Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 23113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 501

A fine campaign group six awarded to Squadron Quartermaster-Sergeant A. Urie, Psychological Warfare Branch and Derbyshire Yeomanry (Royal Armoured Corps), who was 'mentioned' for his shady quasi-Special Forces unit

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaves; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., Territorial (7897472. S.Q.M.S. A. Urie. Derby. Yeo.), good very fine (6)

M.I.D. London Gazette 22 February 1945. The original Recommendation - for a B.E.M. - marked 'SECRET', from Brigadier W. F. Jeffries, Military Director, Psychological Warfare Branch (Mediterranean) states:

'This Senior N.C.O. has filled the responsible post of SQMS for four years, having been SQMS at PWB Training School and Depot since October 1943. Throughout his long service in this rank he has given a notable example of conscientious care of the property entrusted to his charge, including on occasions where proper security measures were difficult to ensure.

His devotion to duty and high sense of responsibility have given a fine example to the staff under his immediate direction, as also to the men of his unit as a whole. He has shown himself in every way an outstanding type of Quartermaster N.C.O.'

Alexander Urie was first recorded with the 2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry in the Middle East in March 1943. He transferred to the Psychological Warfare Branch, part of Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force and was a joint Anglo-American venture. This unit was certainly part of the 'dark arts' employed by the Allies in taking the fight to the Axis: they assisted the training of agents for the Special Operations Executive whilst at Camp X, when hundreds of agents passed through. They were given skills in radio operation, intelligence procedure, secret writing, psychological warfare amongst others. The unit, with men like Urie at its core, rolled out the full-scale use of new techniques in order to turn the tide. Two examples included their part in the withdrawal of the enemy from Liberia, assisted by use of their tactics and the actions of 2 Indian Field Broadcasting Unit, who were drawn from the PWB of Force 136 in the Far East.

Besides Urie, several other awards have been traced to Lieutenant-Colonel C. F. A. de V. Beauclerk (O.B.E.) and Captains A. G. Jenkins & C. T. Isolani (M.B.E.). Urie was placed on the Reserve in 1946; sold together with R.A.C. tracer card and other copied research.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£200

Starting price
£170