Beschreibung:

An important Knight Bachelor’s C.B., Great War C.M.G. group of thirteen awarded to Brigadier-General Sir James “Archimedes” Edmonds, late Royal Engineers, who, among other accolades, outscored the likes of Haig and Allenby at Staff College and, as a talented Intelligence Officer, assembled sufficient evidence of German espionage to prompt the creation of the Secret Service Bureau: but he will best be remembered for his extraordinary contribution as Editor in Chief to the 29-volume Official History of War, a project that took until 1949 to be completed - himself writing nearly three quarters of the volumes detailing the campaign in France and Flanders Knight Bachelor’s Badge, 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, hallmarks for London 1927, in its fitted case of issue; The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Civil) Companion’s neck badge, converted from breast wear, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1903, in its Garrard & Co. case of issue; The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G. Companion’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, in its Garrard & Co. case of issue; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (Lt. Col. J. E. Edmonds, R.E.); 1914 Star, with clasp (Col. J. E. Edmonds, C.B.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. (Col. J. E. Edmonds); Coronation 1911; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; France, Legion of Honour, Officer’s breast badge, gold and enamel; France, Croix de Guerre 1914-18, with bronze oak leaf; Bulgaria, Order of St. Alexander, 4th Class breast badge (pre-1912 type), silver-gilt and enamel, in its Rothe, Vienna fitted case of issue, mounted court-style as worn where applicable, generally good very fine and better (13) £4000-5000 Appointed Knight Bachelor London Gazette 4 June 1928. C.B. London Gazette 19 June 1911. C.M.G. London Gazette 3 June 1916. Footnote James Edward Edmonds, who was born in London in December 1861, showed early signs of a brilliant intellect, becoming fluent in German, French, Italian and Russian while still a schoolboy. Having then undertaken a more scientific education at King’s College School, London, and the R.M.A. Woolwich, he passed out top of the latter establishment and was awarded the Pollock Gold Medal. “Archimedes” Duly commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers in July 1881, he was advanced to Captain in 1890 and returned to “The Shop” as an Instructor in the same year, following which, in 1895, he came top of the Staff College entrance examination, easily outscoring such contemporaries as Allenby and Haig - who nicknamed him “Archimedes” - and somehow found time to publish his first book, The History of the Civil War in the United States 1861-65. Spymaster A natural candidate for intelligence duties, and having been advanced to Major, he joined the War Office Intelligence Department in 1899, in which capacity he was sent out to South Africa and present in operations in Cape Colony and the Transvaal in the period January to May 1902 (Medal & 4 clasps). Appointed to the Far Eastern desk at the War Office Intelligence Department on his return to the U.K., Edmonds excelled in his new duties and became head of the newly titled Military Operations Directorate 5 (M.O.5) in 1907. And, in the crucial period leading up to the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he accrued sufficient evidence of German foul play to convince government ministers to establish the forerunner of M.I. 5 - the Secret Service Bureau. During the course of these activities at the War Office he also served as British Delegate to the Geneva Conference in 1906 and in a similar capacity to the Red Cross Conference in 1907, and was awarded the Bulgarian Order of St. Alexander. And, in what might be considered a landmark award to a Spymaster, he was nominated for the C.B. in the Coronation Honours of 1911. The Great War - Mons and beyond As Chief of Staff to 4th Division on the outbreak of hostilities in