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Auction: 18001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 408

(x) 'It does all white men good to have an occasional beating.'

The Des Moines Register quotes the words of Major C. E. Collinge, Singapore Volunteer Corps, on being liberated from captivity from the Japanese in September 1945.

The mounted group of eight miniature dress medals worn by Major C. E. Collinge, C.B.E., Singapore Volunteer Corps, late London Regiment: he bravely commanded the Armoured Cars Unit during the defence of Singapore and proved to be a remarkable Camp Commander in Japanese captivity

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, (C.B.E.), Civil Division, Commander's 2nd type badge, silver-gilt and enamel; British War and Victory Medals 1914-19; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, G.V.R., Territorial, mounted as worn, good very fine (8)


Cyril Ernest Collinge was born in March 1897 and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the 8th Battalion (Post Office Rifles), London Regiment from the Inns of Court O.T.C., seeing action on the Western Front from March 1917.

Made a J.P. for the Straits Settlements in 1937 and Singapore Manager of Truevers & Sons, Collinge was also an active member of the Singapore Volunteer Corps. He had been the first commander of the Armoured Cars Unit during the 1930s and by the time of the Second World War was serving in the rank of Major. Having gone 'in the bag' after the fall of Singapore in February 1942, he was held in a variety of camps. At the war's end, he was Camp Commandant at the Sime Road Camp. His sobering words published in The Birmingham Mail and Des Moines Register in September 1945 include:

'Some 200 are in a critical condition from emaciation … If they had remained under internment conditions for a few more months, I believe there would have been mass deaths. Men were dying on their feet already.'

Appointed C.B.E. for his efforts in January 1946, Collinge returned to England and retired to St. Brelades, Jersey; sold with copied research.


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Sold for
£210