Brigadier Alfred Ernest Snow OBE

[Rob Miller]

I'm looking for any information about him, I think he may have lived in Somerset.

Does anyone know where he is buried?

Thanks
Rob

[grey_green_acorn]

Brigadier A E Snow who commanded the troops that liberated the Channel islands in May 1945?

Early in 1944 Brigadier Alfred Ernest Snow was appointed to command Task Force 135, the code name given to the liberation task force. Snow was 46 years old and had served in India and Burma between the wars, he was awarded an OBE when a Major with the BEF in June 1940. (LG 9 July 1940).

Perhaps our Channel Islands members can help?

Tim

[Hoot]

Alfred Ernest Snow, born in Bedminster in 1898, died in Taunton in 1983, so most likely buried in Somerset.

[Rob Miller]

Thanks for the replies, I have bought his service dress uniform, I will post some pictures shortly.

Rob

[Rob Miller]

Here are some pictures, I bought it from some antique dealers in Weston Super Mare who had bought it from an auction in Somerset.

For some reason a previous owner has tried to black out the name tags but it is still just about readable especially in the green breeches.

I'm struggling with the last medal ribbon, I don't think its an Africa Star or a faded Defence Medal, the lady I bought it from thought it may be police?

Apart from the staff gorget buttons it has a full set of Somerset Light Infantry Buttons.

Annoyingly its proving quite difficult to find any good quality pictures of Brigadier Snow, even though he actually appears on a postage stamp?

I will be moving this on at some point, it would perhaps be nice if it ended up in a Museum in the Channel Islands but time will tell.

Rob

[leigh kitchen]

Last ribbon looks like Special Constabulary Long Service Medal.

[Rob Miller]

Thank you Leigh, I wonder when he earned that, before or after the war?

Rob

[altcar73]

Have a look at the "google" pages dealing with the Channel Islands liberation. There are quite a few photos of him on there.

Dave.

[oc14]

Its not a SCLSM ribbon, it is a rather washed out Defence Medal ribbon

PL

[leigh kitchen]

Defence Medal was discounted in the 5th post, it makes more sense than Special Constabulary. Strange that ribbon is so faded compared to the others.

[Hoot]

The Defence Medal was issued at the same time as the War Medal and as there is no War Medal ribbon present I doubt that the orange/black/white ribbon is a washed out Defence Medal one. I also don't think it is a SCLSM ribbon either as the black bars are too thin and the centre is orange not red.

[leigh kitchen]

Presumably the War Medal and the Defence Medal ribbons should be there, 28 days service during the war qualifying for the former, 6 months - 3 years depending on circumstances of service for the latter.

[oc14]

Trust me, it’s the medal ribbon for the defence medal. I cant account for why it is so faded compared to the others. The ribbon for the defence medal was authorised and issued several months before that for the 39-45 war medal. It is typical of uniforms worn during the period 1945/46 that the ribbon of the defence medal is present and the war medal ribbon is absent. Definitely not the ribbon of the SCLSM - he was clearly a regular army officer during WW1 and the 1920s/30s (note WW1 ribbons and IGS ribbon) , if SCLSM when exactly did he find the time to be a member of the Special Constabulary whilst serving as a Regular Army Officer ?
PL

[Hoot]

It appears that after his return from France in 1940 he remained in the UK for the rest of the war until the Channel Islands were liberated. The Defence Medal and the War Medal were both instituted in August 1945 so maybe he hung up his boots before they arrived and never got round to fitting the ribbons.

[leigh kitchen]

I'm not disgreeing with you - I'm saying that given his service he would presumably have qualified for the War Medal and the Defence Medal.
Not having researched his service, SCLSGC could conceivably have been a possibility earned for WWI service prior to military.
(I'm unsure though whether such a SCLSGC, issued with the 1914-18 clasp, would have ribbon emblem on).