A Collection of Medals to The South Wales Borderers

A civil O.B.E. and a Great War ‘Salonika’ M.C. group of six awarded to Second Lieutenant L. B. Greaves, South Wales Borderers, late Royal Fusiliers

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed; 1914-15 Star (P.S.2720 Pte., R. Fus.) initial ‘B’ officially corrected; British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut.); Serbia, Order of the White Eagle, 2nd type, 5th Class breast badge with swords, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, very fine and better (6) £1400-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to The South Wales Borderers.

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O.B.E. London Gazette 8 June 1950. ‘Lionel Bruce Greaves, Esq., M.C. For missionary educational services in the Gold Coast’.

M.C. London Gazette 1 February 1919.

Private Lionel Bruce Greaves, 21st (Service) Battalion (4th Public Schools) Royal Fusiliers, entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 14 November 1915. He later served as a Lance-Corporal in the 17th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. Greaves was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the South Wales Borderers on 4 August 1916 and served with the 8th Battalion in Salonika. On 25 September 1918, the 8th Battalion as part of 65th Brigade, with the 67th Brigade in support, was ordered to attack Point 1472 near Lake Doiran. Lieutenant Greaves and the battalion scouts rushed a rocky knoll which was believed to be Point 1472 but was nearly 1000 yards N.W. of it. The regimental history continues: ‘This position was quickly made good, despite considerable opposition from riflemen and machine guns, which Lieutenant Greaves’ skilful handling of his Lewis guns soon overcame’. For his bravery and leadership in action, Greaves was awarded the M.C. and Serbian Order of the White Eagle (In the regimental history, the White Eagle is incorrectly listed to a ‘Lieut. L. B. Crewes’). His 1914-15 Star was later returned for a correction to an initial.

With copied m.i.c.; gazette extracts for O.B.E.; and regimental history extracts.