Printed from Woolley & Wallis

Description

Lieutenant-Colonel Desmond Doyne Vigors, Royal Artillery: a collection of his uniforms, comprising: No 1 Dress ('blues') tunic and cap, No 2 Service Dress jacket and trousers, two sets of 1949 Pattern battle dress blouse and trousers, and a three-piece mess uniform, all with Pilot Flying Badge and all but the last with medal ribbon bars representing: 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and General Service Medal 1918-62 with MID emblem; accompanied by two side caps and a beret, and an artillery officer's dress sword with dress and field scabbards; together with:

Major Cliffe Henry Vigors, Royal Irish Regiment: his scarlet tunic and corresponding trousers, together with an associated 1897 Pattern infantry officer's sword.

By Descent.

Desmond Doyne Vigors was born in Dublin in 1921 and spent his early years in India where his father was an officer in Hodson's Horse, He was commissioned in the Royal Artillery in February 1940, having trained as a Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich. He served in the UK until 1943 before being posted to the Middle East, where he served in Egypt, Syria, Libya and Palestine with 31st Indian Armoured Division. Following a transfer to 5th Divison in 1944 (91 Field Regiment) he saw further action in Italy and North West Europe. After the Second World War his duties encompassed flying tours in 654 and 651 Air Observation Post Squadrons, and he served in Palestine, The Canal Zone, Cyprus and Norway. He was promoted Major in 1953, and he was among those mentioned in despatches in February 1958 "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Cyprus for the period 1st July to 31st December 1957". He was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel in 1966 and served as Defence Attache in Addis Ababa. He retired in 1974, and died at home in May 2022, aged 101. He is celebrated among medal enthusiasts as a preeminent scholar of the subject and the author of several works including 'The Three Great Retrospective Medals 1793-1840 to Artillerymen', 'The Hanoverian Guelphic Medal', and numerous articles and research pieces.

Cliffe Henry Vigors was born in Dublin in 1864 and spent his youth in Bengal, where his father was the Engineer in Chief of the Northern Bengal State Railway. He was commissioned Lieutenant in the Royal Irish Regiment on the 29th ot August 1885 and made Captain in March 1893. He retired with the rank of Major in 1904, but with the outbreak of war in 1914 he took a post with the recruiting staff in Ireland, and later served as military advisor to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Ivor Churchill Guest, 1st Viscount Wimborne. He was made an Officer of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year's Honours of 1919.