Orders, Decorations and Medals

Seven: Surgeon Captain R. H. J. Browne, O.B.E., Royal Navy

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge; China 1900, 2 clasps, Taku Forts, Relief of Pekin (St. Surgn. R. H. J. Browne, R.N., H.M.S. Alacrity); 1914-15 Star (Ft. Surg. R. H. J. Browne, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Surg. Commr. R. H. J. Browne, R.N.); Coronation 1902, silver; U.S.A., Military Order of the Dragon (Robley H. J. Browne Royal Navy No. 1355) complete with original ribbon and pagoda top suspension brooch, good very fine and rare (7) £3000-3500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A fine collection of awards for the Boxer Rebellion 1900.

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Collection

42 medals with two clasps issued to this ship.

Only 22 British Naval and Marine officers became members of the American Military Order of the Dragon.

O.B.E. (Military) London Gazette 21 June 1919: ‘For valuable services as Principal Medical Officer on the staff of Vice-Admiral Commanding the Battle Cruiser Force.’

Robley Henry John Browne joined the Royal Navy as a Surgeon on 21 February 1890. He served as Surgeon of Alacrity during the operations in North China, 1900, being present at the storming and capture of the Taku Forts (Despatches, China Medal, Taku clasp); he was afterwards present at the relief of the Tientsin Settlement and the subsequent relief of Sir E. Seymour’s column at Hsiku (Relief of Pekin clasp). Browne was promoted to Staff Surgeon for services in China and was presented with his China medal by the King on 8 March 1902.

Browne was mentioned in Commander Craddock’s despatch of 5 October 1900 to Rear-Admiral J. Bruce: ‘Surgeon Browne, H.M.S. Alacrity, was quick in his aid and assiduous in his attention to the wounded.’

He was also mentioned in Major Littleton W. T. Waller’s despatch for the relief of Tientsin to Brigadier-General Commandant U.S. Marine Corps, Washington D.C., where he stated: ‘I have also to ask that you urge the Department to thank the British surgeons for their care on the field and in hospital of our wounded; especially do I wish to recommend to the Department’s notice the services of Robley H. J. Browne, R.N., H.M.S. Alacrity. So sure was his service and search of the field that we were enabled to get all rifles on the firing line with sure knowledge that the dead and wounded would be attended to. We had no surgeon or medical supplies.’

Robley Browne served throughout the Great War and was placed on the retired list with the rank of Surgeon Captain on 1 June 1919.