British Groups

Lot 1429    SESSION 6 (9.30AM TUESDAY 31ST AUGUST)    British Groups

Estimate $9,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $7,000

GROUP OF SIX: Distinguished Service Order, (EVIIR); Queen's South Africa Medal 1899, (type 3 reverse), - seven clasps - Cape Colony, Relief of Mafeking, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, South Africa 1901; Africa General Service Medal 1902-56, (EVIIR), - two clasps - Somaliland 1902-04, Jidballi; 1914 Star, - clasp - 5th Aug.-22nd Nov. 1914; British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19 with MID. The first and last three medals all unnamed, Major. G.T.M.Bridges, Imp: L. H. on second medal, Bt:Maj. G.T.M.Bridges, D.S.O. R.F.A. on third medal. The second medal engraved and the third medal impressed. Display mounted, the last three medals are original unnamed medals, the second and third with contact marks, otherwise good very fine - extremely fine.

Together with a book titled, Alarms & Excursions, Reminiscences of a Soldier by Lieut-Gen. Sir Tom Bridges K.C.B., K.C.M.G., D.S.O., LL.D, with a foreword by The Rt. Hon. Winston Churchill P.C., C.H., M.P., hard cover, pp361.

DSO: LG 6/9/1904 to Captain and Brevet Major Goerge Tom Molesworth Bridges in recognition of services during the operations in Somaliland.

MID: 8/2/1901 and 29/7/1902 and WWI: 19/10/1914, 15/12/1914, 17/2/1915, 13/4/1915, 22/6/1915, 1/1/1916, 12/1/1916, 4/1/1917, 27/2/1918.

Also awarded Commander Legion of Honour 3rd and 4th Classes (France); Croix de Guerre with 2 Palmes (France); Order of Leopold 4th Class (Belgium); Grand Cross 1st Class and 2nd Class of the Order of the Crown (Belgium); Croix de Guerre with Palme (Belgium); Order of Danneborg (Denmark); Order of the Crown 2nd Class (Italy); Distinguished Service Medal (USA).

George Tom Molesworth Bridges, born 20Aug1871, the son of Major T.W.Bridges Royal (late Bengal) Artillery and Mary Ann Bridges (nee Philippi); joined Royal Artillery 19Feb1892; to Lieutenant 19Feb1895; to Captain 05Apr1900; served in Boer War and was given Brevet of Major 22Aug1902; served in Somaliland as Special Service Officer 1902-04; Staff Captain and later G.S.O.3, HQs of Army Feb-Nov1901; Instructor at Cavalry School Dec1907-Jun1908; to Major with 4th Dragoons 19Aug1908; served as Military Attache at The Hague, Brussels, Copenhagen and Christiania Mar1910-Mar1914; to Lt-Colonel of 4th Hussars 20Sep1914; WWI: Head of Military Mission with Belgian Field Army; CO of 19Div Dec1915-Oct1917 with a brief absence as a Military Member of Mr. Balfour's Mission to USA; to Maj-General 01Jan1917; Temp Lt-General Apr-Jun1917; Head of British War Mission to USA in 1918; Temp Lt-General Jan1919; Chief of British Military Mission to the Army of the Orient 09Jan1920.

During the Anglo-Boer War George Bridges was an officer in the Imperial Light Horse. He also was in command of the 5th and 6th West Australian Mounted Infantry from May to July 1901. He led the relief columns into both Ladysmith and Mafeking. During the war he was twice mentioned in despatches and was also severely wounded. In 1904 he was sent to Somaliland where he raised and commanded the Tribal Horse and was again severely wounded this time at the Battle of Jidballi. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order during this campaign.

At the start of WWI Bridges' unit was the first British unit to engage the Germans. He later commanded the 15th Division in France and was wounded a further three times including having his leg blown off. In 1917 he went to the United States of America with the Balfour Mission in order to consolidate American involvement in the war. He was the senior military member of the mission and was awarded the USA Distinguished Service Medal.

In 1922 he accepted an appointment as Governor of South Australia following urging by his friend and admirer, Winston Churchill. He took up the post on 4 December 1922. Bridges held very conservative views and did not get along very well with the Labor Government that was in control for some of the time of his tenure. When his term of office ended on 4 December 1927 he refused a second term as governor and returned to England. In retirement he wrote his memoirs (see book in this lot) which was published in 1938. Sir George Tom Molesworth Bridges KCB, KCMG, DSO, (known as Sir Tom Bridges), died on 26 November 1939 at Brighton, United Kingdom.

With a considerable amount of research.

Ex. W (Bill) Woolmore Collection.