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Auction: 21001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals (conducted behind closed doors)
Lot: 357

A well-documented 1945 M.B.E. group of five awarded to Major D. Clitherow-Smith, Royal West Kent Regiment and Corps of Military Police, who was Assistant Provost Marshal of Brussels in 1944

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 2nd type breast Badge, silver, with its Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; France & Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, good very fine (5)

M.B.E. London Gazette 11 October 1945. The original recommendation - by Brigadier Commanding Brussels Garrison- states:

'This Officer has had a very difficult task in the last six months in Brussels and he has carried out his exceptionally heavy duties admirably. The co-ordination of the duties of British Military and Royal Air Force Pro and American and Canadian Pro and their cooperation has been part of his extra responsibility whilst the innumerable raids on Cafes to ensure their closure at the correct hours, the enforcement of curfew regulations in a Capital City and the maintenance of discipline in a city full of resident troops and swollen by an intake of 30,000 additional troops a week on leave, have been part of his extra responsibility.

He has been indefatigable in his efforts to check the incidence of VD by hunting down sources of contaminations and the cooperation he has secured from the Civil Police in this respect has been most marked. Another item of this officer's extra burden has been the heavy extra work in the control of vehs and traffic in Brussels, both Military and Civilian and the organisation and control of the Official Car Parks where some 30,000 vehs are parked each month and out of which but 5 vehs have been stolen.'

Dennis Clitherow-Smith lived at 'Byways', Bessels Green, Sevenoaks and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal West Kent Regiment on 4 July 1940. Advanced Captain in September 1942, he served as an Acting Major as Assistant Provost Marshal of Brussels following the D-Day invasion. With the end of the War, he was on the Committee of The Returned British Prisoners of War Association and attended the world premiere of The Intruder on 15 October 1953; sold together with letter bestowing the M.B.E., programme for premiere of The Intruder, named invitation from Major-General Adair for a Ball at the Hotel de Ville, Brussels, 30 June 1945, Parish of Chevening Welcome Home Fund certificate, letter of congratulation upon the visit of The King to 11 Armoured Division in January 1943, letter of congratulation upon the visit of Field Marshal Montgomery to Brussels on 12 September 1945, besides photographs, cloth insignia, buttons and copies of related wartime magazines.

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Sold for
£300

Starting price
£160