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Auction: 23003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 248

The Great War C.M.G., C.B.E. group of seven awarded to Chaplain Brigadier-General & Principal Chaplain to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force Reverend E. R. Day, Army Chaplain's Department, who was further 'mentioned' twice in the Second Boer War and on five occasions during the Great War

The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Commander's (C.M.G.) neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 1st Type, Military Division, Commander's (C.B.E.) neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Laing's Nek, Belfast (Rev. E. R. Day. C to F.); King's South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Rev: E. R. Day. C. To F.); 1914 Star, clasp (Rev: E. R. Day. A.C.D.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Rev E. R. Day.), the campaign medals mounted as worn the 1914 Star and clasp gilded, otherwise very fine (7)

C.M.G. London Gazette 14 January 1916.

C.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1919.

M.I.D. London Gazette 17 February 1915, 1 January 1916, 4 January & 24 December 1917, 5 June 1919.

Edward Rouviere Day was born on 4 January 1867, the son of the late Robert Day, J.P., F.S.A. of Myrtle Hill House, Cork, Ireland. Educated at Cork Grammar School and at Trinity College, Dublin (B.A. 1891, M.A. 1896), he became a Deacon in 1891 and Priest in 1892, serving as Curate of Ballymacarrett, County Down from 1891-93.

Day became an Army Chaplain on 23 February 1893 with the rank of Captain and served as Chaplain to the Forces at the Curragh between 1893-96. Posted to England to serve as a Chaplain at Woolwich between 1896-99. He joined the Anglo Boer War in South Africa in 1900 and was present at the Relief of Ladysmith, including Operations on Tugela Heights, followed by Operations in Natal from March-June 1900, including the action at Laing's Nek.

As the War progressed, Day joined Operations in Transvaal, East of Pretoria, seeing the actions at Belfast and Lydenberg. Promoted to Chaplain Major 3rd Class on 26 June 1902, he was twice 'mentioned' during the campaign. At the end of the War he briefly served on St Helena before returning to Pretoriawhere he served until 1905. Returned home, he served at Dover until 1910 and then to Lichfield where he remained until the start of the Great War, during this time he was promoted to Chaplain 1st Class Colonel on 26 June 1912.

Day served on the Western Front from 11 September 1914 and served in France until 23 June 1918 when he was then included as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force from 12 August-31 October 1918. He was appointed Principal Chaplain on 20 June 1918 with the rank of Brigadier-General and retired from the Army on 15 April 1922 with the rank of Colonel.

Reverting to life as a civilian in the church, he became Vicar of Steep, Hampshire between 1922-29. This was followed by a posting to South Africa where he was the Rector of St Michael and All Angels, Boksburg and Rector at St John's Belgravia between 1932-34 and then Rector of All Saint's, Bighton, from 1935-37, finally serving as an Assistant Priest at St.Paul's, Durban between 1939-48.

He died in Durban on 26 February 1948 and his ashes were placed in the Memorial Chapel at West Street Cemetery, Durban.

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Sold for
£2,000

Starting price
£1200