Description
The Intriguing and Rare, Great War, Afghanistan, South Persia, Long Service and Good Conduct, South Persia Meritorious Service Medal, World War Two Group of 8 awarded Staff Serjeant Henry Charles Carr, Royal Garrison Artillery, Indian Miscellaneous List and Corps of Military Staff Clerks Indian Army, Freemason, comprising, 1914-1920 British War and Victory Medals, (S/Sgt. H.C. Carr I.M.L), India General Service Medal, 1908-35, one clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919, (St. Sergt. H.C. Carr, I.M.L.), General Service Medal, 1918-62, GVR, one clasp South Persia, (23796 Sjt. H.C. Carr R.A.), Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, GVR, (S-Sgt. H. C. Carr, I.M.L.), Meritorious Service Medal, GVR, (Sjt H.C. Carr C. Of M. S.C. I.A.), 1939-45 Defence Medal, unnamed as issued, Masonic Lodge Founders Jewel for Lodge Light of Iran No 1191, (Bro Staff Sergt. H.C. Car First Junior Warden) lightly toned very fine
MSM The London Gazette of the 16th of October 1919
His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the Meritorious Service Medal to the under mentioned Warrant and Non-Commissioned Officers in recognition of valuable services rendered with the Forces in South Persia
Sjt. Carr, H.C., Corps of Military Staff Clerks
One of only 32 MSMs for South Persia
LS&GC Awarded November 1922
In the 1911 Census Henry Charles Carr is serving in Quetta as a Gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery, he was 32 years old, single and his birthplace is shown as Battersea, Surrey. Henry Married Clara Josephine Martin in Quetta on the 5th of January 1920. Clara had been a WAAF during The Great War she enlisted into the Women’s Royal Air Force on the 18th of June 1918 and served as a Clerk until she was discharged Medically Unfit in August 1919.
Henry was Initiated as a Freemason on the 20th of October 1920 into Quetta Lodge No 2333 his profession given as Staff Sergeant, he also belonged to Union Lodge No 767 in Karachi, and Indus Lodge No. 4325 also in Karachi. He was a Founder of Lodge Light of Iran and was the First Junior Warden, from an article on Freemasonry in what calls itself the Encyclopaedia Iranica
The Scottish Lodge “Light of Iran” founded in 1919 in Shiraz for British officers, was the first regular lodge ever chartered in Persia. This Lodge was closed in 1921 but revived in Tehran in 1922 for foreign nationals and continued its operation into the 1970s.
Sold with Miniature British war and Victory Medals with MiD emblem, Miniature IGSM 1908-35, Miniature MSM, copy Medal Index Card, War and Victory Issued in India, MiC also confirms GSM with South Persia and Royal Garrison Artillery, copy census records, Overseas Army Marriage entry, copy Service Papers for Clara, Lodge records for three Lodges
South Persia clasp rare to British Units, MSM one of only 32 for South Persia
