Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War C.B., C.M.G. group of nine awarded to Major-General S. MacDonald, Royal Army Medical Corps, who was also mentioned in despatches on five occasions

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels; India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (Surgn. Captn. S. MacDonald, A.M.S.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Orange Free State, South Africa 1902 (Major S. MacDonald, R.A.M.C.); 1914 Star (Lt. Col. S. MacDonald, R.A.M.C.); British War and Victory Medals, with small M.I.D. oak leaf (Col. S. MacDonald); Coronation 1911; French Croix de Guerre, 1914-1916, good very fine (9) £1800-2200

C.B. London Gazette 3 June 1918.

C.M.G. London Gazette 14 January 1916.

Stuart Macdonald was born at Elgin on 14 April 1861, educated at Elgin Academy and Aberdeen University, and qualified as M.B. at Aberdeen in 1884.

Appointed a Surgeon in the Army Medical Service in February 1887, he first witnessed active service in the Punjab Frontier operations of 1897-98 (Medal & clasp), and was advanced to Major in February 1899. Next actively employed in South Africa, where he served at No. 14 General Hospital at Newcastle in 1902 (Medal & 2 clasps), he was serving as a Lieutenant-Colonel by the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914.

Quickly embarked for France, he commanded No. 1 General Hospital from October 1914 until April 1915, in which capacity he was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 17 February 1915, refers). And for his subsequent services on the Staff as Assistant Director of Medical Services to 1 Division, April 1915 to November 1916, he was awarded the C.M.G. and another “mention” (London Gazette 1 January 1916, refers). His final appointment in France was as Deputy Director of Medical Services, November 1916 to April 1918, in which capacity he was awarded the C.B. and three further “mentions” (London Gazettes 4 January 1917, 24 December 1917, and 25 May 1918, refer), in addition to the French Croix de Guerre.

Returning home to take up appointment as an Honorary Physician to H.M. the King, MacDonald was placed on the Retired List in 1920 and died in May 1939; sold with copied research.