Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Great War Gallipoli operations M.C. group of nine awarded to Major Sir N. H. P. Whitley, Manchester Regiment, who was awarded the Order of El Nahda for his services in Palestine and Arabia 1916-18, initially as a ‘2nd Class Agent’ attached to the Intelligence Corps and latterly on the Staff of H.Q., Desert Mounted Corps: a talented sportsman who captained the England lacrosse team and represented the U.K. in the Olympics, he was knighted for his subsequent career as a Chief Justice in Uganda

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (2 Lieut., Manch. R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Major); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; French Croix de Guerre 1914-1917, with bronze palm; Hedjaz, Order of El Nahda, locally manufactured 3rd class badge, silver and enamel; Italian Order of the Crown, 5th class breast badge, gold and enamels, cleaned and lacquered, generally very fine and better (9) £2500-3000

M.C. London Gazette 3 June 1916.
Mention in despatches London Gazette 13 July 1916 (M.E.F.); 6 July 1917 (E.E.F.) and 5 June 1919 (E.E.F.).
French Croix de Guerre London Gazette 11 March 1919.
Hedjaz Order of El Nahda London Gazette 30 September 1920.
Italian Order of the Crown London Gazette 29 November 1918.

Norman Henry Whitley was born in Manchester in June 1883 and, having completed his studies at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, was called to the Bar, Inner Temple in 1907. He subsequently practised on the Northern Circuit but on the advent of hostilities in August 1914 was quick to enlist in the Manchester Regiment as a private soldier. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 7th Battalion in the following month, he was embarked for the Gallipoli Peninsula (via Egypt), and fought there from May to December 1915, a period that witnessed his battalion suffering casualties of 163 killed, 403 wounded and 93 missing. For his own part, Whitley received a slight wound to his right thigh on 15 July 1915, was mentioned in despatches and was awarded the M.C.

Following his evacuation from Gallipoli, he was employed in Egypt and in operations in Palestine and Arabia 1916-18, initially as an ‘Agent 2nd Class’ on attachment to the Intelligence Corps (August 1916), but latterly as a Staff Officer at H.Q., Desert Mounted Corps (August 1918), work that brought him the unusual honour of appointments to the Hedjaz Order of El Nahda, 4th class (London Gazette 8 March 1920) and 3rd class (London Gazette 30 September 1920), in addition to two further “mentions”, the French Croix de Guerre and the Italian Order of the Crown. Moreover, his service record reveals a number of interesting postings in the same period, not least a stint of service at G.H.Q. Jedda from February to August 1918, so there can be little doubt that he met “Lawrence of Arabia”, the latter visiting that establishment in June of the same year, in order to seek an audience with King Feisal - as it transpired the latter had got wind of the demands behind his intended visit and had “fled” to Mecca to avoid him.

Whitley was demobilized in the rank of Major in 1920, but not before having delivered some ciphers to Military Intelligence on his return to the U.K. in May 1919. Taking up his former legal career in the following year, he was appointed a Deputy Public Prosecutor in Penang, which post was short-lived as a result of his transfer - in the same capacity - to Singapore in 1922. Then in 1929 he became Puisne Judge, Straits Settlements and Judge, Federated Malay States, posts that latterly witnessed his elevation to Acting Chief Justice. Finally, in 1937, he was appointed Chief Justice, Uganda, in which capicity he was knighted in 1941 and served until his retirement in 1947. He was latterly Chairman of the Uganda Cotton Industry Commission.

Sir Norman, who was a gifted sportsman in earlier days and had captained the England lacrosse team and represented the U.K. in the Olympics, died in April 1957.