Abyssinia 1867 (Staff Surgn. Major W. Deeble, Medl. Staff) initial corrected, otherwise good very fine £300-350

William Deeble was born in Cork on 1 August 1823, and was appointed Assistant Surgeon to the 56th Foot on 27 October 1846. He became Surgeon in the same regiment in January 1855 and served with the 56th in the Crimea. He became Surgeon Major in October 1866 and served on the Staff of the Medical Department in the Abyssinian campaign in 1867. He died on service in Abyssinia on 20 April 1868.

Deeble’s widow, Mrs. J. C. Deeble, was Lady Superintendent of Nurses, Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, from November 1869 until November 1889, and was decorated with the Royal Red Cross on 24 May 1883. Her medals, including the Zulu War Medal, were sold at Sotheby’s in November 1984 as part of the collection of Nursing Medals formed by the late Captain K. J. Douglas-Morris, R.N. Their son became Surgeon Lieutenant-Colonel of the 1st Life Guards.