Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Surgeon R. Lesly, Army Medical Department, who died of enteric near Suakin in May 1885

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, 1 clasp, The Nile 1884-85 (Surgeon R. Lesly, Med. Staff); Khedive’s Star 1884-86, unnamed as issued, edge bruise to first, otherwise good very fine or better (2) £400-£500

Robert Lesly was born Robert Sole at St. Neots, Huntingdonshire, in October 1855, and, given the rather unfortunate combination of initial and surname, subsequently changed his surname to Lesly, practicing medicine in London prior to entering the Army Medical Department as a Surgeon in February 1884. Family sources state that he was present in the abortive expeditions under General Sir Hubert Stewart and General Sir Charles Wilson. He may, too, have served at the base hospital at Suakin, and indeed aboard the hospital ships Bulumba and Ganges. More certain is the fact he died of enteric fever at Fatmeh, near Suakin, on 21 May 1885.

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