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

David Riddick

David George Bushman Riddick, born on 23 November 1921, began collecting medals as long ago as 1944. His inspiration for this came from visits at an early age to an uncle who had been awarded the K.C.B. and other Indian medals. At first David collected medals of all types, but in 1960 he decided henceforward to concentrate his energies towards the awards to officers and other ranks in the medical profession.

Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, David joined the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1948 and became a specialist anaesthetist, rising to the rank of Colonel. During his 28 years of service in the R.A.M.C. he travelled to many countries, either on normal postings or on short time duty, including Egypt, Kenya, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, British Guiana, Australia and Germany. David finished his army career as Director of Medical Services in Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (S.H.A.P.E.), the central command of N.A.T.O. military forces, at Casteau, near Mons, Belgium, retiring in 1976.

The Riddick collection of medals to the medical services is one of the foremost of its kind, as will be seen by perusing the following pages. This first part, of 118 lots, spans the period from the Napoleonic Wars to the Second Afghan War. The second part of the collection will be offered by DNW on 6 December.