Major William Maitland Congreve, MC, RGA

Comprising:

• Military Cross, Geo V, unnamed,
• BWM, imp Major W.M. Congreve,
• Victory, imp Major W.M. Congreve, with MiD oakleaf,
• Defence Medal, CuNi UK issue, unofficially imp T/Major (1940-42) R.A: & Trooper W.M. Congreve. 7^th Wilts H.G. (1942-45), and
• 1939-45 War Medal, CuNi UK issue, unofficially imp T/Major W.M. Congreve, R.A. 1940-42.

Medals are court mounted as worn, toned, VF

• MC – LG 1 Jan 1918
• MiD – LG 5 Jul 1919

William Congreve was born on 12 Sep 1883, the son of Walter and Mary G. Congreve of 27 Easton Mascott Hall, Shropshire. He was educated at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He was commissioned as a 2^nd Lt, RGA on 15 Jul 1903 and served at Singapore from June to Dec 1904and in India until Jan 1906. He was promoted Lt, RGA on 15 Jul 1906. He served at Gibraltar from Jan. 1910 until resigning his commission on 3 May 1911 and was posted to the RGA Reserve of Officers.

At the outbreak of the Great War, Gongreve was re-employed on 5 Aug 1914 and was promoted Capt, RGA SR on 30 Oct 1914. He went to France on 13 Sep 1916 and was appointed as A/Major, RGA on 12 Jun 1917 and as T/Major in the Army on 7 Apr 1918. On 27 Apr 1918 he was appointed a Deputy Assistant Adjutant General until returning to the UK on 24 Feb 1919.

During WW II, he served as a Temporary Major, RA until discharged from active service in 1942, owing to his age, then 59. He continued to serve until the end of the war as a Trooper in the 7^th Wiltshire Home Guard.

Sold with a brief research note, copy of his WW I MIC and a London Gazette page noting his appointment to an Emergency Commission in 1940. More research would be useful.