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Auction: 21001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals (conducted behind closed doors)
Lot: 351

The O.B.E. group of six awarded to Dr M. H. Webster, Rhodesian Secretary for Health, late Colonel, Royal Army Medical Corps

Rhodesia, Commemoration of Independence Medal (M. H. Webster); The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Civil Division, 2nd Type Officer's (O.B.E.) breast Badge, silver-gilt; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Defence and War Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf, mounted court-style as worn, good very fine (6)

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1960. A citation published in The Rhodesia Herald on 28 August 1974 states:

'Dr Webster laid the foundations of the first-rate health service provided at Kariba. The results of his work are reflected in the low incidence of disease which has contributed in a large measure to the success of the project.'

Maurice Holland Webster - often known as Mark - was born on 6 September 1914 at Banff, Scotland and was educated at Banff Academy and graduated M.B. Ch.B. in 1936 from Aberdeen University. He soon found himself drafted into the Royal Army Medical Corps and was appointed Colonel at the age of just 31, the youngest in that Corps. During the Second World War he served in Norway, the Western Desert and Malta, besides having the job of hunting down the cause of a mystery disease which was killing scores of Tongo tribesmen in the Seungwe. Having served with Dr Blair in the Western Desert and Palestine during the Second World War, it was an easy choice when he was offered a colonial posting to either New Zealand or Rhodesia after the War.

He spent many happy years in Rhodesia and served as Health Secretary for some 11 years, retiring in 1974 married and with four daughters all of whom he managed to marry off. He is known to have stated: '....being father of the bride is an expensive business'! Webster was studying for his law exams upon his retirement from office; sold with a newspaper cutting related to his retirement.

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Sold for
£380

Starting price
£110