British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The important Boxer Rebellion C.B. group of five awarded to Colonel J. T. B. Bookey, Indian Medical Service, Principal Medical Officer, China Expeditionary Force, Hon. Surgeon to the Viceroy

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels, complete with ribbon buckle; India General Service 1854-95, 6 clasps, Jowaki 1877-8, Burma 1885-7, Burma 1887-89, Hazara 1888, Samana 1891, Waziristan 1894-95 (Surgeon J. I. Bookey, 6th Punjab Infantry); India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (Lieut. Col. J. T. B. Bookey, I.M.S.); China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (Coll. J. T. B. Bookey, I.M.S.); U.S.A., Military Order of the Dragon (Col. John T. B. Bookey I.M.S. No. 642) complete with Pagoda top suspension brooch and original ribbon, the first four mounted as worn but ribbons frayed; together with his Punjab Frontier Force shoulder belt plate, white metal, 5th Punjab Infantry pattern but central numeral altered to ‘6’, four screw fittings to reverse, top clasp carriages of campaign medals sometime neatly soldered together to facilitate mounting, generally good very fine (6) £2500-3000

John Thomas Brownrigg Bookey was born at Carnew, Co. Wicklow, on 10 December 1847, and educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He qualified L.R.C.P. Edin. and L.R.C.S.I. in 1871, and joined the Indian Medical Service as Assistant Surgeon on 30 March 1872. He served with the Punjab Frontier Force from 1873 to 1900, and was appointed Principal Medical Officer, Presidency District, in May 1900. He saw considerable service on the North West Frontier, taking part in the following expeditions: Jowaki 1877-78 (Medal with Clasp); Mahsud Waziri Expedition 1881; Burmese Expedition 1886-87 (Despatches London Gazette 2 September 1887; 2 Clasps); Hazara Expedition 1888 (Despatches GGO 978 of 1888; Clasp); Second Miranzai Expedition 1891 (Despatches London Gazette 15 September 1891; Clasp); Waziristan Expedition 1894-95 (Despatches London Gazette 2 July 1895; Clasp); Malakand Field Force 1897; Tirah 1897-98 (Despatches London Gazette 5 November 1897; 2 Clasps); China 1900, Principal Medical Officer, China Expeditionary Force (Despatches London Gazette 14 May 1901; Medal with Clasp; C.B.); North West Frontier of India 1902, operations against the Darwesh Khel Waziris (Despatches London Gazette 5 June 1903).

Bookey, who was promoted to Colonel in May 1900, was made a C.B. in November of the same year for his services as Principal Medical Officer of the China Expeditionary Force. He retired in June 1905 and died at Bournemouth on 19 November 1921.