An interesting Great War Commander of the British Empire pair awarded to Colonel T.G.C. Bliss, Royal Army Pay Corps later of the Lancashire Fusiliers who as a Lieutenant with the 2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers saw service during the reconquest of the Sudan, being present in action at the Battle of Omdurman and entry into Khartoum on 2nd September 1898. Present during the occupation of Crete, he would be extra-Regimentally employed under the British Civil Administration as Public Prosecutor before the International Court at Kandia, and also undertook a survey and report upon the ancient aqueduct from Arkhanes to Kandia for British Administration. He would be permanently appointed to the Army Pay Department as a Paymaster on 29th April 1899 and was promoted Captain on 17th October 1899. He would be appointed 1st Class Assistant Accountant Army Accounts Department on 1st May 1905, resuming his appointment as Paymaster, Army Pay Department. Posted to Tientsin, northern China to Command the Pay Office on 20th March 1912, he would be present at Tsingtao between 23rd September and 7th November 1914, and while on strength of the South China Command, Hong Kong on 21st December 1914, he would be posted back to the UK on 20th February 1915. After a period in hospital at Millbank and then York he would be return to duty on 25th May 1915. Appointed Lieutenant Colonel on 12th January 1916, he was appointed Regimental Paymaster in charge of No.2 Pay Office, York on 2nd November 1917, he would be attain the rank of Temporary Colonel and Chief Paymaster on 1st September 1918 before being appointed as a Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the London Gazette of 3rd June 1919. He would retire on 30th August 1924. A talented sportsman he would play cricket for Dover and District against an England XI in July 1900, and Golf for Belgium against Holland in the Hague in 1911 as well as representing Northern China in an inter Treaty Ports Golf tournament in Shanghai in 1914.
Pair: The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Commander, C.B.E., 1st type, Military Division the reverse privately engraved ‘COLONEL T.G.C. BLISS R.A.P.C. 1919’; British War Medal 1914-1919; (COL. T.G.C. BLISS.)
Condition: chip to the enamel on the 3 o’clock arm of the CBE, otherwise Fine
Along with:
Baptism Certificate dated 26th November 1869 at Mussorrie, India, his father being noted as a Chemist
O.H.M.S. letter from the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police addressed to Col T.G.C. Bliss, Westgarth, Harbour View Road, Parkestone, Dorset dated 20th August 1929 confirming receipt of his letter of the 17th August 1929.
Thomas Gordon Cumming Bliss was born in Dehradun, India on 30th August 1969, and would be educated at St. Charles College and then the Engineering School, Crystal Palace.
He would be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant with the 3rd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers on 9th November 1889, and would be posted as a Lieutenant to the 4th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers and Second Lieutenant with 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers at Belfast from Lieutenant 4th Battalion.
The Battalion would move to Curragh on June 1983, transferring to the 2nd Battalion at Poona on 27th November 1893, before moving to Bombay in February 1894, Karachi in March 1894 and Quetta in April 1894. He would be once more promoted to Lieutenant on 15th March 1896, with his Battalion being diverted to Egypt on 12th January 188. He would serve with 2nd Battalion in Crete from 9th October 1898, he was extra Regimentally employed under the British Civil Administration as Public Prosecutor before the International Court at Kandia. He would survey and report upon the ancient aqueduct from Arkhanes to Kandia for British Administration.
He would return to Dover, UK on April 1899. On 29th April 1899 he would Permanently Appointed to the Army Pay Department as Paymaster and Provisional Captain, before being promoted Captain on 17th October 1899.
On 8th June 1902 he would be posted to Ashton-Under-Lyne before on 21st August 1902 he was posted to Sierra Leone before returning to the UK on 1 Years Leave on 24th August 1903, He would be posted to Devonport on 23rd August 1904, and then to Aldershot on 8th December 1904, being appointed 1st Class Assistant Accountant in the Army Accounts Department on 1st May 1905.
On 31st December 1909 he assumed his appointment as Paymaster with the Army Pay Department, and on 11th September 1910 would be Posted to Command the Pay Office at Salisbury. Promoted Major and Staff Paymaster on 12th January 1911, a noted Golfer he played Golf for Belgium vs Holland in the Hague in 1911. Before he would be posted to Command the Pay Office in Tientsin, North China on 20th March 1912. Being present at Tsingtau from 23rd September to 7th November 1914. By 21st December 1914 he would be on strength at South China Command, Hong Kong, before on 20th February 1915 he would embark for a posting York.
He is noted as admitted to Millbank Hospital with Iritis on 26th February 1915, being discharged from there on 24th April 1915 and being admitted to the Military Hospital in York with Conjunctivitis, being declared fit for duty on 25th May 1915.
Promoted Lieutenant Colonel on 12th January 1916, he would be appointed Regimental Paymaster in charge of No. 2 Pay Office in York on 2nd November 1917 and promoted to Temporary Colonel and Chief Paymaster on 1st September 1918, before being appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 3rd June 1919.
on 10th September 1919 he would be posted as Regimental Paymaster, Preston, and reverted to Lieutenant Colonel on reduction of the establishment on 31st March 1920. On 21st July 1922 he was notified of the severe displeasure of the Army Council before three days later he applied to retire on 30th September 1922, but was told he had to wait until 30th November 1922. His retirement was approved on 10th November 1922, and he retired an Honorary Colonel on 2nd December 1922. Ceasing to be within the age limit for recall on 30th August 1924. He died oat 14 Harbour View Road, Parkstone on 24th October 1949.
Additionally entitled to a Queen’s Sudan Medal and Khedives Sudan Medal clasp Khartoum.
