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Auction: 22002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 250

The fine and impressive K.C.I.E., C.S.I., G.C.M.G. group of ten miniature dress medals awarded to Sir C. C. Garbett, Indian Political Department, who was twice 'mentioned' in the Great War for his service with the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force, of which he eventually became Chief Political Officer

The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, K.C.I.E.; The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, C.S.I., gold, silver, and enamel, with a fine-quality central onyx cameo of the young Queen Victoria; The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, G.C.M.G., silver-gilt and enamel; The Most Venerable Order of St. John, Officer's breast Badge, silver and enamel, minor enamel damage to one arm of reverse; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. Oak leaves; General Service 1918-62, G.V.R., one clasp, Iraq; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Volunteer L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., minor enamel damage to first, overall good very fine (10)

[K.C.I.E.] London Gazette 12 June 1941.

[C.I.E.] London Gazette 26 August 1918.

[C.S.I.] London Gazette 3 June 1935.

[C.M.G.] London Gazette 3 June 1922.

[Order of St. John] London Gazette 24 June 1938.

M.I.D. London Gazette 12 March 1918.

M.I.D. London Gazette 29 August 1918, the original citation states:

'´For the initiative displayed and the valuable work done by him in connection with Agriculture.'

Provenance:

Spink November 2008

Colin Campbell Garbett was born at Dalhousie, India in 1881, the son of Hubert and Henrietta Garbett. His father worked as a Civil Engineer while his grandfather served as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Bengal Horse Artillery, seeing employment during the First Afghan War. When Garbett was still young his family returned to Britain, settling in Castletown, Isle of Man. While in Britain he attended King William's College on the island and later Jesus College, Cambridge.

Having joined the Indian Civil Service in 1904 Garbett returned to India and whilst here took up a commission with the Assam Valley Light Horse on 20 January 1909, reaching the rank of Captain by 1 January 1912. With the outbreak of the Great War he was appointed Assistant-Censor in 1915 and later joined the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force as Revenue Commissioner Mesopotamia and Administrator of the Agricultural Development Scheme (Military); he was subsequently appointed Chief Political Officer to the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force in 1916.

After the war he was given a secretarial role in the Turkish Peace Treaty Delegation 1919-20 and around the same time was performing the role of an Assistant-Secretary in the India Office. Taking up a position as Secretary to the High Commissioner of Iraq in 1920, he was serving in this role when nearly killed by a plane crash at Tauq when his Bristol fighter overturned: Garbett's pilot died in the crash and although he survived he did suffer a broken arm.

Returning to India from Iraq in 1922, Garbett was appointed Deputy Commissioner at Campbellpur where he served until 1929 before taking up the same appointment at Rawalpindi. He served further as Chief Secretary to the Government of the Punjab, Commissioner of the Multan Division, Financial Commissioner of the Punjab, 1937 and Chairman of the Punjab Government Forest Commission, 1937. During the Second World War Garbett was appointed Chairman of the Interview Board Emergency Commissions in 1941 and later Minister for Agriculture at Bhopal from 1944-46. Finally accepting a well-earned retirement in 1946 he died on 10 August 1972; sold together with copied biographical information. His full-sized Orders and Medals were sold in these rooms on 20 November 2008.

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Sold for
£900

Starting price
£240