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Auction: 11007 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 31

A Group of Six to Lieutenant G.H. Corbett, Royal Field Artillery, Later Government Entomologist, Federated Malay States; Taken P.O.W. by the Japanese at the Fall of Singapore, February 1942, and Interned at Changi British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. G.H. Corbett.); 1939-1945 Star; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals, generally very fine, mounted as originally worn, with the following related contemporary documents: - Commission appointing George Hamblin Corbett, Second Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery, dated 7.11.1916 - Two P.O.W. Postcards, addressed to ´Mrs. G.H. Corbett, Broomwood, Reigate Road, Reigate, Surrey´ - Three photographs of recipient in uniform - Officers Training Corps Certificate, dated 1.10.1914 - Service Report for period spent on attachment to the Agriculture Department, Sudan Government, dated 6.7.1919 - Letter of Reference from the Acting Governor of Berber Province, dated 19.8.1919 - Letter of appointment as Government Entomologist, Federated Malay States, dated 4.2.1920 - Degree Certificate, B.Sc. in Agriculture from Edinburgh University; 12 Honours Certificates from the same university; and two Edinburgh & East of Scotland College of Agriculture Certificates (lot) Estimate £ 150-200 Lieutenant George Hamblin Corbett, educated at Edinburgh University where he specialised in Entomology; served Royal Agricultural College O.T.C., 1914; commissioned Second Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery, 7.11.1916; between 1914-16 much correspondence was passed between the Imperial Bureau of Entomology and the Colonial Office to find a posting for Corbett as an Entomologist rather than a serving officer in the Army, with Ceylon appearing to be his likely destination; however in October 1916, due to a shortage of Artillery Officers, the Army Council refused permission to release him from military service; Corbett was however attached to the Agriculture Department, Sudan, 1918-19, ´I have much pleasure in recording the fact that you were working under me all last year when I was in special charge of the Government Pumping Schemes in this province, your own particular charge being the Timerab and Zeidab Schemes. I found your quickness in grasping conditions that were quite new to you most valuable and the results you produced were most satisfactory, the wheat crops grown at Timerab being the biggest grown anywhere in the Sudan´ (letter from Acting Governor, Berber Province included in lot refers); he continued to be employed by the Colonial Office after the Great War and was appointed Government Entomologist, Federated Malay States, 4.2.1920; Corbett was still serving in that part of the world when he was taken P.O.W. by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore, February 1942; he was interned at Changi, coincidentally with his son-in-law H.T.B. Ryves as confirmed in his postcards sent from Changi to his wife.

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£360