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‘We in Secunderabad were lucky to have some of the best men in the Indian Medical Service as the head of this hospital, and Colonel MacGregor was one of the finest type. Loved and respected by all, rich and poor, he was extremely kind to the poor patients, and sometimes would help them with money from his own pocket. He would go round the hospital every day except on Sundays and see every patient, even though it was a 250-bedded hospital. He was lovingly called “The Padre” by very many poor patients. Britain taught many noble things to India: among them were punctuality, discipline, sincerity in one’s work, sympathy, kindness and courteousness. If men like Colonel MacGregor succeeded in teaching such principles as these they should feel happy.’
Dr. T. D. Rajoo, British Medical Journal, October 1960.
An inter-war C.I.E., O. St. J., Great War Mesopotamia operations M.C. group of eight awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel R. F. D. MacGregor, latterly Deputy Director-General of the Indian Medical Service
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, C.I.E., Companion’s 3rd type neck badge, gold and enamel; The Most Venerable Order of St. John, O. St. J., Officer’s breast badge, silver and enamel; Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914 Star, with clasp (Capt. R. F. D. MacGregor, I.M.S.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Maj. R. F. D. MacGregor); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, mounted as worn where applicable, together with Edinburgh University Medical School Medals for Junior Practical Anatomy 1905, bronze, engraved to ‘R. E. D. MacGregor’, and another, similarly engraved, for Practical Histology 1905, good very fine or better (10) £1800-2200
C.I.E. London Gazette 8 June 1939.
M.C. London Gazette 22 December 1916:
‘For distinguished service in the Field Mesopotamia.’
Robert Forrester Douglas MacGregor, who was born in Edinburgh in January 1885, was educated at George Watson’s College and Merchiston Castle School, prior to entering Edinburgh University as a medical student. Qualifying in 1908, he served as Assistant Medical Officer at Stirllng District Asylum before entering the Indian Medical Service as a Surgeon Lieutenant in January 1910.
A Captain by the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he arrived in France in late October and served in No. 128 Indian Field Ambulance in the Meerut Division until February 1915, more often than not at Advanced Dressing Stations and regularly under fire - a chapter of active service vividly recorded in his detailed diary (see below).
Next embarked for Mesopotamia, he went on to win the M.C. and gain four “mentions”, namely in Lieutenant-General Sir Percy Lake’s despatch, dated 24 August 1916, Lieutenant-General Sir F. S. Maude’s despatch, dated 2 November 1917, Lieutenant-General W. R. Marshall’s despatch, dated 18 April 1918 and General Sir E. H. H. Allenby’s despatch dated 5 March 1919, the latter, of course, for services in Palestine.
Post-war, he was advanced to Major in July 1921 and to Lieutenant-Colonel in July 1929, in which latter year he was also appointed Chief Medical Officer in Baluchistan, while in 1931-33 he held the corresponding post in Central India. But, as illustrated by the above testimonial, his happiest appointment would appear to have been his time as Residency Surgeon ay Hyderabad in 1933-39, work that resulted in his award of the C.I.E.
MacGregor, whose final appointment was as Deputy Director-General of the Indian Medical Service in the 1939-45 War, died in Edinburgh in June 1960.
Sold with the recipient’s original diary covering active service in France in the period October 1914 until February 1915, the detailed entries constituting an important primary source of research into an Indian Field Ambulance at work with the B.E.F. in 1914-15, and a typed report of Medical Affairs in Afghanistan, in original forwarding envelope to MacGregor with several wax seals of the British Legation in Kabul.
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