Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The mounted group of five miniature dress medals attributed to Surgeon Major J. F. Lougheed, Army Medical Department, Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue; China 1857-60, 2 clasps, Canton 1857, Taku Forts 1860; China, Empire, Gold Medal of Merit, 24mm., gold with blue glass centre stone, with chain and lotus flower pendalia; Turkey, Order of the Medjidie, silver, silver-gilt and enamel; Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol, mounted as worn (in this order) from a silver buckle, first and last ribbons fragmentary, very fine and rare combination (5) £700-900

Joseph Fletcher Lougheed was born in 1831 and entered the British Army as an Assistant Surgeon to the Staff on 15 August 1854. He served in the Crimean Campaign in medical charge of the Royal Engineers during the Winter of 1854-55 and was present in the trenches with the Royal Artillery during the two final bombardments of Sebastopol. For his services he was specially mentioned and recommended for promotion in Sir Harry Jones’ Despatch of 16 September 1855 and was awarded the Turkish Order of the Medjidie. He was appointed Assistant Surgeon with the Royal Artillery in January 1857 and went on to see service in the China War of 1857-60. Appointed to the Staff in November 1863, he attained the rank of Surgeon Major on 9 March 1867 and retired on half pay on 24 June 1875. He died at Colinton, Midlothian on 20 October 1876.

The rare Chinese Gold Medal of Merit was authorised by Imperial Decree in 1862. Initial awards were made to foreign officers serving in the ‘Ever Victorious’, ‘Ever Secure’ and other Imperial armies in action against the Taiping rebels.