Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Family group:

A ‘Kenya service’ O.B.E. group of nine awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel J. C. Lambkin, Royal Army Medical Corps

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; General Service 1918-62, 3 clasps, Palestine, Palestine 1945-48, Malaya, M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt., R.A.M.C.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Kenya (Lt. Col., R.A.M.C.); Coronation 1953, mounted as worn, some contact marks

A R.R.C. group of six attributed to Margot Lambkin

Royal Red Cross, 1st Class (R.R.C.), G.VI.R., 2nd issue, silver-gilt and enamel, reverse dated, ‘1948’; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, all unnamed, mounted court style as worn, very fine and better (15) £800-900

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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O.B.E. London Gazette 28 August 1956. ‘For distinguished service and devotion to duty as Officer Commanding the British Military Hospital, Nairobi, since December, 1954’.

M.I.D. London Gazette 7 January 1949. ‘... in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Palestine during the period 27th March,1948 to 30th June, 1948’.

John Charles Lambkin was born in Hong Kong on 21 November 1912. He qualified with the M.B., B.Ch. and B.A.O. Dublin, 1937. He entered the Army on a short service commission as a Lieutenant in the R.A.M.C. in October 1937 and was promoted to Captain in January 1939. He was appointed a Captain with a permanent regular army commission in January 1943. Appointed an Acting Major in June 1941 and Temporary Major, September 1941-December 1943, he became a war substantive Major in December 1943. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in November 1952, after several years at that temporary rank. He was an Acting Brigadier, January-February 1960. Lambkin served in Palestine, 1938-39, in Sudan and the Middle East, 1939-42, being Regimental Medical Officer of the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment during 1938-41. Service in India followed, 1942-44, serving as C.O. of 189 Field Ambulance, 1943-44. He then served in N.W. Europe and with the B.A.O.R., 1945-46, as C.O. 164 Field Ambulance. Then with the Middle East Land Forces, 1947-48, he was C.O. of 132 Field Ambulance, 1947, C.O. Gaza Military Hospital, 1947-48 and C.O. Military Hospital Haifa, 1948. For his service in Palestine he was mentioned in despatches. Posted to the Far East Land Forces, 1948-51, he was C.O. 1 Field Ambulance, 1948-49, C.O. British Military Hospital Kowloon, 1949-50 and Senior Medical Officer British Gurkhas India, 1950-51. Lambkin was then appointed C.O. of 29 Field Ambulance, B.A.O.R., 1952-53, then C.O. Military Hospital Wheatley, Oxford, 1953-54. Then in Kenya at the time of the ‘Mau Mau’ troubles, he was C.O. Military Hosptal, Nairobi, 1954-57, for which service he was awarded the O.B.E. His final appointments were as A.D.M.S. H.Q. Scottish Command, 1958-60 and C.O. Military Hospital, Cowglen, 1960-62. Lieutenant-Colonel Lambkin was placed on Retired Pay in November 1962.

Sold with O.B.E. bestowal document and accompanying letter; paper cutting concerning the award; M.I.D. certificate, 7. January 1949; commission document for Lieutenant, 1937; letter of condolence from the Central Chancery, dated 19 January 1983, following the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Lambkin; three wedding photographs, and some copied research. The R.R.C. group of six is attributed to his wife Margot; see lot 715 for her miniature medals.