Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 25002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 232

An outstanding Iraqi Order of Al Rafidain group of five awarded to Major R. D. Firth, Royal Army Medical Corps and Medical Officer to King Faisal and the Iraqi Royal Household

Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Iraq, Kingdom, Order of Al Rafidain, Civil Division, 2nd Class set of Insignia, by Garrard & Co., 24 Albemarle St., London, comprising breast Star, 90mm, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, reverse retaining loop bent, otherwise good very fine; breast Badge, with Iraqi Crown to riband, 60mm including wreath suspension x 46mm, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, in its case of issue, this with damaged hinge; Active Service Medal, bronze, unnamed as issued; King Faisal II Coronation Medal, silver, mounted together as worn where applicable, very fine (5)

Raymond Dixon Firth was born in Beverely, Yorkshire on 12 February 1916 to Harry Firth, who worked as H.M. Inspector of Schools, and his wife Florence Kate Firth. Young Raymond Firth was educated at Malvern College and then moved to London to train at St. George's Hospital, Hyde Park Corner, during which time he was awarded the Hunter Medal. He appears on the 1939 register as a medical student and in spring of 1940 he was appointed House Physician to the King Edward VII Hospital at Windsor.

During the Second World War Firth was posted to Egypt and possibly attached to the Inns of Court Regiment. At some stage he became ill, and his condition was severe enough that he was sent back to England to recover. Upon his recovery, he served in the Royal Army Medical Corps under regimental number 159539, with whom he was advanced Lieutenant on 5 December 1940 and later attained the rank of Major.

After the war Firth was appointed Medical Advisor to the British Military Mission in Iraq and was sent to the British Military Hospital at Baghdad. Whilst in Baghdad he worked under Sir Harry Sinderson, who was Physician to the Iraqi Royal Household, and assumed that position in 1947 after Sir Sinderson's retirement. Firth was also reportedly involved in military operations in Kurdistan in 1946-47, for which he received Iraq's Active Service Medal. The 2nd Class Order of Al Rafidain was awarded to Firth in person by the Regent Abdulillah in 1951.

By his own telling, Firth was a close family friend of the Iraq royal family. When the young Faisal II went to England to study at Harrow School, he was appointed the boy's guardian. After the assassination of Faisal and the royal family in Baghdad on 14 July 1958, Firth took it upon himself to represent the family's interests in the United Kingdom and took steps to prevent the family's English properties from falling into the hands of the new Iraqi government. He successfully kept their home Stanwell Place in Middlesex from coming under the control of the Iraq Embassy, and organised a sale of the home and its contents with proceeds going to benefit Faisal's surviving relatives; four exiled aunts.

The sale was reported in The Daily Herald's issue of 9 September 1959, featuring quotes from Firth. The Doctor recalled:

'The royal family took a liking to me and asked for me to be attached to the palace as their personal doctor. Feisal was a boy then. As time went by I became a friend as well as a medical advisor. I often stayed at the palace… It is not unusual that I should jump into the breach when I realised after the revolution that the place would pass into the hands of the new regime…There is no one else in Britian to fight for [Faisal's] dependants - four aunts - so I'm going to take any further legal action necessary'.

The month of the royal family's assassination Firth also helped to organise a memorial service on 30 July at the Chapel Royal Savoy, so selected as it is Chapel of the Royal Victorian Order of which the assassinated king had been an honorary Knight Grand Cross. Firth continued to work as a medical doctor and later died on 18 September 2005, until which point he had been living at Hessle, Yorkshire; sold together with copied research including newspaper advertisements as well as a note written by Dr. Firth about these awards.

For the table medallion and pocket watch owned by Dr. Firth, please see Lots 234 and 233, respectively.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£3,000

Starting price
£800