Here is some more info on Robert Annesley CRAIG that you might be interested in.
Colonel R. A. Craig CMG CBE LGM, Royal Garrison Artillery and Royal Artillery
Medal entitlement: The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, CMG, Order of the British Empire (Commander) CBE, British War Medal (named to him as "Bt. Lt. Col. R. A. Craig"), Order of Saint Anne (2nd Class Neck Badge) (Russia), Le Froy Gold Medal.
Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant RA 15.02.1889
Robert Annesley Craig was born on 7 July 1869 the son of R. S. Craig of Belfast, Ireland. He was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in February 1889, was promoted to Lieutenant on 15 February 1892 and Captain on 14 June 1899. He served as Assistant Inspector, Army Ordnance Department from 9 April 1900 to 31 January 1901 and as Experimental Officer, AOD from 1 February 1901 to 14 April 1904.
In the 1901 Census he is listed as Captain Royal Artillery living in St Marylebone, London. This census lists his place of birth as “Ireland Swiss”.
In 1904 he married Helen Mary Stewart, daughter of the Very Reverend Graham Craig, of Clonmacnois and was Assistant Experimental Officer, AOD and Assistant Experimental Officer Experimental Staff, from 15 April 1904 to 8 April 1905 and then again from 11 March 1906 to 31 March 1907. Later he was Assistant Proof and Experimental Officer, Research Department from 1 April 1907 to 31 March 1910 during which time (7 August 1909) he was promoted Major. He was Proof and Experimental Officer, Research Department from 1 April 1910 to 29 November 1910 and Staff Captain, War Office from 5 May 1913 to 31 March 1914. He was Superintendent, Research Department from 1 April 1914 to 6 March 1920.
During the Great War he was promoted Brevet Lieutenant Colonel RA (29 November 1915) and Lieutenant Colonel RA 27 April 1916. In January 1917 (LG 23 January 1917) he was created CMG for his work in artillery research and MID in the London Gazette of two days later.
He was further decorated for his work during the war, this time with a CBE (LG 3 June 1919) as Superintendent of Research at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. After the war he was made Commandant, Ordnance College from 7 March 1920 (London Gazette of 8 April 1920 refers) and granted full Colonelship on 1 January 1921 with the date of rank of 29 November 1919. He was placed on the Half-Pay list on the same day he was made Colonel (1 January 1921). After the war he was, from 1920 to 1924, Assistant Director of Artillery at the War Office and Associate Member of the Ordnance Committee. In 1925 he was Assitant Director of Artillery (A3) and he retired in 1926.
“British Gallantry Awards” has a chapter on MID's and makes mention of 1038 that were awarded during WW1 for services outside the field, making his mention quite scarce.
In his book "White Russian Awards to British and Commonwealth Servicemen During the Allied Russian Intervention in Russia 1918-1920” author Ray Brough (and OMRS member) lists him as having received the Order of St Anne, 2nd Class but gives no London Gazette date. Strangely Craig is not listed for the award in the London Gazette nor does he appear on the so-called “Confidential List” issued by the War Office in 1921. He certainly didn’t serve in Russia (he would have been, at least entitled to a Victory Medal) and a fellow medal collector has suggested that he was awarded the Russian decoration for logistical support (based in UK) to White Russian forces.
His award of the Russian award caused me quite a lot of problems but finally my research confirmed that Lieutenant Colonel Robert Annesley Craig CMG CBE, Royal Artillery was gazetted for the Order of St. Anne, 2nd Class in War Office Confidential Letter No. 0137/6178 dated 1 July 1920. This letter indicated that "His Majesty the King has granted provisional permission to the recipients to accept and wear the decorations conferred on the understanding that such permission may be withdrawn at a future date should circumstances so demand."
The Le Froy Gold Medal was awarded bi-annually to officers and men who have help and assisted the development of artillery or ordnance above and beyond normal duty. Craig was awarded this honour in 1916 while Superintendent, Research Department, Royal Arsenal, Woolwich.
He was “in the Chair” during a lecture delivered at the Royal Artillery Institution on 8 March 1921 on “Wireless Telephony” by H. F. Trewman ESQ MA. Craig’s introduction has been recorded. He refers to this lecture as “…intensely interesting, especially to gunners. Not only will Wireless Telephony probably form the main means of passing orders etc. in the field in any future campaign, but from a gunners point of view in all probability his communication with Ops and observation planes etc. will also be by Wireless Telephony ”:
It would appear that Craig was not a field officer and indeed never saw action but, never the less, was a key artillery officer during and after the Great War, being brought to notice and decorated on at least five separate occasions.
His medal group was sold on 28 March 2001 by Philip Burman, Burman Medals, Norfolk item 600 from his medal list of that month.
Cheers
Andy
