Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A C.B. group of twelve miniature dress medals attributed to Brigadier General E. J. Granet, Royal Artillery

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s badge, silver-gilt and enamel; Afghanistan 1878-80, no clasp; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, 2 clasps, El-Teb_Tamaai, The Nile 1884-85; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Modder River, Paardeberg, Johannesburg; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals; Coronation 1902, silver; Coronation 1911; Italy, Kingdom, Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus, Knight’s badge, silver-gilt and enamel; Khedive’s Star, dated 1884-6, all unmounted, generally very fine and better (12) £120-£160

Edward John Granet was born in 1858 and was educated at Eton and The Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He entered the Royal Artillery in 1878 and served in Afghanistan during the Second Afghan War, and subsequently in Egypt and the Sudan. Advanced Major in 1896, he served in South Africa during the Boer War as Battery Commander of the 62nd Battery, R.F.A., and distinguished himself at the Battle of Modder River, 28 November 1899. Promoted Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel, for his services at Modder River he was Mentioned in Lord Roberts’ Despatch of 2 April 1901. He subsequently served as Deputy Assistant Adjutant General for Intelligence in South Africa, 1901-02.

From 1902 to 1905 Granet served with the Headquarters of the Army and took part, in this capacity, in the Coronation of King Edward VII in 1902. Promoted to full Colonel in 1906, from 1906 to 1910 he was Assistant Director of Remounts, and in 1911 was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath. From 1911 to 1915 he served as military attaché in Rome and Berne.

Following the outbreak of the Great War Granet was promoted to Brigadier-General in March 1915 and appointed Commander Royal Artillery of the 11th (Northern) Division. In June the division was ordered to the Dardanelles, and Granet commanded the divisional artillery at Gallipoli, landing at Suvla Bay on 7 August 1915. On 13 August 1915, just six days after landing, Granet was seriously wounded in action. Invalided to Egypt and then back to the UK, he was then “specially attached” to His Excellency Count Luigi Cardona, Chief of the General Staff of the Italian Army, during his stay in the UK for meetings with the Headquarters Staff, British Army, and for these services he was created an Officer of the Italian Order of St Maurice and Lazarus.

In 1918, his wounds still serious enough to preventing him taking on an operational role, Granet transferred back to Bern as military attaché, where he died on 22 October 1918. He is officially listed in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Roll of Honour as having ‘died of wounds as a result of injuries sustained in Gallipoli”. He is buried in Vevey Cemetery, Switzerland.