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Auction: 20003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 253

The rare Great War C.E.F. Battery Commander's O.B.E. and French Medal of Honneur group of five awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel A. B. Gillies, Canadian Field Artillery and Canadian Militia, who formed and then commanded the 30th Battery

Having been gassed in 1917, he latterly commanded the Canadian Reserve Artillery Brigade at Witley Camp; returned to Canada he reorganised the 2nd Ottawa Field Artillery before commanding the 1st Field Brigade, in addition to his work as a Director of the family lumberjack firm - the Gillies Brothers Lumbering Company of Braeside

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer's 1st type breast Badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1919; British War Medal and Victory Medals (Major A. B. Gillies.); Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officer's Decoration, G.V.R., silver gilt and silver, hallmarks for Birmingham 1919 (Lt. Col. A. B. Gillies OBE. 1st. Bde. C.F.A.); France, Republic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Medal of Honneur, silver-gilt, Military Division with crossed swords, reverse scratch engraved 'ABG', mounted as worn, fourth pinned onto mounting, good very fine (5)

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1919.

France, Medal of Honneur in Silver-Gilt with Crossed Swords London Gazette 5 November 1920.

Austin Bain Gillies was born at Carlton Place, Ottawa in 1882 and entered the Royal Canadian Military College in 1902, before graduating as a Sergeant in 1905. He then received a commission into the Canadian Militia, and in addition worked as a Forestry Manager, and later became a Director of the family lumberjack firm - the Gillies Brothers Lumbering Company of Braeside.

Rapidly rising through the ranks of the Militia, Gillies was put in charge of forming the 30th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, formed in June 1915 at Toronto, and chiefly recruited from men of the 9th Battery, Non-Permanent Active Militia, numbering ten officers and 192 other ranks. The 30th Battery formed part of the 8th Brigade, which Gillies also had acting command of when it sailed for England in February 1916. Gillies landed in command of the 30th Battery in France in July 1916, where it served still as part of the 8th Brigade, 3rd Divisional Artillery. He was gassed in 1917, and on recovery was appointed brigade major of the Canadian Reserve Artillery Brigade at Witley Camp, being awarded his two decorations by war's end.

After the war he returned to Ottawa and reorganised the 2nd Ottawa Field Artillery, and later succeeded Brigadier-General C.H. Maclaren when he retired from the command of the First Field Brigade in 1922. Retired in 1928, Gillies died on 17 January 1938; sold with copied research.



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Estimate
£400 to £500

Starting price
£300

Sale 20003 Notices
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