Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War M.C. group of eleven to Major-General W. H. Oxley, Royal Engineers

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (Lieut., R.E.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Major); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, mounted as worn, nearly very fine and better (11) £850-950

C.B. (Military) London Gazette 1 January 1947.

C.B.E. (Military) London Gazette 1 July 1941.

M.C. London Gazette 1 January 1918.

M.I.D. London Gazette 27 November 1917; 6 April 1944.

Walter Hayes Oxley was born in London on 2 January 1891 and was educated at Eastbourne College and R.M.A. Woolwich. He was commssioned into the Royal Engineers in 1911 and promoted to Lieutenant in 1913. In the Great war he served with the B.E.F. to Egypt, 22 November-15 January 1916, then served in Salonika, 16 January 1916-13 September 1917 and thence Palestine and Egypt, 14 September 1917 to the end of the war. He was slightly wounded when on duty on 23 April 1917. Promoted to Captain in June 1917, he served as Acting-Major in July 1917 and received the Brevet of Major on 1 January 1919. For his wartime services he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the M.C. Promoted Major in 1926 and the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel in 1931, he was Military Attache at Belgrade during 1929-32. Promoted Lieutenant-Colonel and then full Colonel in 1934, he was employed as A.A. & Q.M.G. to the British Mission to the Egyptian Army, 1937-39 for which he was awarded the Order of the Nile 3rd Class. With the onset of war he was A.A. & Q.M.G. in charge of administration at Malta with the local rank of Brigadier, July 1939-August 1940, then commanded the 2nd Infantry Brigade in Malta, August 1940-December 1941 and the 7th Infantry Brigade at Home during February-May 1942. Appointed Deputy Director of Military Training at the War Office, September 1942-March 1943, he was appointed A.D.C. to the King on 15 March 1943. Oxley was then appointed G.O.C. Troops Malta, March 1943-September 1944 with the rank of Acting Major-General, made Temporary Major-General in March 1944. During 1944-47 he was Commissioner of the British Military Mission to Bulgaria. For his services in the Second World War and after, he was awarded the C.B. and C.B.E. Placed on Retired Pay in 1948, he died on 23 January 1978. Sold with copied service details.