Orders, Decorations and Medals

A K.C.I.E., C.B., C.M.G. group of thirteen awarded to Major-General Sir Patrick Hehir, Indian Medical Service, Principal Medical Officer at the siege of Kut

The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, K.C.I.E., Knight Commander’s set of insignia, neck badge, gold and enamel; breast star, silver, gold and enamel; The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s neck badge conversion from a breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel; The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s neck badge conversion from a breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel; Order of St. John, Knight of Grace set of insignia, neck badge, 57mm. and breast star, 74mm., silver and enamel; India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1885-7 (Surg. Indn. Medl. Service); India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (Major, I.M.S.); 1914-15 Star (Colonel, I.M.S.); British War and Victory Medals (Maj. Gen. Sir P. Hehir); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (Maj-Genl., I.M.S.); Delhi Durbar 1903, unnamed; Delhi Durbar 1911, unnamed; Order of St. John Life Saving Medal, 2nd type, silver (Maj. P. Hehir, I.M.S.), medals mounted court style as worn, in leather case, slight edge bruising and contact marks, generally good very fine (15) £4500-5500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to the Medical Services formed by Colonel D.G.B. Riddick.

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Patrick Hehir was born on 17 May 1859, the son of Robert Martin Hehir of Ennis, Co. Clare. Educated at Calcutta and Edinburgh University and Guy’s Hospital, he gained L.S.A. 1883, M.D. and D.Ch. Brux. 1883, L.R.C.S. Ed. 1883, L.R.C.P. Ed. 1885, M.R.C.S. 1885, F.R.C.S. Ed. 1885, S.S.C. Cantab. 1886, D.T.M. Liverpool 1904, M.R.C.P. Ed. 1905, F.R.C.P. Ed. 1908 and D.P.H. Camb. Hehir was appointed Surgeon with the Indian Medical Service in April 1886 and Surgeon-Major in April 1898 and saw service in Burma 1886-87 and on the N.W. Frontier 1897-98. Awarded the Order of St. John Life Saving Medal in 1905, he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in April 1906 and Colonel in March 1912. During the years 1912-13 he was Assistant Director of Medical Services (A.D.M.S.) in the Burma and Poona Divisions. In the Great War, serving in Mesopotamia, he took part in the advance on Kut, the battle of Ctesiphon and the defence of Kut as Principal Medical Officer of General Townsend’s force. Taken prisoner at Kut, he remained a prisoner of the Turks in Baghdad during 1916. The following year he served as A.D.M.S. in the 2nd Waziristan campaign and during 1917-18 was Deputy Director of Medical Services (D.D.M.S.) for the Northern Army in India. For his notable wartime services he was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 5 April 1916 [twice mentioned], 13 July 1916, 19 October 1916 and 18 May 1918) and awarded the C.B. 1915, C.M.G. 1917 and C.I.E. 1918. Again for his services he received a special promotion in March 1918 to that of Surgeon-General, afterwards gazetted as Major-General. Serving on the N.W. Frontier of India and Afghanistan during 1919, he was the D.D.M.S. for the N.W. Frontier Force and was granted the K.C.I.E. for his services in that campaign. Though he retired from the I.M.S. in December 1919, he served as Medical Advisor to the British Red Cross Society’s Mission for Greek refugees in 1923. An author of several medical papers during his august medical career, Sir Patrick Hehir died on 1 May 1937. Sold with some copied research.