LIEUTENANT-COLONEL L.C.M. BELLAMY, MAHRATTA LIGHT INFANTRY AND 4TH MAHRATTA ANTI-TANK REGI
£1,150.00
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL L.C.M. BELLAMY, MAHRATTA LIGHT INFANTRY AND 4TH MAHRATTA ANTI-TANK REGIMENT. Seven: British War Medal (Lieutenant) General Service Medal 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq (Lieutenant) India General Service Medal 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1936-37 (Major) 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, 1939-45 War Medal. BWM and GSM Good Very Fine, remainder Almost Extremely Fine and better, the group accompanied by mounted miniature medal group, comprising the first three medals in Lt Colonel Bellamy’s full size medal group, BWM, GSM and IGS, this mounted loose style, as worn.
Lieutenant-Colonel Bellamy died of wounds received in Italy as a result of a motoring “battle accident”.
Group accompanied by photocopied WW1 Medal Index Card confirming BWM as sole WW1 entitlement, and also confirming GSM and Iraq clasp, along with photocopied medal roll for the Iraq clasp, plus photocopied obituary notice, which notes that Lieutenant-Colonel Bellamy died “of injuries received in a battle accident”, plus photocopied extract from Haileybury School website, which includes a half length photograph of Bellamy, and photocopied extract from “Officer Casualties of the Indian Armies, 1803-1946”, which lists Bellamy as having “died of injuries”, 27/7/1944.
Born 5/9/1898, Lewis Charles Montagu Bellamy was first commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, 116th Mahrattas, 1/5/1917, and was promoted Lieutenant, 1/5/1918. Bellamy transferred to the 2/117th Mahrattas on 3/6/1918. Promoted Captain, 1/5/1921, Bellamy subsequently transferred back to the 16th Mahrattas, that battalion being re-designated the 4/5th Mahratta Light Infantry following the Indian Army reforms and re-organisation of 1922. Bellamy was promoted Major, 1/5/1935. During WW2, having been promoted Lieutenant-Colonel, Bellamy raised the 8/5th Mahratta Light Infantry at Belgaum, on 1/2/1941. After a period of initial training, Bellamy and his battalion were posted to Madras for a short term of internal security duty before transferring to Jhansi, on 1/1/1942, where it was converted to Indian Artillery as the 4th Mahratta Anti-Tank Regiment. In the summer of 1942 the 4th Mahratta Anti-Tank Regiment proceeded overseas for active service against Vichy French forces in Iraq and Syria. The battalion subsequently saw service during the Italian campaign, 1943-45. Lieutenant-Colonel Bellamy died of wounds received as a result of a motoring “battle accident” on 27/7/1944, during the advance on Florence. On 27/7/1944, the 4th Mahratta Anti-Tank Regiment formed part of 8th Indian Division. Lieutenant-Colonel Bellamy was killed as the 8th Indian Division advanced north from Castelfiorentino towards Florence. As they did so, the guns of the 4th Mahratta Anti-Tank Regiment were employed aefagainst the 29th Panzer Grenadier Division of the German 1st Parachute Corps.
On the day before Lieutenant-Colonel Bellamy was killed, 26/7/1944, King George VI attended an investiture parade mounted by the 8th Indian Division, at which he personally presented Victoria Crosses won by men of that Division.
Educated at Haileybury, Bellamy was the son of William Montagu Bellamy and Laura Gertrude Bellamy, and the husband of Norah Eleanor Maude Bellamy, of Alton, Hampshire. Lt. Colonel Bellamy is buried in the Rome War Cemetery, Italy