Orders, Decorations and Medals

An unusual Great War C.B.E. group of four awarded to Lieutenant Colonel W. C. Dumble, Royal Marines, attached Royal Naval Division, Transport Officer in command of the London Buses sent to Dunkirk in 1914, and involved with the early development of the tank

The Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) 1st type neck badge, in case of issue; 1914 Star, with Mons bar (Temp. Lieut. Col., R.M. Brigade); British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Col., R.M.) together with companion set of four miniature medals and a Railway & Omnibus ‘Free Pass’ in silver, numbered ‘No.73’ and named to ‘Captain W. C. Dumble’, good very fine (9) £700-800

C.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1919; O.B.E. London Gazette 4 January 1919.

Wilfred Chatterton Dumble was born in Coburg, Ontario, in 1871, and educated at Trinity College and Royal Military College, Kingston, Ontario. He graduated in 1892 and travelled to England where he was commissioned into the Royal Engineers, becoming a Captain. He was placed on the Reserve of Officers in 1893, and was employed by the London Omnibus Company, being General Manager at the outbreak of the war in 1914. Dumble was appointed Transport Officer with the rank of Temporary Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Marines, in charge of 90 Omnibuses that had been purchased by the Admiralty from his company for the conveyance of troops to Dunkirk, as part of the Royal Naval Division. After much active service under enemy fire, the unit returned to England, and Dumble was given the task of organising the transport for the Royal Marine Howitzer Brigade. Early in 1915 he was one of a committee of five appointed to assess the feasability of caterpillar tractors for moving machine guns on the battlefield, an idea proposed by Lieut.-Colonel E. D. Swinton in 1914, that was to lead directly to the development of the tank. Dumble served in the Royal Marines throughout the War and returned to the Royal Engineers in November 1918. He subsequently became general manager of the Armstrong Whitworth Company and later returned to Canada. He served for many years as Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the 4th Field Regiment, R.C.A., until 1948. He died in Canada on 27 April 1963.