Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An outstanding Afghanistan 1878-80 Medal awarded to Surgeon-Major (afterwards Deputy Surgeon-General) C. H. Harvey, who was attached to ‘E’ Battery, ‘B’ Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery at Maiwand on 27 July 1880: during the ensuing retreat to Kandahar, Harvey’s actions came to the notice of Major Ashe, who described how his ‘conspicuous gallantry’ was responsible for saving many lives

Afghanistan 1878-80, 1 clasp, Kandahar (Surgn. Maj. C. H. Harvey, E. Batt: B. Bde. R.H.A.), good very fine £2400-2800

Charles Hamilton Harvey was born in Islington, London in September 1836 and was appointed an Assistant Surgeon in the Army Medical Department in March 1861. He saw service with the 3rd Hussars from November 1868 and was promoted Surgeon-Major in April 1875.

Having then transferred to ‘E’ Battery, ‘B’ Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery, he witnessed active service in the Second Afghan War, being present in the action at Maiwand on 27 July 1880, and in the hotly contested retreat to Kandahar (Medal & clasp; mention in despatches).

At Maiwand and during the subsequent retreat to Kandahar, ‘E’ Battery, ‘B’ Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery played a most conspicuous role. It suffered as a consequence two officers and 19 other ranks killed, and two officers and 14 other ranks wounded, gaining in the process two Victoria Crosses and eight Distinguished Conduct Medals.

Major Ashe, in his Personal Records of the Kandahar Campaign (London, 1881), mentions Harvey as one of four officers who particularly distinguished themselves during the closing stages of the retreat to Kandahar, after the defeat at Maiwand: ‘Dr. Harvey, Dr. Eaton, Major River and Colonel St. John (whose horse was here shot under him), all distinguished themselves by conspicuous gallantry, saving many lives at the risk of their own.’

After the retreat to Kandahar, ‘E’ Battery lent valuable service during the subsequent siege, three of its guns being mounted on the Herat facing wall, and one on the Idgah Gate.

Harvey went on to witness further active service in Egypt and the Sudan, being present in the 1882 and Nile 1884-85 operations, when he was specially promoted to Brigade Surgeon and served as Principal Medical Officer of the River Column. He was present at the action of Kirbekan (Medal & 3 clasps; Khedive’s Star; twice mentioned in despatches).

He was placed on the Retired List with the honorary rank of Deputy Surgeon-General in February 1886; sold with copied research.