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Auction: 18001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 581

(x) An early Second World War Middle East operations M.B.E. group of eight awarded to Brigadier G. W. 'Bill' White, King's Royal Rifle Corps

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (M.B.E.), Military Division, Member's 2nd type breast badge; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (Lieut. G. W. White, K.R.R.C.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf; Coronation 1953, mounted court-style as worn, light pitting over surname on the second, generally good very fine (8)

M.B.E. London Gazette 6 July 1941. The original recommendation states:

'For valuable and most active Staff work. Captain White has been Staff Captain, 7th Support Group for over a year and throughout a period which included the formation of the H.Q. under exceptional difficulties, and then nine months of continuous active operations almost always in contact with the enemy. He has done outstanding work for units and has made himself an excellent Staff Captain through his energy, resource and unruffled temperament. He refused to go sick in spite of ill-health during the December 1940-January 1941 operations, when his determination kept him at duty.'

Gilbert William 'Bill' White was born on 6 July 1912 and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the King's Royal Rifle Corps in February 1933.

Subsequently present in operations in Palestine before the war (Medal & clasp), he served as a Staff Captain in 7th Armoured Division from February 1940 to March 1941. In June 1940 the Division took part in a series of border raids along the frontier and in the counter-attack at Sidi Barrani, in November that year, where large numbers of Italian prisoners were taken. Then in January 1941, it took part in the successful capture of Tobruk and Bardia, followed by culminating action at Beda Fomm, in February 1941, when the retreating Italians were held by a small force while the rest of the Division caught up causing the surrender of over 25,000 Italians. This campaign effectively destroyed the Italian Army in North Africa. White was awarded the M.B.E.

A brief appointment in Cairo having followed, he re-joined the Desert Rats as Deputy Assistant Quarter-Master General in June 1941 and remained similarly employed in most of the period leading up to July 1942.

Advanced to the war substantive rank of Major, he next served as Assistant Adjutant & Quarter-Master General to 1st Armoured Division in the period July 1942 to August 1943, prior to returning home to an appointment as G.S.O. 1 at the War Office. He was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 13 January 1944, refers) and subsequently participated in operations in North-West Europe.

Post-war, White served as an Attache in Washington D.C. was advanced to Colonel in November 1955. One of his final appointments - in the temporary rank of Brigadier - was as C.O. of a Territorial Army Infantry Brigade.



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Sold for
£380