Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An exchange George Cross for Malabar 1921-22 awarded to Assistant Surgeon George David Rodriques, Indian Medical Department

George Cross, reverse officially engraved (Asst. Surgeon 3rd Cl. George David Rodriques, Indian Medical Dept., 2nd June, 1923), in its Royal Mint case of issue, about extremely fine £4000-5000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to the Medical Services formed by Colonel D.G.B. Riddick.

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Collection

Ex D.N.W. 5 November 1991, lot 259.

George David Rodriques was born on 1 March 1892. He joined the Indian Medical Department as an Assistant Surgeon 4th Class on 20 April 1914 and was advanced to Assistant Surgeon 3rd Class in April 1921.

Rodriques was awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal, announced in the London Gazette on 2 June, 1923. The award was for services rendered in connection with military operations in Malabar 1921-22 and was given also to four men of the Dorsershire Regiment for similar services. The 2nd Battalion of the Dorsershire Regiment was stationed at Belgaum in India when the Moplah rebellion started. These fanatical Moslems had long been a trouble to the British. In the thick forest country, armed with every sort of weapon from stolen rifles and shotguns to swords and spears, they were formidable fighters at close quarters. It was in one of these hand-to-hand encounters that these men won their E.G.M. 's. (Ref. The Story of the George Cross by Sir John Smyth). All five subsequently had their awards exchanged for the George Cross. Sold with copied research on the recipient and campaign.