Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry
C.B.E. London Gazette 31 January 1941. The original recommendation, by Major General A. B. Beauman, states: ‘Throughout the period under review this officer had very heavy responsibilities as a great number of GHQ Installations were situated in his sub area. During the critical period when the enemy had seized the bridgeheads over the river Somme, he was responsible for evacuating both the personnel and material from these installations. Owing to the energy, good judgement and powers of organisation of this officer, a great proportion of the valuable stores and all the personnel were safely evacuated. Throughout he showed himself a determined and cool headed commander.’
D.S.O. London Gazette 3 June 1919. The original recommendation states: ‘Has commanded 11th Battalion Machine Gun Corps (11th Northern Division) since its formation (on 28 February 1918). His personal character and energy have had much to do with the successful welding of four different companies (32nd, 33rd, 34th and 250th) into an excellent Battalion with a good fighting spirit. His work in command of the Battalion, both in trench warfare and subsequently in open warfare, has been thoroughly good, and has materially assisted in the success of operations.’
M.C. London Gazette 3 June 1916. The original recommendation states: ‘Was present at the landing at Sulva Bay in August 1915. Has shown continual good work as Adjutant and Battalion Commander. Received a Regular Commission for services at Sulva.’
Arthur Gordon Barry was born 6 September 1885 in St Germans, Cornwall, the son of Commander Arthur Barry, Royal Navy. Educated at Oriel College, Oxford, he was commissioned Temporary Second Lieutenant in the 9th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers on 6 September 1914, and was promoted Lieutenant 28 January 1915. Serving as the Battalion Machine Gun Officer and Adjutant, he landed with his Battalion at Sulva Bay on 6 August 1915. His battalion sustained very heavy casualties during the landings and more during the next few weeks, so many that still only a Lieutenant, he found himself in command of his battalion. Barry’s own account of the landing, dated 23 August 1915, states:
‘We left Imbros on the evening of August 6, our Brigade landed first on “W” beach and the Manchester and Lancashire Fusiliers got ashore first. We left in the Lighters and were towed to the entrance of the bay by Destroyers, than cast off and made for the shore. As soon as we got well inside, the Turks opened on us, showing we had not caught them napping. After nearly an hour someone got ashore with a line and we had to land as best we could, starting in about 4 feet of water. I was inside, packed like sardines, pitch dark, with my section at rear of hold and got fed up with the delay, so I eventually got up the gangway and board and so to the shore where the rest of the section joined into one and we dug ourselves in on the beach until daylight, as the orders were no firing only the bayonet.
The delay caused by the grounding of the Lighter and the finding of the Turks in great force on the shore (where we hoped to find little resistance) hitched all plans and the only thing to do was to form up in the darkness as soon as the Company could be got together, and bring off into the dark after the enemy. The result was we drove them back and got them on the run, but lost 14 officers and 300 men killed and wounded. Their shrapnel did great execution and they had the range to perfection. We were 48 hours hard at it, a regular mix up and open fighting, no trenches and only one water bottle all the time, and on the middle of the third day we had about 200 men who could not move until we got up some water. Some of the Irish Brigade who were on our left broke badly and came back through me until I finally threatened to turn Machine Guns on them and so got them back into the firing line, entirely want of water did it. That night we spent on a ridge, we had a days rest then off to a line of trenches on the right where we were shelled at odd times every day.
Last Saturday our Division were in for it again. After a bombardment by the guns, we were ordered to take the Turkish Trenches across open country 450 yards away. Well, the men went across in tine style and shifted them out alright. They waited until they were 80 yards off then went, a lot couldn't get out quick enough, they were quickly stuck (with the bayonet). Not a sole came up to reinforce us and eventually, after using all our ammunition, had to retire in the early morning when they started bombing us. We were now 1 officer (myself), not counting the Doctor and Quartermaster, 240 men, rather sickening to think of, the loss due entirely through lack of support after doing our job in such gallant style. It is a dead country to attack in and we now hold nearly all the plain with the Turks up in the hills, and I think it will eventually become another Atchi-Caba. I am very fit and had some lucky escapes so far - had a tiff on the head with a bit of shell, but my (sun) helmet saved me entirely.’
Officially promoted Temporary Captain on 22 August 1915, Barry finally left the peninsula on 23 December 1915. For his gallantry during the landings and his subsequent command of his battalion, Barry was awarded the Military Cross, and was also Mentioned in Despatches for his service at Gallipoli (London Gazette 13 July 1916). Barry Subsequently saw service in Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria, before being posted to Egypt on 28 January 1916. Serving with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force from 19 March, he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps on 22 March 1916. Nominally a Captain in the Manchester Regiment from May 1916, he served in that theatre until landing in France on 7 July 1916. Promoted Major in January 1917, he took over command of 34th Company, Machine Gun Corps and in December 1917, was again Mentioned in Despatches for his service with this Company (London Gazette 21 December 1917). Promoted Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel on 27 December 1917, he was appointed to command of 11th Battalion Machine Gun Corps in February 1918; it was for his leadership during the last year of the War that he was awarded the D.S.O. and received his third Mention in Despatches (London Gazette 10 July 1919).
Staying on with the Army post-War, Barry retained the rank of Captain and joined the Royal Tank Corps on 26 September 1923, graduating from the Royal Staff College the same year. He was additionally admitted to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers on 17 September 1924. Promoted Major, Royal Tank Corps, on 11 October 1927, and Brevet Colonel on 5 September 1938, he was appointed a General Staff Officer 1st Grade at the War Office on 16 December 1938, and was promoted Colonel on 27 September 1938. Shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War he was advanced Brigadier, and served with the British Expeditionary Force in 1940, latterly with the Beauman Division. This Division was an ad-hoc force under the command of Brigadier-General A. B. Beauman, formed from troops who had escaped across the Seine and were withdrawn to re-organise during the Battle of France. On 16 June 1940, the Tenth Army ordered a general retirement with the eventual aim of establishing a defensive position on the Brittany peninsula and the Beauman Division was therefore ordered to fall back on Cherbourg for evacuation, conducted as Operation Ariel, the successful evacuation taking place on 17 June 1940. It was for his leadership and organisational skills during the withdrawal of British units to Cherbourg for evacuation, that he received the C.B.E. He was also twice more Mentioned in Despatches for his service during the battle for France (London Gazette 26 July 1940 and 20 December 1940).
Appointed Assistant Adjutant General and Quartermaster General, Scottish Command, Brigadier Barry died on active service on 21 August 1942, aged 56 years. He is buried in St. Andrew’s Western Cemetery, Fife.
Sold with a quantity of original items, including the original award documents for the C.B.E. and D.S.O.; four Mentioned in Despatches Certificates; named Army Council enclosure slip for Second War medals; his wife’s Red Cross training certificates; photographs of his wife with Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) and Queen Mary during War Committee work; a number of portrait photographs of the recipient in uniform; various letters; and a very large number photographs and newspaper cuttings carefully extracted from a scrap album.
www.dnw.co.uk all lots are illustrated on our website and are subject to buyers’ premium at 24% (+VAT where applicable)
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227 |
Page 228 |
Page 229 |
Page 230 |
Page 231 |
Page 232 |
Page 233 |
Page 234 |
Page 235 |
Page 236 |
Page 237 |
Page 238 |
Page 239 |
Page 240 |
Page 241 |
Page 242 |
Page 243 |
Page 244 |
Page 245 |
Page 246 |
Page 247 |
Page 248 |
Page 249 |
Page 250 |
Page 251 |
Page 252 |
Page 253 |
Page 254 |
Page 255 |
Page 256 |
Page 257 |
Page 258 |
Page 259 |
Page 260 |
Page 261 |
Page 262 |
Page 263 |
Page 264 |
Page 265 |
Page 266 |
Page 267 |
Page 268 |
Page 269 |
Page 270 |
Page 271 |
Page 272 |
Page 273 |
Page 274 |
Page 275 |
Page 276 |
Page 277 |
Page 278 |
Page 279 |
Page 280 |
Page 281 |
Page 282 |
Page 283 |
Page 284 |
Page 285 |
Page 286 |
Page 287 |
Page 288 |
Page 289 |
Page 290 |
Page 291 |
Page 292 |
Page 293 |
Page 294 |
Page 295 |
Page 296 |
Page 297 |
Page 298 |
Page 299 |
Page 300 |
Page 301 |
Page 302 |
Page 303 |
Page 304 |
Page 305 |
Page 306 |
Page 307 |
Page 308 |
Page 309 |
Page 310 |
Page 311 |
Page 312 |
Page 313 |
Page 314 |
Page 315 |
Page 316 |
Page 317 |
Page 318 |
Page 319 |
Page 320 |
Page 321 |
Page 322 |
Page 323 |
Page 324 |
Page 325 |
Page 326 |
Page 327 |
Page 328 |
Page 329 |
Page 330 |
Page 331 |
Page 332 |
Page 333 |
Page 334 |
Page 335 |
Page 336 |
Page 337 |
Page 338 |
Page 339 |
Page 340 |
Page 341 |
Page 342 |
Page 343 |
Page 344 |
Page 345 |
Page 346 |
Page 347 |
Page 348 |
Page 349 |
Page 350 |
Page 351 |
Page 352 |
Page 353 |
Page 354 |
Page 355 |
Page 356 |
Page 357 |
Page 358 |
Page 359 |
Page 360 |
Page 361 |
Page 362 |
Page 363 |
Page 364 |
Page 365 |
Page 366 |
Page 367 |
Page 368 |
Page 369 |
Page 370 |
Page 371 |
Page 372 |
Page 373 |
Page 374 |
Page 375 |
Page 376 |
Page 377 |
Page 378 |
Page 379 |
Page 380 |
Page 381 |
Page 382 |
Page 383 |
Page 384 |
Page 385 |
Page 386 |
Page 387 |
Page 388 |
Page 389
