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Auktionsarchiv: Los-Nr. 1103

An interesting diplomat’s post-war

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4.000 £ - 5.000 £
ca. 6.647 $ - 8.309 $
Zuschlagspreis:
3.700 £
ca. 6.149 $
Auktionsarchiv: Los-Nr. 1103

An interesting diplomat’s post-war

Schätzpreis
4.000 £ - 5.000 £
ca. 6.647 $ - 8.309 $
Zuschlagspreis:
3.700 £
ca. 6.149 $
Beschreibung:

An interesting diplomat’s post-war G.C.M.G. group of eight awarded to Sir Reginald Hibbert, latterly British Ambassador to France, who was parachuted in to Axis-occupied Albania as an S.O.E. Liaison Officer in December 1943 - a well documented chapter of danger and hardship which included rapid departure from a village where the Germans burnt to death the local priest: returning to regular employment in the 4th Hussars at the end of 1944, he was wounded and won a “mention” as a Troop Leader in Italy The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, G.C.M.G., Knight Grand Cross set of insignia, comprising sash badge, silver-gilt and enamels, and breast star, silver, with silver-gilt and enamel centre, in its Spink & Son Ltd. case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf, with their original named and addressed card forwarding box; France, Legion of Honour, Commander’s neck badge, gilt and enamel, in its case of issue, with lapel badge; People’s Republic of Albania, Order of Liberty, 1st Class, gilt and enamel, with silvered centre, by Ikon, Zagreb, screw-back device for wearing, enamel slightly chipped on obverse of the Legion of Honour, otherwise generally good very fine and better (Lot) £4000-5000 Footnote G.C.M.G. London Gazette 31 December 1981. Reginald Alfred Hibbert was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th Hussars direct from Worcester College, Oxford, in 1942, but was recruited by the Special Operations Executive (S.O.E.) in the following year, his departure overseas with his regiment having been delayed by a broken jaw. Duly embarked for the Middle East, he was trained as an S.O.E. Liaison Officer in Palestine and then parachuted into Albania in December 1943 to work alongside the “Nationalists” and, later still, the Partisans. The team he jumped with that night included four wireless operators and fellow Liaison Officers John Hibberdine and Ian Merrett. Luckily for posterity’s sake, many of S.O.E’s operatives in Albania subsequently published accounts of their experiences, not least Julian Amery in Sons of the Eagle, Peter Kemp in No Colours of Crest, David Smiley in Albanian Assignment and “Trotsky” Davies in Illyrian Adventure and the actor Anthony Quayle in A Time to Speak, so first hand accounts of the appalling conditions and dangers endured by the likes of Hibbert are amply documented. Moreover, John Hibberdine, who was parachuted into Albania on the same night as Hibbert, kept a diary for most of his time in the field, in which the latter receives due mention - extracts appear in Roderick Bailey’s excellent history The Wildest Province - S.O.E. in the Land of the Eagle. Thus mention of his first mission to join a fellow operative, Major Richard Riddell, near Dibra, a journey undertaken with local guides and wireless operators Bob Elvidge and Ray Goodier, both ex-S.A.S. - the whole working from an isolated cottage and ‘living in conditions of great secrecy’. Hibbert remained in the field until October 1944, on one occasion making a hasty exit from Dega with one of his wireless operators after the Germans moved in and burnt to death the village priest. In fact, as stated in the summary for Roderick Bailey’s history: ‘In 1943, small teams of elite British soldiers began parachuting into the mountains of Axis-occupied Albania. They were members of Britain’s Special Operations Executive, and their task was to find and arm bands of local guerillas and harass the Axis as best they could. None had been to Albania before, or knew what awaited them. Trying to survive in extreme conditions and formidable terrain, these young Britons lived in constant danger of capture and death, and were plagued by illness, lice and frostbite. Casualties were appalling and most guerillas seemed keener to kill each other than fight the Italians and Germans.’ Having rejoined the 4th Hussars on his extraction from Albania, Hibbert went into action as a Troop Leader in Italy, and was

Auktionsarchiv: Los-Nr. 1103
Auktion:
Datum:
25.03.2014 - 26.03.2014
Auktionshaus:
Dix Noonan Webb
16 Bolton St, Mayfair
London, W1J 8BQ
Großbritannien und Nordirland
auctions@dnw.co.uk
+44 (0)20 7016 1700
+44 (0)20 7016 1799
Beschreibung:

An interesting diplomat’s post-war G.C.M.G. group of eight awarded to Sir Reginald Hibbert, latterly British Ambassador to France, who was parachuted in to Axis-occupied Albania as an S.O.E. Liaison Officer in December 1943 - a well documented chapter of danger and hardship which included rapid departure from a village where the Germans burnt to death the local priest: returning to regular employment in the 4th Hussars at the end of 1944, he was wounded and won a “mention” as a Troop Leader in Italy The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, G.C.M.G., Knight Grand Cross set of insignia, comprising sash badge, silver-gilt and enamels, and breast star, silver, with silver-gilt and enamel centre, in its Spink & Son Ltd. case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf, with their original named and addressed card forwarding box; France, Legion of Honour, Commander’s neck badge, gilt and enamel, in its case of issue, with lapel badge; People’s Republic of Albania, Order of Liberty, 1st Class, gilt and enamel, with silvered centre, by Ikon, Zagreb, screw-back device for wearing, enamel slightly chipped on obverse of the Legion of Honour, otherwise generally good very fine and better (Lot) £4000-5000 Footnote G.C.M.G. London Gazette 31 December 1981. Reginald Alfred Hibbert was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th Hussars direct from Worcester College, Oxford, in 1942, but was recruited by the Special Operations Executive (S.O.E.) in the following year, his departure overseas with his regiment having been delayed by a broken jaw. Duly embarked for the Middle East, he was trained as an S.O.E. Liaison Officer in Palestine and then parachuted into Albania in December 1943 to work alongside the “Nationalists” and, later still, the Partisans. The team he jumped with that night included four wireless operators and fellow Liaison Officers John Hibberdine and Ian Merrett. Luckily for posterity’s sake, many of S.O.E’s operatives in Albania subsequently published accounts of their experiences, not least Julian Amery in Sons of the Eagle, Peter Kemp in No Colours of Crest, David Smiley in Albanian Assignment and “Trotsky” Davies in Illyrian Adventure and the actor Anthony Quayle in A Time to Speak, so first hand accounts of the appalling conditions and dangers endured by the likes of Hibbert are amply documented. Moreover, John Hibberdine, who was parachuted into Albania on the same night as Hibbert, kept a diary for most of his time in the field, in which the latter receives due mention - extracts appear in Roderick Bailey’s excellent history The Wildest Province - S.O.E. in the Land of the Eagle. Thus mention of his first mission to join a fellow operative, Major Richard Riddell, near Dibra, a journey undertaken with local guides and wireless operators Bob Elvidge and Ray Goodier, both ex-S.A.S. - the whole working from an isolated cottage and ‘living in conditions of great secrecy’. Hibbert remained in the field until October 1944, on one occasion making a hasty exit from Dega with one of his wireless operators after the Germans moved in and burnt to death the village priest. In fact, as stated in the summary for Roderick Bailey’s history: ‘In 1943, small teams of elite British soldiers began parachuting into the mountains of Axis-occupied Albania. They were members of Britain’s Special Operations Executive, and their task was to find and arm bands of local guerillas and harass the Axis as best they could. None had been to Albania before, or knew what awaited them. Trying to survive in extreme conditions and formidable terrain, these young Britons lived in constant danger of capture and death, and were plagued by illness, lice and frostbite. Casualties were appalling and most guerillas seemed keener to kill each other than fight the Italians and Germans.’ Having rejoined the 4th Hussars on his extraction from Albania, Hibbert went into action as a Troop Leader in Italy, and was

Auktionsarchiv: Los-Nr. 1103
Auktion:
Datum:
25.03.2014 - 26.03.2014
Auktionshaus:
Dix Noonan Webb
16 Bolton St, Mayfair
London, W1J 8BQ
Großbritannien und Nordirland
auctions@dnw.co.uk
+44 (0)20 7016 1700
+44 (0)20 7016 1799
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