RARE "British Army cricket team" Geoffrey Rimbault Hand Written Letter For Sale

Up for sale a RARE! "British Army cricket team" Geoffrey Rimbault Hand Written 2 Page Letter dated 1954.

ES-629

Geoffrey Acworth Rimbault CBE DSO MC

DL (17 April 1908 – 20 October 1991) was

an English

first-class cricketer and British Army officer. Starting his military

career as a non-commissioned officer, he was later commissioned in June 1928. He spent the

majority of his military career with the Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire),

serving in the Second World War during which he was awarded

the Distinguished Service Order. He retired

from active service in 1961, but served as the Loyal Regiment's final regimental colonel until

1970. During his military career he played first-class cricket in British India

for the Europeans cricket team, as well as

appearing in England for the British Army cricket team. In later life,

he served as a deputy lieutenant of Surrey. The son of Arthur Henry Rimbault,

he was born at Streatham and educated at Dulwich

College. From Dulwich he served as a non-commissioned officer in the Territorial Army with the cavalry squadron

in both the Inns of Court Regiment and the 12th London Regiment (The Rangers).

He became a commissioned officer when he was made a second lieutenant in The Rangers in June 1928. He

transferred to the Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)

in February 1930. with promotion to the rank of lieutenant coming in

February 1933. While serving in British India,

Rimbault made his debut in first-class cricket for the Europeans against the Hindus at Bombay

in the 1934-35 Bombay Quadrangular. He was appointed

as a staff captain to British Troops in Palestine and Transjordan in September 1936, and was

awarded the Military Cross in November of the same year.

Returning to England , he was appointed as an instructor at the Small Arms School at Hythe

in May 1938. He made a second appearance in first-class cricket in the same

year, appearing for the British Army cricket team against Cambridge University at Fenner's.

He was promoted to rank of captain in August 1938. Rimbault served with the

Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) during the Second World War, seeing action in North Africa, Anzio, Italy and Palestine. He held several commands during the course of the war,

including as commanding officer of the 1st Battalion The Loyal Regiment. He was

awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the 1945 Birthday Honours for gallant and

distinguished service during the Italian Campaign. He was promoted to the rank

of major after the war in July 1946. He was made a brevet lieutenant colonel in July 1951, with him

obtaining the full rank in August 1952. He was made a CBE in the 1954 Birthday Honours. He was promoted to the

rank of colonel in December 1954, with promotion to the rank of brigadier coming in June 1958. In February in 1959, he was made the

regimental colonel of the Loyal Regiment, a ceremonial position he would hold

until 1970.