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Auction: 23002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 96

A fine Great War C.M.G., D.S.O. group of ten awarded to Colonel T. Nisbet, Bengal Cavalry, Indian Army, who was 'mentioned' on four occasions

The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George, C.M.G., Companion's neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, lacking top riband bar; Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal; South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lieut: T. Nisbet, Imp: Yeo:); 1914-15 Star (Capt. T. Nisbet 28/Lt Cavy.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Col. T. Nisbet); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Kurdistan (Col. T. Nisbet.); Delhi Durbar 1911; France, Republic, Legion d'Honneur, breast Badge, silver, gold centres and enamel; France, Republic, Croix de Guerre, with Palme upon riband, reverse dated '1914-1916', very fine (10)

C.M.G. London Gazette 3 June 1919.

D.S.O. London Gazette 17 March 1917.

M.I.D. London Gazette 10 April & 2 November 1917, 15 April 1918, 5 March 1919.

French Legion of Honour London Gazette 28 June 1920.

French Croix de Guerre London Gazette 4 September 1917.

Thomas Nisbet was born on 1 December 1882, the son of Thomas Mordaunt Nisbet of Pitlochry, Scotland. On finishing his schooling at Fettes College Nisbet went up to R.M.C. Sandhurst, being commissioned in Prince Albert's Somerset Light Infantry in 1901. He served in the Boer War initially in the Imperial Yeomanry and in the following year he was attached to the Mounted Infantry before transferring to the 28th Cavalry, Indian Army in 1904.

From 1911-14 he was Adjutant of the Bihar Light Horse and was present at the Delhi Durbar in 1911. During the Great War he served on the Staff of the 13th Division at Gallipoli and later on General Maude's Staff as A.A. and A.M.G., first of the Cavalry Division and later the 3rd Indian Division in Mesopotamia.

In 1919 he was appointed Director-in-Chief of the Repatriation and Relief of Refugees, Syria, and Palestine. He retired from the Army in 1927 residing at Brightwell, Wallingford in Berkshire where he died 24 February 1956.

Sold together with an impressive original archive comprising:

i)
Parchment commission appointing him Second Lieutenant in Prince Alberts (Somersetshire) Light Infantry dated 13 September 1901.

ii)
Four Mention in Despatch certificates; 10 April 1917, 2 November 1917, 15 April 1918 and 5 March 1919.

iii)
The Statutes for his C.M.G. and D.S.O.

iii)
Original Parchment award documents for; D.S.O. dated 17 March 1917, & C.M.G. dated 3 June 1919.

iv)
Award document as an Officer of The Legion of Honour dated 26 May 1920.

v)
An A5 pamphlet titled "The Motor Route From India" by Col. T. Nisbet C.M.G., an entertaining lecture he gave of his journey of some 4000 miles through Persia.

vi)
Original Letters from Army Headquarters India regarding his continuous employment in the India Army.

vii)
Letter from the Commander in Chief Indian Army to General Sir Walter Congreve V.C., K.C.B., M.V.O. concerning Nisbet and his employment in the Indian Army.

viii)
Letter from The Central Chancery concerning the award of his C.M.G.

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Sold for
£2,300

Starting price
£1100