United Kingdom. A CB & CVO Group To Major-General Geoffrey Palmer, RAOC

Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Companion, Military Division, silver gilt, period ribbon, in case of issue, marked "C.B. MILY" on the lid, maker marked "GARRARD & Co. Ltd." on the inside lid; Royal Victorian Order, Commander (CVO), silver and enamels, numbered 2158, replacement ribbon; General Service Medal 1918-1962, George VI, 1 Clasp - PALESTINE (LT. COL. G,W. PALMER. R.A,O.C.); 1939-1945 Star; Defence Medal; and War Medal 1939-1945 with bronze MID Oak Leaf. Extremely fine.

Footnote: Geoffrey Woodroffe Palmer was born on January 4, 1891, the son of William C. Palmer and Maude Palmer of Greenhurst, Oxted, Surrey, England and went to Uppingham School. Palmer was with the Army Ordnance Corps during the First World War, from 1914 to 1921, serving with in France and Belgium from September 18, 1914 to September 10, 1915. As a member of the Army Ordnance Department, he was to be Temporary Lieutenant effective September 11, 1915, the announcement appearing in the Second Supplement to the London Gazette 29306 of Tuesday, September 21, 1915, on Thursday, September 23, 1915, page 9409. He was appointed Temporary Lieutenant from September 11, 1915 to March 31, 1920 and was named Acting Captain in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps from July 16, 1918 to March 31, 1920. Lieutenant Palmer was to be Captain (Acting Captain), the announcement appearing in the Fourth Supplement to the London Gazette 31865 of Tuesday, April 13, 1920, on Wednesday, April 14, 1920, page 4436. He was named Captain & Ordnance Officer 4th Class on January 1, 1919 (April 1, 1920) and Temporary Major & Ordnance Officer 3rd Class, Defence Force from April 9, 1921 to May 4, 1921. For his First World War service, Palmer was awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Geoffrey WoodroffePalmer married Elizabeth Eaton in 1918 and the couple were to have one daughter, Susan Mary Palmer (who herself married the Honourable Anthony Heneage Finch-Knightley on June 12, 1948). Over the period of twenty-one years, entailing the years before, during and after the war, Palmer was an active cricket player and his accomplishments are listed on the Surrey County Cricket Club website: Surrey Second XI (Minor Counties Championship: 1911-1920); Uppingham School (Miscellaneous: 1908-1910); Surrey Second XI (Miscellaneous: 1910-1912); Old Uppinghamians (Miscellaneous: 1919); Royal Army Ordnance Corps (Miscellaneous: 1921-1929); and Blackheath (Miscellaneous: 1926). He was appointed Temporary Major & Ordnance Officer 3rd Class from April 17, 1929 to June 26, 1929, appointed Major & Ordnance Officer 3rd Class on June 27, 1929, promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel (Brevet) on January 1, 1936 and Lieutenant-Colonel & Ordnance Officer 2nd Class on July 21, 1936. He served for four years as Deputy Assistant Director Ordnance Services at the War Office, from February 18, 1932 to February 17, 1936. Shortly thereafter in 1936, he was sent to Middle East as part of the British response to the Arab revolt in Palestine and was there until 1939, before returning to England. During the Second World War, in the rank of Colonel (P11379), Palmer served with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps in the North West Europe theatre. He was Assistant Director of Ordnance in France (1939 to 1940), Deputy Director of Ordnance Services (1940), Acting Commanding Officer of the 131st Brigade from March 31 to April 8, 1941 and from April 15 to May 5, 1941 and Commandant of the Central Ordnance Depot Bicester, Royal Army Ordnance Corps Establishments effective December 1, 1941. Palmer was promoted to Temporary Brigadier on February 1, 1943 and was awarded the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Military Division, the announcement appearing in the Second Supplement to the London Gazette 36753 of Tuesday, October 17, 1944, on Thursday, October 19, 1944, page 4783. For his Second World War service, Palmer was awarded the Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939-1945. He was later promoted to Major-General and was awarded the Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Military Division, the announcement appearing in the Supplement to the London Gazette 38161 of Tuesday, December 30, 1947, on January 1, 1948, page 4. Palmer retired in 1948 and lived at Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, England. He died in January 1952.