R. Wallace, and was educated at Charterhouse. Commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry on 5 October 1910, he was promoted Lieutenant on 19 March 1913, and served with the 2nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from August 1914, being present during the operations at Mons and at the Battle of Loos. Promoted Captain on 17 May 1915, he subsequently served as Brigade Major of the 68th Brigade, and was promoted Brevet Major on 1 January 1917, at the early age of just 26. For his services during the Great War he was awarded the D.S.O., O.B.E., and M.C., as well as the French Croix de Guerre, and was Mentioned in Despatches five times (London Gazettes 22 June 1915, 1 January 1916, 4 January 1917, 11 December 1917, and 20 December 1918).

Post-War, Wallace was nominated for the Staff College, and served as Adjutant of the 1st Battalion in Egypt. Further appointments included Assistant Adjutant and Quarter Master General of the 1st Division at Aldershot from 1935-38, and Commander of the 3rd (Jhelum) Infantry Brigade in India from 1939. Advanced Major-General, he served as Aide-de-Camp to H.M. the King from 1938-40, and was created a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1941 New Year’s Honours’ List (London Gazette 1 January 1941). He died on 20 December 1943.

Sold together with the recipient’s riband bar for the first four awards.