Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War C.B.E. and Great War M.C. group of seven to Brigadier N. R. Procter, South Lancashire Regiment, late Middlesex Regiment

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) Commander’s 2nd type neck badge, gilt and enamel, in Garrard, London case of issue; Military Cross, G.V.R., reverse engraved, ‘A/Capt. N. P. Procter, Middx. Regt. 25/11/17’; 1914-15 Star (2 Lieut., Midd’x. R.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt.); Defence and War Medals, Great War medals with contact marks, fine and better; others nearly extremely fine (7) £1000-1200

C.B.E. London Gazette 8 June 1944. ‘Colonel (temporary Brigadier) Neville Phillips Proctet, M.C. (15639), late The South Lancashire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’s Volunteers)’

M.C. London Gazette 18 July 1918. ‘2nd Lt. (A./Capt.), Midd’x. R.’; ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He showed great courage and ability while in command of a most important post, and inspired his men with confidence by his splendid example under heavy fire’.

Neville Phillip Proctor was born in Kensington and educated at Marlborough College and Keble College, Oxford, where he graduated as a B.A. With the outbreak of the Great War he entered the Army as a 2nd Lieutenant and entered the Balkan (Gallipoli) theatre of war with the 2/10th Middlesex Regiment on 8 August 1915. From 1916 onwards he served with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. He was wounded and awarded the Military Cross on 11 November 1917 at the Third Battle of Gaza. In February 1918 he was seconded to the 21st Punjabis, with whom he served until October 1918. As Lieutenant he was posted to the 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment in 1919 and was appointed Adjutant, 1920-23. Promoted Captain in 1921, he was Adjutant of the 9th Battalion (T.A.). With the 1st Battalion he served in Shanghai, January - October 1927 and then served with the 2nd Battalion in India and Sudan. He was awarded the Brevet of Major in January 1934 and appointed the first Commandant of the Recruit Physical Developement Depot. In July 1938 he was awarded the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel. In April 1929 he transferred to the South Lancashire Regiment and served with the B.E.F. from October 1939 to February 1940, when he was appointed to the command of the 2nd Battalion South Lancashire Regiment. On 21 March 1941 he was appointed Acting Brigadier and as Brigade Commander served in Iceland until August 1942. As the war unfolded he was at times Brigade Commander of 146, 164, 209 and 135 Infantry Brigades. From 2 February - 19 December 1945 he was Deputy Commander of the 45th Division. Post-war he was employed with the Royal West African Frontier Force and commanded Sierra Leone and Gambia District, 1946-49. He retired from the Army on 18 June 1949. On leaving the service he became General Manager of Securicor. Brigadier Procter died on 23 December 1975. Sold two photographs and copied research.