An exceptional and particularly early Great War M.C. group of nine awarded to Quarter-Master & Captain H. Dugdale, Royal Army Medical Corps, a veteran of the Suakin 1885 and Ashanti 1896 operations who was awarded the M.S.M. in 1936, aged 75 years

Military Cross, G.V.R.; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, 1 clasp, Suakin 1885 (3931 Sergt., M.S. Corps); Ashanti Star 1896; 1914 Star (Hon. Lieut. & Q.M., R.A.M.C.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Q.M. & Lieut.); Army L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (3931 S. Sjt., R.A.M.C.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., coinage bust (S. Sjt., M.C., R.A.M.C.); Khedive’s Star 1884-6, the earlier awards with contact marks, but generally very fine and quite possibly a unique combination of awards (9) £2000-2500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Meritorious Service Medal Groups from the Collection of Ian McInnes.

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M.C. London Gazette 23 June 1915.

Herbert Dugdale was born in Salford in April 1860 and enlisted in the Medical Staff Corps in 1878. Advanced to Lance-Corporal while stationed at Gibraltar in 1881, he served in Egypt and the Sudan 1883-85 and 1885-86, latterly as a Sergeant in the Suakin operations, and on the west coast of Africa 1895-96, during the Ashanti operations. He was discharged as a Staff Sergeant in November 1908, having been awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in the previous year (AO 242 refers).

Commissioned as an Honorary Lieutenant & Quarter-Master in the Royal Army Medical Corps on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he went out to France with No. 18 Field Ambulance in the following month, but would appear to have been awarded his M.C. for services in the No. 3 East Lancashire Field Ambulance, which distinction was one of very first to be gazetted. He was also mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 22 June 1915 refers) before returning to the U.K. in December 1915.

Dugdale, who relinquished his commission in April 1924, was awarded his M.S.M. in AO 237 of 1936, and was still living in the 1950s; Ian McInnes estimates around 10 medical veterans of the Suakin 1885 operations later received M.S.Ms, but with the addition of his M.C. and Ashanti Star this group must surely be unique.