A most interesting & scarce Second World War, long service & Indian Independence Medal group of 5 to a Germany born naturalized British Officer of the Jewish faith: Major Edgar Stuart Straus, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 

- The 1939-45 Star. No clasp
- Defence Medal
- War Medal
- Efficiency Medal. GVI second issue with 'Territorial' bar (Lt. E.S. Straus, R.E.M.E.)
- India: Independence Medal 1947 (Major. E.S. Straus. R.E.M.E.)

The medals sometime mounted, now loose, each retaining their original issue silk riband, including the India Independence Medal, his latter having the correct 'Saffron' colour on the edge of the riband

Medals Verification: As of 2026, there are no extant Second World War medal rolls for the British Army in the public domain. Neither are there any British Army Medal Index Cards for WW2 known to be extant or accessible for members of the R.E.M.E.. We are however giving the published date of award for the EM, together with general qualifying award guidance for the campaign and India Independence medals that the recipient received and wore

- The 1939-45 Star. No clasp: Awarded for 6 months or 1 day operational campaign service
- Defence Medal: Either 3 years non operational service in UK, or 12 months overseas service (India)
- War Medal: 28 days uniformed service in Armed Forces during specified war years 1939-1945
- Efficiency Medal. GVI II 'Territorial' bar : Lt. (now T. -Maj.) E.S. Straus, R.E.M.E., LG issue 25 May 1948
- India Independence Medal 1947: For attached service with Indian Army fm 01/01/1948

Important: The Statesman Newspaper (India) issue of 23 October 1945, records recipient as Captain E. S. Straus, R.E.M.E. stationed at New Delhi where he was a member of the Staff of the Master General of Ordnance Branch, G.H.Q. (I), India Command. The Indian Army list for October 1946, records recipient under list of Emergency Commissioned Officers holding rank of Temporary Captain of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (R.E.M.E.) serving attached to the Indian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (I.E.M.E.). London Electoral Registers for the years 1948-1952, record the recipient as a 'Service Voter' (a member of the Armed Forces serving overseas)

Edgar Stuart Straus, only son of Dr. Willi Straus (a prominent latterly Taunton based Gynaecologist, who had been born in Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany in 1874) and Edith Sarah Straus (nee Samuel) was born in Germany on, 8 May 1911. Leaving the repression of Nazi Germany in the 1930's, Edgar is recorded to have become a naturalised British subject in 1938. The 'Naturalisation Certificate' reference AZ11403 for  Edgar Stuart Straus (who was recorded as being from Germany, and then resident in London) was issued to him on 1 March 1938 (Home Office file series HO 334/148/11403 refers)

Shortly after his naturalisation and with war clouds gathering in Europe, Edgar enlisted as a volunteer in the British 'Territorial Army', in which force he was allocated the unique regimental number 7347515, which was from the regimental block 7245001-7539000 allocated to the Royal Army Medical Corps (or, R.A.M.C.) in 1920, and which was issued sequentially to all new enlistees to the British Army (Regular's & Territorials alike) who, on enlistment, were posted to the Royal Army Medical Corps in the period circa 1920-1941. Clearly a soldier of considerable ability with leadership qualities, Edgar was subsequently commissioned as an Officer and posted to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (or, R.E.M.E.) with which corps he served in India and through to the end of his military service. Some of Edgar's officer ranks and promotions were:

- 11/06/1944: No 7347515 Cadet granted Emergency Commission & appointed 2nd Lt (324141). R.E.M.E.
- 01/04/1947: 2/Lt (WS Lt) Edgar Stuart Straus promoted Lieutenant with seniority dated 11/12/1944
- 08/05/1957: Lt. (Hon, Maj.) E. S. Straus (324141) relinquishes his commission

On 7 October 1944, at Delhi, India, Lieutenant Edgar Stuart Straus (b.1911), only son of Dr & Mrs W. Straus of London married Junior Commander Gladys Isabel Budd (b. Simla, India, 06/06/1910), eldest daughter of Mr Ralph Simon Budd M.B.E. (who in 1910 was holding an appointment as Secretariat Assistant Foreign Office in Simla), and Mrs Budd of New Delhi. at the time of their 'service wedding' Edgar's wife was serving as a junior officer with the Women's Army Corps (India). By October 1945, Edgar was recorded as holding the rank of Captain (Temporary) while Captain Straus R.E.M.E. was a member of the Staff of the Master General of Ordnance Branch, G.H.Q. (I), India Command

After returning to the United Kingdom in the early 1950's and leaving the British Army, Edgar is recorded to have settled in London, England, where he and his wife latterly lived in the borough of Lambeth. Edgar Stuart Straus, of 10 Dorchester Court, Herne Hill, London, SE24 is recorded to have died there on 17 September 1989. Edgar's wife Gladys Isabel Straus had predeceased him on, 19 July 1989

A very scarce combination of medals including the officially impressed name Indian Independence Medal, to a German born British Officer of the Jewish faith

Condition: EM toned the group mostly about EF

Code: 26028