Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Nigeria, reverse inscribed, ‘Lieut. H. L. McCullagh, The Nigeria Regiment’, good very fine, scarce
£200-250

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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Harry Lee McCullagh was born on 25 July 1903 and was educated at the Cambridge and County High School and Christ’s College, Cambridge. After university he entered service in the Colonial Office, being appointed a Cadet in the Administrative Service on 2 September 1925. He entered Nigeria on 17 September 1925 and assumed duty at Ondo as an Acting Assistant District Officer. He was subsequently an Assistant District Officer in Ijebu Province, Ibadan, and Oyo. In 1937 he became District Officer to Ijebu Province. Soon after its formation in 1930, he joined the European Reserve Force of the Nigeria Regiment, and was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant on 28 April 1930. He was promoted Lieutenant in that reserve in April 1933 and attained the rank of Major in February 1935. He was also appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the King’s Yorkshire Light Infantry on the Regular Army Reserve of Officers in August 1930. During the course of the War he became a War Substantive Lieutenant. For his services he was awarded the Africa Star; Defence and War Medals. He relinquished his commission, being granted the honorary rank of Captain, on 28 May 1948. Major McCullagh was awarded the Efficiency Decoration (Nigeria), this being published in the Nigeria Gazette of 17 December 1942. He left the Nigerian Service on 24 June 1945 being invalided on a pensionThe Efficiency Decoration (Nigeria) to McCullagh is featured in The Efficiency Decoration, by J. M. A. Tamplin. In that publication 62 Efficiency Decorations (Nigeria) are listed, gazetted between the years 1936 and 1959.

Sold with copied research.