Auction Catalogue

5 April 2006

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

Lot

№ 1083

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5 April 2006

Hammer Price:
£210

Five: Major A. E. Rose, Royal Engineers, attached “Force 281”, Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, 1943-45

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D.
oak leaf, mounted as worn, good very fine or better (5) £100-150

Albert Edward Rose was first offered a commission in the Intelligence Corps in November 1939, when he was resident at Ploesti, Roumania, but, as further confirmed by accompanying documentation, he was ultimately commissioned into the R.E. and appears to have served in the Movement Control arm of “Force 281” from 1943-45, latterly as an instructor at a Junior Staff School and as a D.A.Q.M.G. Other than extensive service in North Africa, his duties also took him to the Dodecanese, and he was finally released from military service in January 1946. It is believed that “Force 281” was an offshoot of S.O.E., Cairo.

Sold with a large quantity of original documentation, including the recipient’s M.I.D. certificate, dated 15 December 1942, with related correspondence, including forwarding letter for the oak palm addressed to G.H.Q., “Force 281”, M.E.F.; carbon copy “Officers Specialists Course” orders, dated July 1941, largely dedicated to lectures, including Major Melville on “The Theory and Practice of Guerilla Warfare and Sabotage”, demolition courses and revolver and machine-gun practice; a carbon copy of a “Most Secret” letter addressed to Rose at H.Q., Alexandria Movement Control Area, notifying him of imminent departure (‘Should the party proceed you may be required to take plain clothes ... pistols only will be taken and no further equipment will be required’), and related carbon copy letter written by Rose just 48 hours later pleading for a revolver to be issued to him, this dated 14 August 1941, and the original receipt for same dated 24 August 1941; two Christmas Dinner menus for Movement Control personnel, Alexandria, 1942 and 1943, both bearing numerous autographs; lengthy correspondence regarding his wartime marriage; assorted movement orders and other military equipment receipts; Officers’ Release Book, Class “A”; War Office letter confirming honorary rank of Major on release, dated 14 January 1946; a letter of reference for one of his N.C.Os from “Force 281”, dated 29 July 1948, which refers to a captured B.M.W. motor-cycle being used for transportation purposes on Rhodes.