Arthur Roland and Samuel Vaughan Selby, Lest we Forget

[tenterfieldjulie]

Arthur Roland Selby (1893-1966) married my great aunt Susannah Gertrude Bryant at the Garrison Church in Cairo in February 1915. My greatgreatgrandmother Catherine Bryant nee Davies sailed from Perth with two of her daughters on the RMS Ophir to Egypt in order for her daughters to marry their boyfriends from Perth, WA.

I have quite a bit of information about Arthur Selby's Australian military career, including his severe wrist injury at Gallipoli, which he eventually overcame by becoming ambidextrous.

There are two areas which I would like to find more about and hope that the forum may be able to help.

The first are the awards that he received from his service in the British Army – He was mentioned six times in dispatches in 1941-43, And received C.B.E. (1941), C.B. (1943), and Russian Order of Kutuzov (1944).

The following is a combination of what I found on Trove and his entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography:

7 September 1930 Major Arthur Selby, transfered to the Royal Ulster Rifles Regiment, England. (Attached to the Staff College, Quetta, India, for the past four years.)
Because opportunities for advancement in the Australian Military Forces were limited, he resigned in September 1930 to join a British regiment, the Royal Ulster Rifles.

6 November 1932 Transfer from the Royal Ulster Rifles, Belfast, to Fleet, England.

He served in England in 1932-36, attended the 1937 course at the Imperial Defence College, London, and returned to India.

On the outbreak of hostilities in September, 1939, he was transferred from India to Egypt, and later took part, as a brigadier, in General Wavell's victorious operations in Libya.

When World War II began, Selby was a temporary brigadier on the British staff in Egypt.
In 1940-41 he commanded an infantry brigade around Mersa Matruh and Sidi Barrani.
Granted the acting rank of major general in March 1941, he served as an area commander and then as deputy quartermaster general at General Headquarters, Middle East.
12 May 1941 - Major-General Arthur Selby, on active service as a member of General Wavell's staff in the Middle East. At present stationed at the headquarters of the British command in the Suez Canal zone.

Following a period in Eritrea, he moved to Persia and Iraq Command where he was acting commander-in-chief (as temporary lieutenant general) in 1943-44.
8 January 1946 Major-General Arthur R. Selby, at one time on General Wavell's Staff in Egypt, was appointed Administration Officer, Western Command, England, with Headquarters at Chelsea Barracks. This was his final appointment before he retired to growing oranges in Natal.

In September 1934, Arthur, Gertie (or Julie as she preferred to be called) and their small daughter Anne, attended the marriage of Julie's youngest brother John Clarence Bryant (Jack) at English Bicknell Church in Gloucester.

Anne was adopted and I would really like to know if there are any available records of this. Anne travelled with them and so I believe that her adoption would have been official.

Anne never married and lived with them in Natal. Sadly after Gertie died in South Africa in 1980, we lost contact with Ann, although we believe that Jack Bryant's wife could have corresponded with Ann when we think she could have been living in a home. We think that Anne died in the 1990s but would really like to know where.

Many thanks. Julie

[kiterunner]

If you think that Anne was adopted in England or Wales then you could ask for someone to look her up in the GRO adoption register and you could order a copy of the adoption certificate. Or do you think she was adopted in Africa? I don't think you would be able to see her adoption file in any case as she was not closely related to you.

[tenterfieldjulie]

She would have been born in either Ireland or England Kate. She was with them in England in 1934. There is a tree on Ancestry that has the photo of Arthur and Anne at the wedding and she looks about 4 I think. They went back to India in 1937 so she would have been legally their daughter by then. I know nothing about adoption records or whether family is recorded in UK service records.

[Shona]

This is his entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography referred to in Julie's post, for ref.

Arthur Roland Selby (1893-1966), army officer, was born on 16 March 1893 at Armidale, New South Wales, third child of native-born parents John Selby, builder, and his wife Elizabeth, née Vaughan. In the mid-1890s the family moved to Leederville, Perth. Arthur attended Scotch College, Claremont, and in June 1911 was among the first intake at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, Federal Capital Territory. When World War I broke out, the senior cadets at R.M.C. graduated early to be available for active service. Lieutenant Selby joined the Australian Imperial Force on 14 August 1914 and sailed for the Middle East with the 11th Battalion in November. At the Garrison Church, Kasr-el-Nil, Cairo, on 24 February 1915 he married with Anglican rites Susanna Gertrude Bryant whom he had met in Perth; they were to have a daughter.

After landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, Selby was severely wounded in the right elbow on 7 May near Lone Pine. Evacuated to Egypt and thence to England, he was repatriated in November. In 1916 he was appointed adjutant of the wartime officers' training school, near Duntroon. For the rest of the war he held staff posts in Western Australia and Tasmania.

Promoted captain and brevet major in early 1920, Selby was sent in 1923 to the Staff College, Quetta, India, where he became a popular officer. He returned to Australia in 1925 and in the following year was invited back to Quetta as an instructor; he took up the four-year post in September 1926, with the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel. Because opportunities for advancement in the Australian Military Forces were limited, he resigned in September 1930 to join a British regiment, the Royal Ulster Rifles. He served in England in 1932-36, attended the 1937 course at the Imperial Defence College, London, and returned to India.

When World War II began, Selby was a temporary brigadier on the British staff in Egypt. In 1940-41 he commanded an infantry brigade around Mersa Matruh and Sidi Barrani. Granted the acting rank of major general in March 1941, he served as an area commander and then as deputy quartermaster general at General Headquarters, Middle East. Following a period in Eritrea, he moved to Persia and Iraq Command where he was acting commander-in-chief (as temporary lieutenant general) in 1943-44. Mentioned six times in dispatches in 1941-43, he was appointed C.B.E. (1941), C.B. (1943), and to the Russian Order of Kutuzov (1944). His final appointment was that of major general, administration, at Headquarters, Western Command, England.

In February 1946 Selby retired and moved to South Africa. He took up a citrus farm at Muden, Natal, but his dreams of a quiet life were disrupted by the election (1948) of a Nationalist government intent on making South Africa a republic. Selby became a prominent member of a militant opposition group, the Torch Commando. In 1953 he helped to found the Union Federal Party which failed to win any seats at provincial council elections.

Never one to change direction, Selby clung to the imperial ideal. He resigned from the U.F.P. in 1955 to devote his efforts to the Anti-Republican League, but failed to stem the nationalist tide which took South Africa out of the British Commonwealth in 1961. Weakened physically and financially by his dedication to a lost cause, Selby retired to New Hanover, Natal. He died on 30 August 1966 at Greytown and was buried in a Pietermaritzburg cemetery.

[Shona]

This is his entry in the Gazette when he was awarded the Order of Kutuzov:
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36616/supplement/3379/data.pdf

The award was largely given to senior officers of the Red Army, but it was also awarded to foreign citizens. For example, members of Allied Forces who helped to plan and execute defeat of the Nazis.

[kiterunner]

There is information about how to apply for service records on here:
https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records#service-records-of-deceased-service-personnel

[tenterfieldjulie]

Thanks Kate and Shona. Very pleased to have that record from the London Gazette re the Order of Kutuzov.
I have loaned a cousin a suitcase of photos, postcards that belonged to my grandmother. I am going to see her tomorrow to have a look at these with new insights. I just hope that the writing on the reverse of the cards is legible.
Julie

[tenterfieldjulie]

Just for the record - I now believe that the Selby's daughter known as "Ann", was officially known as Elizabeth. Unless the shipping manifest was incorrect.

The Shipping record – Mooltan supposed to arrive Fremantle 18/11/1930 – From Bombay Major Arthur Roland Selby Army Officer age 37 Last Residence India – Born Australia – Future Residence Ireland, accompanied by Susannah Gertrude age 38. So they were on their way to Ireland, but no daughter.

Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954) Thursday 25 December 1930
MAJOR A. R. Selby is travelling to London by the R.M.S. Mooltan, which passed through Fremantle on Tuesday, and will take up duties with the Imperial Army.

But by 1939 Elizabeth, known as Ann, age 8 was with them and her race was Australian, not British or Irish, so maybe the Selby's knew Ann's parents?

Shipping record on the "Cathay" from Bombay – Suzanna Selby, age 46, last permanent residence India, British subject, Race Australian, future residence India. - Elizabeth Selby age 8 school girl, last permanent residence India, British subject, Race Australian, future residence India.

The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1950) Tuesday 9 May 1939
WORD-PICTURES of the magnificent and colourful side of life in India were brought by Mrs. A. R. Selby when she arrived in the “Cathay” last week. Mrs. Selby's husband, Colonel Selby, is attached to a military station in the Deccan, five miles from Secundarbad, and Mrs. Selby said that social life, particularly night-life, was very gay there. For instance, there was a dinner party in honour of the Vice roy of India and his family, where guests drank from real gold cups, admired flowers in real gold vases, and were invited in such large quantities that they had to study plans of the tables beforehand so that they wouldn't lose their way when looking for their seats. Mrs. Selby, with her small daughter Ann, has come to spend the winter months with her sister, Mrs. J. C. Johnston, and Mr. Johnston, of the Commonwealth Bank, Subiaco. It was a joyful reunion as the sisters have not seen one another for 12 years. Colonel Selby was to have accompanied his wife, but his leave was cancelled because of the international situation. He hopes to be able to follow later.

The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1950) Saturday 1 July 1939
Mrs. A. R. Selby and small daughter Ann will return to India to rejoin her husband, Colonel Selby, at a military station in the Deccan, after a couple of months' holiday in Perth. Mrs. Selby has been staying with her sister, Mrs. J. C. Johnston, of the Commonwealth Bank, Subiaco, and her brother, Mr. Ben Bryant, of Mt. Lawley. She has also spent quite a good deal of time at the Johnstons' cottage in Kalamunda. Colonel Selby was to have accompanied his wife and daughter to Perth, but his leave was cancelled at the last moment because of the international situation.

I wonder where Gertie and Ann were living in WWII? Julie

[kiterunner]

Now I know her name was Elizabeth, I think I have found her on a UK incoming passenger list from 1955, but I will PM you the details, Julie, just in case it turns out not to be her.

[tenterfieldjulie]

Thanks Kate much appreciated.

[tenterfieldjulie]

The story of two brothers

Sam Selby - Samuel Vaughan, older brother of Arthur Roland.

SELBY SAM

The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954) Friday 26 May 1916

A correspondent writes:--A pretty wedding was celebrated at St. George's Cathedral, Perth, on April 24, between Dr. S. V. Selby, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. John Selby, of Monger-street Leederville, and Miss Edith E. L. Sherlock, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. Z. Sherlock, of Geraldton.
The ceremony, which was performed by the Ven. Archdeacon Hudleston took place in the presence of a large number of friends of the bride and bridegroom. Mr. Leekie officiated at the organ. The bride, who was given away by an old friend, Mr. Geo. Basham, was attired in a simple dress of white palest silk, with overdress of white ninon. A train, of the silk and lined with the palest shade of shell pink hung from the shoulders, and was caught with a spray of orange blossom. The veil was a very old one, and was worn by the bride's mother. A beautiful bouquet of roses, and a silver bag, gifts of the bridegroom, were carried.
The bride groom's sister, Miss Edith Selby, acted as bridesmaid, and wore a becoming dress of pale blue, made with a full skirt. A belt of emerald green velvet, could just be seen, under a smart little coatee, which was finished at the neck and sleeves with soft net ruffles. A white velvet hat was worn with this costume. Miss Selby carried a bouquet of lovely champagne coloured roses, and wore a cameo brooch gifts of the bridegroom.
Two little maids also attended the bride, Audrey Basham, and Kathleen Sherlock (the bride's sister). Both were dressed alike in charming frocks of pale pink crepe-de-chine, with yoke and sleeves of white, pink silk shoes and socks, and dainty little caps of pale pink roses and blue forget-me-nots were worn. They also carried posies of shaded pink roses, and each wore a gold bangle, gifts of the bridegroom.
Mr. Geoff. Sherlock, brother of the bride, carried out the duties of best man. After the ceremony the guests were entertained by Mrs. Annear, grandmother of the bride, and Mrs. Sherlock, at Albany Bell's tea rooms, 766 Hay-street, where a dainty afternoon tea was served and an enjoy able hour spent.
Dr. and Mrs. Selby afterwards motored to the residence of the bride's grandmother, leaving there for their honeymoon. A very large number of handsome presents and many congratulatory, telegrams were received.


Samuel Vaughan Selby (1887–1916) was born at Newtown, Sydney before the family moved to Western Australia.
In 1904, he was apprenticed as an articled pupil in dentistry to Alexander James Wright.
Selby was registered by the Dental Board of Western Australia in 1908 at a meeting chaired by Frank Merrett Wilkinson and attended by Thomas William Lee Wilson. At the same meeting, A. J. Wright’s D.M.D. from Harvard was added to his qualifications in the register.
Selby established a practice in Geraldton.
In 1910, Selby obtained the degree L.D.S. from Edinburgh Dental School where he was awarded the MacGregor Gold Medal. He returned to Perth to practice with A. J. Wright.
In 1914, he travelled to Boston with William Eyres Bennett and Leonard Daniel Nathan to enroll at Harvard Dental School. Selby obtained the D.M.D. in 1915.
In January 1916, he entered a partnership with A. J. Wright.
He was appointed an honorary lieutenant in the Australian Army Medical Corps but resigned his commission to enlist as a private.
He was killed in action on 12 October 1916 at Passchendaele.
Selby has no known grave but is memorialized in the Harvard Memorial Church and at the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

Sunday Times (Perth, WA : 1902 - 1954) Sunday 20 April 1919

A sad little story of the aftermath of war comes from Geraldton, where there recently died Mrs. Selby (nee Sherlock). She was the young widow of Dr. Samuel Vaughan Selby, who, although holding a commission in the Dental Corps, felt it his duty to join up as a private with the A.I.F. Soon after being sent to the front he was reported missing, and it was only recently that Mrs. Selby received assurance of his death, the consequence being that her own health failed rapidly, and her death took place last week. Dr. Selby was the eldest son of Mr. J. Selby, the Perth architect. His brother, Captain Arthur Selby, of Duntroon, was invalided back from Gallipoli.

Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954) Thursday 10 March 1932
A Dinkum Aussie.
(By "Digger," 48th Battalion, Shotts.)

I met him when on my first dental parade in Blackboy Camp. He was acting as dentist and wearing a lieutenant's pins. Discovering that I was a Scot he chatted about Edinburgh, where we had each taken a diploma in dentistry, so we got friendly.
A little before Christmas, 1916, I was drafted into a unit and found the same man in recruit's dungarees and carrying a rifle. He told me, on my inquiring the reason, that he had felt that he was not doing his full duty in the Dental Corps; it needed every fit man at the front, hence the change.
We left just before Christmas in the “Berrima’, my friend with the rank of lance corporal. As a private he had never attempted to shirk a duty; as a lance-corporal he did all he could for those in his charge. On arrival in England he was detailed for the dental hut at Codford, contractcd mumps and on returning from hospital, refused to carry on with dental work. In consequence he was paraded before the camp commandant for disobedience of orders. He stated that he would prefer to go over to France with the men with whom he had come from Australia. He also suggested that if he could be sent to a military school for a term he would be grateful. He was sent to Kandahar officers' school and gained the highest place at the end of the course.
We crossed the Channel together, but went to different companies in the old battalion. He was killed at Paschendaele.
This man's brother was military commandant of Tasmania, yet he never tried to use that fact to gain preferment. He could have retained a safe billet for "the duration," either in Australia or England as a dentist, as he carried the highest diploma of his profession to be gained in Harvard, America, besides others from Edinburgh. Always cheerful, gentlemanly to everyone, with a wit that could be remarkably caustic without giving offence, he was very popular wherever he went.
His name was Sam Selby, of the 48th Battalion, one-time a partner of Dr. Wright in Perth. When I saw your "True to Type" competition calling for entries I thought that I must send this, for I can think of no finer type of soldier and man in any army.

- Lest We Forget.

[tenterfieldjulie]

Perseverance pays off ..

Elizabeth Ann Selby was not with Arthur and Gertie when they left India -

Shipping record – Mooltan supposed to arrive Fremantle 18/11/1930 – From Bombay Major Arthur Roland Selby Army Officer age 37 Last Residence India – Born Australia – future Residence Ireland accompanied by Susannah Gertrude age 38

Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954) Thursday 25 December 1930 MAJOR A. R. Selby is travelling to London by the R.M.S. Mooltan, which passed through Fremantle on Tuesday, and will take up duties with the Imperial Army. It appeared that AR was going to UK alone!

Surname Given Names Sex Registration District Registration Number Registration Year
SELBY ELIZABETH A Female RG FREMANTLE 17 1930

The above is the birth registration of Ann.


Then there she was on the shipping list .. going to UK with her new parents .. yeah:D

The West Australian Tuesday 23 December 1930
The following passengers embarked on the P. and O. liner Mooltan when she sailed for the United Kingdom yesterday afternoon:--Sir John Kirwan, M.L.C. and Major A.R. Selby; Mesdames H. R. Coventry and three children; A. R. Selby and child;

[tenterfieldjulie]

Now sure that the Elizabeth Ann Selby who travelled from Durban to stay with Mrs. E.F. Norton at Morestead Grove, Morestead, Nr Winchester in 1955 is my father's 1st cousin.
Edward "Felix" Norton had died at the end of 1954, he had a major military career in India, as well as being a famous mountaineer among other things.

Selbys and Nortons would have mixed in the same military circles in India and possibly Persia.

The one thing that we knew about Ann was that she was an avid horsewoman, who would loved the opportunity to work with the type of horses that Nortons would own. Many Thanks Kate. Julie

[tenterfieldjulie]

I have just been reading a bit of Field Marshall Alan Brooke’s War Diaries –

“We arrived at Teheran a few minutes before the PM…. We were met by Selby commanding troopers here temporarily .. They have had an awful job to fit us all in but have made a good business of it.. We are not yet certain whether Stalin has arrived .. I am not looking forward to the next few days .. The conferences will be difficult and there is no saying where they may lead us!” (Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill, Eden etc were all present) This may be why he was awarded the Russian order of Kutuzov..

War Office, 21st July, 1944-
The KING has been pleased to grant unrestricted permission for the wearing of the following decorations, which have been conferred on the undermentioned officers in recognition of distinguished services in the cause of the Allies.

Decorations by the Soviet Union - Order of Kutuzov. 2nd Class.
Major-General Sir Arthur Francis Smith, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O., M.C., (12914), late Coldstream Guards.
Major-General Arthur Roland Selby, C.B., C.B.E., (47947), late The Royal Ulster Rifles.

[tenterfieldjulie]

http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/pageturner.cfm?id=89281293&mode=transcription

Would someone mind transcribing this for me, so that I can check that the dates I have written are correct. I have only a lap top at the moment and some of the dates etc are distorting. Page 93.4 Selby Arthur Roland - Army List 1938-1941.
Many thanks. Julie

[kiterunner]

Inf. SELBY, Arthur Roland, C.B.E, i.d.c., p.s.c+. Born 16/3/93. (temp Lt.-Col. I.A. 25/9/26 to 31/1/31). (From Austl. Staff Corps.) R.U. Rif. Maj. 15/10/30. Lt.-Col. (Brev.) 1/1/33. Col. 1/1/36 (15/1/38). (temp. Brig. 7/8/39; actg. Maj.-Gen. 29/3/41).
Inst. (G.S.O.2) Staff. Coll. Quetta 1/2/27 to 31/1/31. G.S.O.2 War Office 1/8/32 to 23/2/35. G.S.O.2 Aldershot Comd. 24/2/35 to 15/11/36. G.S.O.1 15/1/38 to 28/7/39. Brig. Gen. Staff (temp. Brig.) 7/8/39 to 27/8/40.
1914-21. Gallipoli 1915. Wounded. 1914-15 S. B.W.M. V.M.
(L.G. 1/4/41. - C.B.E.)
(L.G. 1/4/41. - Despatches.)
(L.G. 8/7/41. - Despatches.)
(L.G. 30/12/41. - Despatches.)

[tenterfieldjulie]

Many thanks Kate. I had most of it correct.
Do you know what i.d.c. and also p.s.c. mean? Also L.G. .. I think I know what the rest means.
I've been reading up on Arthur being made a Companion of the Order of Bath in Feb 1943. He also received, a probably retrospective, American Award in March 1947, the Legion of Merit, Degree of Commander, probably for the same reason as his Russian Award, I think for his work with the Tehran Conference in late Nov/Dec 1943. By then they were living in Natal, so not sure how he received it.
Many thanks. Julie

[kiterunner]

LG must be the London Gazette. I'll see if I can find out what idc and psc are.

[kiterunner]

The abbreviations are explained on pages iv and v of the complete book.

i.d.c. ... Completed a Course at, or served for a year on the Staff of, the Imperial Defence College.
p.s.c.+ ... Graduate of Senior Wing, Staff College, or, prior to 1939, of Staff College.

[tenterfieldjulie]

Thank you. I thought the LG would be something I should know and didn't lol
I saw somewhere else that he did a course at the i.d.c. but it didn't click either..
Thank you very much.
I am now looking at old sepia coloured photos, including a 4cm by 6cm one on which Gertie has written - better one of cake .. bearer with our wedding cake Feb 24th (1915) .. unfortunately a photo of their wedding has disappeared, as I am sure Nan would have had one. Some interesting post cards of Bombay and Ceylon and photos from the Holy land. The most interesting photo to me is another small sepia one in which she has written Hanging Gardens Bombay - These gardens are wonderful. It looks like Arthur is standing in front in a suit. I just hope that when it is enlarged it won't pixilate too much. Many thanks. Julie