The impressive and exceedingly rare Second World War Triple D.S.O. group of orders, medals and decorations to Lieutenant-General Sir Harold Rawdon Briggs, K.C.I.E., K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O. and Two Bars; Indian Army, Commander of the 5th Indian Division in the Western Desert, Iraq and Burma (1942-44), G.O.C-in-C. Burma Command (1946-48), and finally Director of Operations, Federation of Malaya (1950-51); comprising: K.C.I.E. Star and Neck Badge, K.B.E. Star and Neck Badge, C.B. Neck Badge, GVIR Distinguished Service Order and Two Bars, 1914-15 Star (2-LT H.R. Briggs. 31 Punjabis), 1914-18 War Medal and Victory Medal with oak leaves (Capt. H.R. Briggs), GVR India General Service with clasp for North West Frontier 1930-31, 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Burma Star, Defence Medal, 1939-45 War Medal with oak leaf, Indian Independence Medal; and with a mounted set of corresponding miniatures. The lot is offered together with the recipient`s collection of highly important photographs, documents and other ephemera r lating to his campaigns in Africa and in Burma, and including: an album, `The Western Desert 1940-1945`, containing the recipient`s own account of the campaign together with photographs of troops, artillery, transports, P.O.W.s, and senior officers (including the recipient); newscuttings; and the recipient`s warrant for his D.S.O. of December 1941; a similar album `Burma Campaign 1943-44` with further very good photographs, maps, handwritten accounts of the campaigning, correspondence, the warrants for the recipient`s C.B.E., K.C.I.E. and C.B., his Commission from George VI to Governor of Burma; and a small collection of ribbon bars and insignia. The Miniature group includes G.S.M. with clasp for Malaya, which is not present with the full sized medals. Harold Rawdon Briggs attended the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst before being commissioned into the Kings Regiment (Liverpool) in 1915. After seeing action in France, he transferred to the Indian Army in 1916 and fought in Mesopotamia and Palestine, becoming a company commander in the 31st, and later the 152nd Punjabis. He then transferred to the 10th Baluch Regiment and saw active service in the North West frontier region. At the outbreak of World War Two he was a Lieutenant Colonel in command of the 2nd Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment, and in 1940 he was made Brigadier and given command of the 7th Indian Infantry Brigade. After an initial deployment to the Western Desert, Briggs was sent to East Africa where he commanded `Briggsforce` in action in Eritrea, and was awarded his first D.S.O. Returning to the Western Desert, Briggs took part in various actions including Operation Crusader and the Battle of Gazala, and was promoted to command the 5th Indian Division. For his leadership during this period he was awarded his second D.S.O. 5th Indian Division was then deployed to Burma (via Iraq), where it distinguished itself in various actions, and Briggs was awarded his third D.S.O. Following the war he served as C-in-C Burma command, and in 1948 (the year in which the order was discontinued) he was made Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire. In 1950 he was recalled to active duty as Director of Operations in Malaya, where his `Briggs Plan` was considered a key element in the resolution of the Malayan Emergency. Of this highly successful and distinguished officer, Field Marshall Slim said "I know of few commanders who made as many immediate and critical decisions on every step of the ladder of promotion, and I know of none who made so few mistakes".
