Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (Surg. Capt. H. D. Eccles, N.Z.M.R. 8/Cont.), nearly extremely fine £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Barrett J. Carr Collection of Boer War Medals.

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Horace Dorset Eccles was born in March 1870, the son of Gregory and Anne Eccles, of Southfields, London. Entering Guy’s Hospital in 1888, he qualified in medicine in 1893, following which he practised in Natal, South Africa, prior to migrating to New Zealand and founding a practice in North Island.

He attested for the 8th Contingent and was embarked in the S.S. Surrey in February 1902 and served on the Regimental Staff and served in Orange Free State and the Transvaal.

Eccles later rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the N.Z. Volunteers and commanded the 3rd Battalion of Auckland Mounted Rifle Volunteers, but resigned his commission and was placed on the Reserve of Officer when the Territorial system was adopted in 1911.

After failing to obtain an appointment in the N.Z. Forces on outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, Eccles departed for England in the summer of 1915 and was commissioned as a Captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Subsequently attached as M.O. to the 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, he was killed in action on 26 August 1917, aged 47 years. He was mentioned in despatches a few weeks before his death, the chaplain to his regiment writing that ‘he had the heart of a lion and seemed to know no fear’; sold with copied research and roll confirmation.