A Collection of Medals for the Ashantee War 1873-74

Pair: Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals and Fleets Leonard Lucas, Royal Navy

Ashantee 1873-74, no clasp (L. Lucas, Staff Surgn. 2nd Cl. R.N. H.M.S. Argus. 73-74); South Africa 1877-79, no clasp (L. Lucas, Staff Surgn. R.N. H.M.S. “Tamar”) both medals fitted with contemporary ribbon buckles, toned, good very fine (2) £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals for the Ashantee War 1873-74.

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Leonard Lucas entered the Royal Navy as a Surgeon in September 1857, gaining advancement to Staff Surgeon in July 1868 and to Fleet Surgeon in May 1879. As Surgeon of Argus he served in the Ashantee campaign and was wounded in the attack on Tacorady on 14 October 1873 (London Gazette October 1873). He went on to witness further active service as Staff Surgeon of Tamar during the war against the Zulus in South Africa, 1877-79. Placed on the Retired List as a Deputy Inspector-General in April 1881, Lucas met an unfortunate end on the main railway line between Gaerwen and Bodorgan, Anglesea, in early 1898, as recorded in The Times.

‘It was ascertained that he awoke after the train passed Bangor, and had a chat with the attendant, to whom he remarked that he would not cross the Channel as the sea was very rough, but would break the journey at Holyhead and go off by the first train to Liverpool to attend the Grand National Steeplechase. The attendant then went away, but soon missed him, and, finding the door open at the end of the carriage, pulled the communication cord, and the train was brought to a standstill. When his body was seen on the line he was wearing his gold watch and chain, and had 60 pounds in gold and notes in his pocket. It is thought that he mistook the door of the carriage for that of the lavatory, the train going at such a speed against a wind that the door blew open and he fell out.