Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 11010 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 4

A Fine ´Ashantee 1873-74´ C.B. Group of Three to Staff Surgeon, Later Inspector-General of Hospitals, H. Fegan, Senior Medical Officer In Charge of the Naval Brigade During The War, and Also Mentioned in Despatches For Bringing In A Wounded Marine under Heavy Fire a) The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Military Division, Companion´s (C.B.) breast Badge, gold (Hallmarks for London 1886) and enamel, complete with swivel-ring straight suspension and integral gold riband buckle b) China 1857-60, no clasp, unnamed as issued c) Ashantee 1873-74, one clasp, Coomassie (H. Fegan. M.D. Staff Surgn. 2nd Cl. R.N. H.M.S. Active. 73-74), good very fine (3) Estimate £ 2,000-2,500 Henry Fegan was appointed Assistant Surgeon, Royal Navy, June 1856; served in China, 1857-61, at the R.N. Hospital, Hong Kong, and was specially recommended for promotion by the Commander-in-Chief (Medal); in China in 1868, he was Surgeon in H.M.S. Rodney and in medical charge of the Naval Brigade at the occupation of Yang-Chow in November (Mentioned in Despatches); served as Staff Surgeon in H.M.S. Active during the Ashantee war of 1873-74, and was in medical charge of the Naval Brigade, being present at the action at Essaman, 14.10.1873, the action at Borborassie, 19.1.1874, and the action at Amoaful on 31.1.1874; at the last action, ´Dr Fegan had a close shave. He wore a tie fastened with a broad ring. Just after attending Colonel Wood, who came in with a slug in his chest, Dr Fegan advanced from the shade of a tree where the wounded lay, to chat with us. Suddenly he staggered, and at the same moment his ring went spinning down his waistcoat. A slug had struck it and glanced off. The ring save his life.´; Fegan was praised for his services at Becquah and at the ´Dah´ when he brought in a wounded marine under heavy fire (London Gazette 7 March 1874); he was also specially praised by Commodore Hewett, Captain Grubbe, Sir G. Wolseley and the Principal Medical Officer for ´devoted and fearless performance of his duties in the field, and for his excellent arrangements for the comfort and care of the wounded ashore, especially his unremitting care day and night, with conduct which has been beyond praise´ (London Gazette 23.3.1874); in recognition of his services during the war Fegan was awarded the C.B. and specially promoted to Fleet Surgeon; during 1875 he was Senior Medical Officer of the expedition to the Congo (Mentioned in Despatches); he was later in Medical Charge of the Naval Hospital at Jamaica, 1880-84; the Commodore at Jamaica reported to the Admiralty Dr Fegan´s very praiseworthy services during the epidemic of Yellow Fever in 1882 when D.I.H. of Jamaica Hospital. ´My Lords have expressed their great satisfaction at the display of zeal and devotion to duty which they manifested´ ; Fegan was promoted to Inspector-General of Hospitals and Fleets on 29 October 1886, and retired the following March.

Sold for
£2,500