Orders, Decorations and Medals

The rare and unusual group of six to Dr W. H. B. MacDonald, Principal Medical Officer in the Imperial British East Africa Company

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Witu 1890 (Dr., British E. Africa Co.); East and West Africa 1887-1900, for Mwele 1895, unnamed; East and Central Africa 1897-99, 1 clasp, Uganda 1897-98 (Dr.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 2 clasps, Uganda 1900, Jubaland (Doctor, E. Afr. Prot.); Imperial British East Africa Company Medal 1888-95, unnamed, swivel ring suspension; Zanzibar, Order of the Brilliant Star, 2nd Class breast star, 89mm., silver, silver-gilt and enamel, catch missing, in Elkington, London case of issue, minor enamel damage, good very fine and better (6) £3000-3500

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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Walter Halliburton Babington MacDonald was born at Fort William, Scotland. Studying Medicine, he gained the L.R.C.P., L.R.S. (Edinburgh) and L.F.P.S. (Glasgow, 1888), and was a Medallist in Chemistry and in Medical Jurispudence. A former Surgeon Major in the Indian Medical Service, he was Acting Consul-General at Zanzibar, 1888. He was appointed Principal Medical Officer in the Imperial British East Africa Company in 1889, based in Mombasa. He served with I.B.E.A. Co. forces in the Witu expedition of 1890 and was P.M.O. in the operations against Mbaruk in 1895. He was present at the bombardment of Zanzibar in 1896 and received the thanks of the Sultan, was presented with a sword (1896) and received the Order of the Brilliant Star (1898). MacDonald was present in the operations in Uganda during 1897-98 and was Medical Officer of the Anglo-German Boundary Commission of 1898. He was involved in the operations in Nandi country during 1900 and in operations against the Ogaden Somalis during 1900-01. Following his services in combatting the plague which had broken out in Nairobi in 1902, he received a letter of thanks from the Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.