A rare and impressive Great War O.B.E. group of ten awarded to Q.M. & Major J. T. Packard, Royal Army Medical Corps, late Medical Staff Corps, a veteran of the Ashanti Expedition, the Sudan and the Boer War, who was commissioned shortly before his departure to join the B.E.F. in 1914

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1919; Ashanti Star 1895-96, the reverse privately engraved, ‘J.P.T. M.S.C.’; Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (7670 Sgt. J. T. Packard, R.A.M.C.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (7670 S. Sgt. J. T. Packard, R.A.M.C.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (7670 S. Serjt. J. T. Packard, R.A.M.C.); 1914 Star, with clasp (Hon. Lieut. & Q.M. J. T. Packard, R.A.M.C.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Q.M. & Major J. T. Packard); Army L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (7670 Q.M. Sjt. J. T. Packard, R.A.M.C.); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (J. T. Packard, R.A.M.C.), the earlier awards with contact marks, nearly very fine or better (10) £800-1000

Joseph Thomas Packard was born in February 1869 and enlisted in the Medical Staff Corps in February 1887. Following a spell of duty at Gibraltar, he participated in the Ashanti Expedition 1895-96 (Star), and in operations in the Sudan (Queen’s Medal; Khedive’s Medal); his statement of war services in official Army Lists makes no mention of his entitlement to the ‘Khartoum’ clasp, but it appears that sources at the R.A.M.C. Museum confirm his presence at the battle of Omdurman in September 1898.

A Staff Sergeant by the outbreak of hostilities in South Africa, he subsequently served in the relief of Ladysmith operations, including the actions at Tugela Heights and Laing’s Nek (Queen’s Medal & 5 clasps; King’s Medal & 2 clasps).

Commissioned as a Q.M. & Hon. Lieutenant in November 1913, Packard was embarked for France on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, where he served until returning to the Home Establishment in July 1916. Granted the temporary rank of Q.M. Major in the same month, he went back to France in September 1916, where he had charge of an Advanced Depot of Medical Stores and gained advancement to the substantive rank of Q.M. Captain in July 1917. He was awarded the O.B.E. and four times mentioned in despatches (London Gazettes 22 June 1915, 15 June 1916, 25 May 1918 and 30 December 1918, refer).

Packard was placed on the Retired List as an Hon. Q.M. Major in February 1924, having served latterly in the B.A.O.R., and died, aged 86, in June 1955; sold with brief copied research.