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Group to Robert Bodley, Olympian and Army Best shot


Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (6) CC, Paard, Drie, Joh, DH, Belf (33 Tpr. R. Bodley, C. in C. Bdygd.)
British War and Bilingual Victory Medals (Capt. R. Bodley)
South Africa Medal for War Service 1939-45
Coronation 1911
Coronation 1937
Coronation 1953
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service, G.V.R. (Capt. (Hon. Mjr.) R. Bodley, 5th M.R. (I.L.H.))
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Decoration, G.V.R., the reverse officially inscribed, ‘Capt. (Hon. Maj.) R. Bodley, 5th M.R. (I.L.H.)’
Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., Union of South Africa, the reverse officially inscribed, ‘Col. R. Bodley, Ret. List’
Army Best Shot Medal, G.V.R., clasp, ‘1925’ (Capt. R. Bodley, 5th M. Rif. (I.L.H.))
Sweden, Stockholm Olympics Medal 1912, silver.

Robert Bodley was born in July 1878 and, as a young man, left his hometown East London for what was then the ‘hinterland’ and settled on the Rand. On the outbreak of the Boer War, he joined the Imperial Forces and was appointed to Lord Roberts’s bodyguard, one of 50 such men drawn from Colonial regiments. Following extensive service in the conflict he returned to East Rand, settling at Germiston.

In 1906, he was commissioned in the 5th Mounted Rifles (Imperial Light Horse), in which corps he quickly gained a reputation as a marksman, so much so that he was selected to join the South African shooting team for the Stockholm Olympics in 1912.

Having transferred to the Defence Rifle Association shortly before the outbreak of hostilities in 1914, Bodley was appointed a Captain in the 8th South African Horse and served in the German East Africa campaign from May 1916, a component of the 2nd South African Mounted Brigade under Brigadier-General Enslin; having also served on attachment to the 7th South African Horse in the interim, he was released from active service in May 1917.

Back with the 5th Mounted Rifles, Bodley continued to shine as a marksman and was selected for the South African shooting team at the Antwerp Olympics in 1920. He was awarded a Silver Medal for the team’s second place in the 600 metre military rifle competition, to which distinction he added the King’s Army Best Shot Medal in 1925. In between these happy events, he lent valuable service during the miners’ rebellion of 1922, being present at the ‘battle of Ellis Park’.

Having been awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal and Officer’s Decoration in the interim, Bodley was awarded the Efficiency Decoration in November 1943, by which time he was back in uniform as a Colonel in charge of training future South African marksmen. The Colonel, a verified recipient of the Coronation Medal 1953, died at Port Shepstone, South Africa in November 1956.

US Navy DSM in a group to Admiral A E A Grant RN


Picture courtesy of DNW

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, (0) (Sub. Lieut. A. E. A. Grant, H.M.S. Achilles)
QSA (0) (Commr. A. E. A. Grant, R.N., H.M.S. Racoon)
BWM 1914-20 (R. Adml. A. E. A. Grant)
Coronation 1911
United States of America, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, gilt and enamel
Khedive’s Star 1882

Alfred Ernest Albert Grant was born in April 1861, the son of John Glasgow Grant, C.M.G. Entering Britannia as a Cadet in August 1874, he first went to sea as a Midshipman in H.M.S. Hercules, the flagship in the Mediterranean of the Hon. Sir James Drummond.

Having then been advanced to Sub. Lieutenant in October 1880, he served in the Achilles during the Egyptian War of 1882, when he was landed with the Naval Brigade and took part in the defence of Alexandria after the bombardment by the Fleet (Medal; Khedive’s Star).

Next appointed to the gunboat Bulldog on the North American Station, he returned home to Excellent in September 1885 to qualify as Lieutenant in gunnery - as it happened the same year that King George V, as a Sub. Lieutenant, attended the same establishment. For his own part, Grant passed out with top marks and quickly found employment in the battleship Temeraire, under Captain E. C. Drummond, a nephew of Admiral Drummond, in whose flagship he had served as a Midshipman.

Back ashore by 1892, Grant was employed at the Sheerness depot, gaining advancement to Commander in June 1896, following which he was employed on the staff of the Naval Ordnance Department at the Admiralty for three years. Then in January 1900, he received his first independent command, the light cruiser Racoon, in which capacity he served with the squadron blockading Delagoa Bay during the Boer War (Queen’s Medal).

In 1901-04 he commanded the light cruiser Pyramus in the Mediterranean, and in 1905-08, after being promoted to Captain, he was in command of the cruiser Forte, at the Cape, and the Barfleur, at Portsmouth. He was then appointed to the command of the Gunnery School at Chatham but returned to sea with command of the battleship Lord Nelson in the Home Fleet in 1910-11. In June of the latter year the Lord Nelson was the flagship at the Coronation Review of Admiral Sir Arthur Moore, the C.-in-C. Portsmouth, and Grant was awarded the Coronation Medal.

From 1913, when promoted to flag rank, he was A.D.C. to the King, his subsequent career in the Great War being summarised in his Times obituary in the following terms:

‘At the outbreak of hostilities he was the Superintendent of Pembroke Dockyard and served there until September 1915. It was then beginning to be realised that the threat to our seaborne trade by the U-Boats might prove serious, and mercantile construction, which had been suspended in 1914 in favour of warship output, was resumed. Admiral Grant was appointed President of the Admiralty organisation for expediting the building of merchant vessels, and rendered timely and valuable service in this capacity. In 1916-17 he also served as President of the Admiralty Motor Transport Committee, and from 1917 to 1919 was Admiral Superintendent of contract-built ships in the yards on the north-east and north-west coasts of England, with headquarters at Newcastle.’

He was awarded the American Navy D.S.M., ‘for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States.’

Advanced to Vice-Admiral in 1919 and to Admiral in 1924, Grant died in London in August 1933

David
Interesting to see that (then) Tpr. Bodley of CinC BG earned a slightly different clasp combination on his QSA than "5 Tpr. L.Bramley C.in C. BDYGD" currently in my custody. Bramley's has RofK rather than Cape Colony.
WO 127/6 shows Tpr. Bodley as joining the BG 1.2.00 and apparently being struck off charge 5.12.00 ( notation s/c ??).
In addition, WO 100/243 shows Tpr. Bodley as serving as a Conductor with No.5 Coy., ASC and the Civilian Remount Department at East London.
Info added just in case one of the membership steps up to the table for Bodley's really great long group!
Best regards
IL.

Being auctioned this week - great sequence of Southern African medals ... but all(?) renamed. To O'Dell - Cape Mounted Rifles.

A Military cross group of thirteen medals, re-named but with research, all mounted to bar:
1) Military cross (George V) to Maj. E .S.T. J O'Dell S.A.F.A R.F.A
2) British South Africa Company's medal 1890-97, one clasp Rhodesia 1896 (Matabeleland 1893 Rev) TPR D O'Dell B.B.P. CMR, (enlisted under false name David- his older brother)
3) Cape of Good Hope General Service medal 1880-1897, one clasp 'Bechuanaland' TPR E. ST. J. O'Dell- CMR'
4) Queen's South Africa medal 1899-1902, five clasps; Cape Colony, NATAL ,Orange Free State Wepener, Cape Colony- SGT. E. ST. J. O'Dell CMR- P.M.P
5) King's South Afirca Medal, two clasps; South Africa 1901. South Africa 1902- LIEUT E. ST. J. O'Dell, 16th CMR
6) Natal Rebellion Medal 1906, one clasp; 1906- SGT. E. J. ST. O'Dell CMR
7) WWI 1914-15 Star- SGT. E. ST. J. O'Dell S.A.I.-S.A.F.A.
8) WW1 British War Medal 1914-20- CAPT E. ST. J O'Dell S.A.F.A.-R.F.A.
9) WWI Victory Medal 1914-1919, with oak leaf, M.I.D. MAJ E. ST. J. O'Dell S.A.F.A.-R.F.A.
10) WWII Defence Medal 1939-45- Lieut E. ST. J O'Dell A.R.P.- R.W.F. (gave false date of birth as 1890)
11) WWII War Medal 1939-45- Lieut E. ST. J O'Dell R.W.F.
12) Queen Victoria Golden Jubilee Bronze Medal 1887- TPTR CPL. E. ST. J O'Dell C.M.R.
13) George V Colonial Long Service and Good Conduct MEdal Cape of Good Hope- SGT E. ST. J O'Dell C.M.R.
With several photographs and ephemera
£1000-1500

Thanks Jon. What a wonderful group that would have been

From: hallsgb.com/fine-art-news/military-cross...-sold-halls-auction/

A medal group belonging to a distinguished South African born soldier is expected to fetch up to £3,000 when it goes up for auction in the new year.

Major Edward St John O’Dell, who was born in Grahamstown, South Africa in 1877, received the Military Cross in the First World War and gave false dates of birth to be allowed to serve in both the Boer War and Second World War.

His impressive group of 11 medals, together with a collection of related documents and photographs, have been consigned to our militaria and toys auction on February 17.

Major O’Dell, the youngest of five children of Colonel George Frederick O’Dell, was educated at St Andrew’s College, Grahamstown, and Bedford Grammar School in England.

In 1893, at the age of 16, he joined the Bechuanaland Border Police after using his brother David’s name and date of birth. He then served in various forces including the Cape Mounted Rifles, Orange River Colony Police, 4th Regiment South African Infantry and South African Field Artillery.

During the First World War he was promoted consecutively to Major and awarded the Military Cross. From 1920-’24, he farmed in Rhodesia and was involved in big game hunting before settling in England in 1925 where he married and had two sons, Derek St John and Bryan Edward, who joined the Household Cavalry (the Blues).

In the Second World War he again gave a false date and place of birth so that he could take a commission as Lieutenant in the Royal Welch Fusiliers.

In addition to the Military Cross, the medal group comprises the Military South Africa Company’s Medal (one clasp, Rhodesia), Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal (one clasp, Bechuanaland), Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902 ( five clasps), King’s South Africa Medal (two clasps), Natal Rebellion Medal 1906 (one clasp), 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal 1914-1919 with Mentioned in Despatches emblem, Defence Medal 1939-45, War Medal 1939-45, Jubilee Medal 1897 and Colonial Forces Long Service and Good Conduct Medal George V.

“This is a superb medal group, which we are sure will attract international interest from collectors,” said Caroline Dennard, our militaria specialist. “From his military record, Major O’Dell was obviously a very courageous soldier who was determined to not let age stand in the way of war service.”

Hi Jon

What an amazing group, pity its not real.

No MC awarded to an O'Dell in the SA Forces
No CMR in the Rhodesia 1896 campaign
Yes a CGHGS was awarded to Private O'Dell of the Cape Police District 2, not CMR
QSA I have not checked thoroughly, but no Wepener clasp to O'Dell if in CMR then
KSA. Ditto
Natal Rebellion 1906 No O'Dell in CMR part of roll
WW1 Medals Naming weird
WW2 Yes he served as a Lieut with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers according to LG in 1941
CGHLSGC Not awarded to O'Dell

He was really born around 1877, died 1953

So was about 3-5 years old at the time of the earliest campaigns, 23 around Boer War, 68 years old at end of WW2 ( I believe his only real entitlement)
But he really had a good imagination, and was probably quite a character.

Regards

Adrian