The Collection of Medals to the Medical Services formed by Colonel D.G.B. Riddick

The Second World War C.B., C.B.E. and Great War M.C. and Bar group of thirteen to Major-General J. C. A. Dowse, Royal Army Medical Corps, Honorary Surgeon to King George VI, Colonel Commandant of the R.A.M.C. 1951-56

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s neck badges, silver-gilt and enamel, slight enamel damage; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) Commander’s 2nd type neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; Military Cross, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar, unnamed; The Most Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Commander’s neck badge, silver and enamel; 1914-15 Star (Capt., R.A.M.C.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Major); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (Capt., R.A.M.C.) renamed; 1939-45 Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; Coronation 1953; Greece, Royal Order of the Phoenix, Grand Commander’s set of insignia by Spink, London, neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel and breast star, silver and silver-gilt, nearly very fine and better (15) £2200-2600

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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C.B. London Gazette 13 June 1946.

C.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1942.

M.C. London Gazette 14 January 1916.

Bar to M.C. London Gazette 11 January 1919. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. This officer controlled the evacuation of the wounded from the whole of the divisional front under artillery, machine-gun and rifle fire, and their rapid and efficient evacuation was due to his untiring zeal and energy in maintaining constant communications between battalions and field ambulances. He set a splendid example to all ranks’.

M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1916, 20 December 1940.

John Cecil Alexander Dowse was born on 11 November 1891, the son of Rev. J. C. Dowse, Canon of Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin. He was educated at Trent College, Derbyshire, and at Trinity College, Dublin where he gained the M.B., B.Ch. in 1914.

On 5 August 1914 he was commissioned a Lieutenant in the R.A.M.C. and served throughout the war, being mentioned in despatches and awarded the Military Cross and Second Award Bar. After the war Dowse served in India, was awarded the I.G.S. Medal for Afghanistan 1919, and was later stationed in Gibraltar, where he was president of the local branch of the B.M.A., 1934-35. He was a Gynaecologist Specialist at the Louise Margaret Hospital, Aldershot, 1930-32 and 1937-39, and was elected a member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 1933. By the time the Second World War began Dowse had attained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.

His duties took him to France, N. Africa, Italy and Egypt: serving with the B.E.F. in France as O.C. of the Surgery Division 7 General Hospital, 1939-40; C.O. 11 General Hospital, 1940; A.D.M.S. HQ 44 Division, 1940-41; Inspector of Army Medical Services War Office, 1941-43; D.D.M.S. H.Q. 15 Army Group, August-September 1943; D.D.M.S. H.Q. 57 Base Area, 1943-44; D.D.M.S. H.Q. 8th Army, January-May 1944; D.M.S. G.H.Q. M.E.F./M.E.L.F., 1944-46. He was appointed Acting Colonel, February 1940, Temporary Colonel, October 1940, Colonel and Acting Brigadier, October 1941, Temporary Brigadier, April 1942, Acting Major-General, May 1944, Temporary Major-General, May 1945, attaining the rank of Major-General in November 1945. For his services during the war he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the C.B. and C.B.E. Further honours followed, being appointed Honorary Surgeon to the King in 1946 and awarded the Greek Order of the Phoenix in 1948. In 1948 he was appointed Commandant and Director of Studies of the Royal Army Medical College at Millbank and in the following year he retired from the Army. During 1951-56 he was Colonel Commandant of the R.A.M.C. and during 1951-61 he was a Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health, 1951-61. A member of several committees, he was Chairman of the Armed Forces Committee, 1951-57 and Council Member of the British Medical Association, 1950-56. Major-General Dowse died on 16 August 1964. Sold with copied research.