The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Cape Colony (Surgeon H. L. Penny, R.N.) toned, nearly extremely fine

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals.

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Herbert Penny was born on 13 January 1867. Having qualified as a Surgeon he joined the service in the rank of Surgeon on 11 November 1891 at the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar. His first Commission as sea was aboard H.M.S. FIREBRAND which he joined in February 1894. He served in this vessel for three years on the China Station and was landed for duty on shore during the Hong Kong plague from 14 May to 8 October 1894. A proclamation having been issued declaring Hong Kong to be an infected port, with dire consequences to the commercial community, a Permanent Committee answerable to the Sanitary Board (PCSB) was instructed to make proposals to alleviate the emergency. Its three members Mr May, Captain Superintendent of Police, Dr Ayres, and Mr J. J. Francis, were later joined by Dr J. A. Lowson, Surgeon H. L. Penny (loaned from Firebrand), and Surgeon Major H. E. R. James. Surgeon Penny was officially thanked by the Government of Hong Kong for his services during the plague and recommended for the Albert Medal in the following terms:

“Surgeon Herbert L. Penny R.N. (serving as an Additional Officer aboard Firebrand on the China Station) ) was in charge of the Kennedy Town Plague Hospital, he also assisted in the supervision of the Chinese Plague Hospitals at the Glass Works [a factory recently built but not yet fitted out] and the Cattle Depot - and in general assistance to the Medical Department wherever required during his volunteer duty for over three months..... [with two other Doctors] Surgeon Penny is recommended to Her Majesty the Queen for the award of the Albert Medal ...” (Ref Letter dated 13 November 1895 from Dr P. B. C. Ayres, C.M.G., Colonial Surgeon and Inspector of Hospitals, Hong Kong, to Joseph Chamberlain, M.P., Secretary of State for the Colonies.)

Chamberlain wrote in response to the above letter on 21 November, via the Governor to Dr Ayres, pointing out that the services of the Medical Staff had already been recognised in despatches from the Secretary of State, and that “... the Royal Albert Medal was established for acts of a totally different character from these to which you draw attention ... but he further wishes that whilst declining to further consider the question of honours and rewards, he must be taken not to have failed to appreciate the toil and anxiety and the risk which was cheerfully undergone ...”

Whilst loaned for service aboard the SS KINKIANG (8 November to 7 December 1895) he received from the Chinese Emperor the Imperial Order of the Double Dragon, 3rd Class, in recognition of his services during the Chinese-Japanese war of 1895. He was also mentioned in despatches by the Commander-in-Chief, China, for good services during the Hostilities between China and Japan in 1895. On the paying off of FIREBRAND he was discharged to shore on half pay on 24 May 1897.

He was next appointed to the Royal Naval Hospital Cape Town, South Africa, on 28 November 1898, and promoted to Acting Staff Surgeon on 11 November 1899. He served at the Naval Hospital, Cape Town until 26 December 1901. He was confirmed in the rank of Staff Surgeon on 9 October 1903 whilst serving at EXCELLENT which he had joined on 21 August 1902. His seniority in the rank was however backdated to 11 November 1899. He served aboard ARGONAUT (June 1905) and CORNWALLIS (1906) and was then appointed to the Royal Naval Hospital Chatham (September 1907). He was promoted to Fleet Surgeon on 11 November 1907, and became the Senior Medical Officer aboard H.M. Hospital Ship MAINE from 14 August 1909 until 14 June 1912.

He spent almost the entire First World War period as Senior Naval Medical Officer (Fleet Surgeon) aboard H.M. Hospital Ships, firstly aboard DELTA commencing 6 August 1914, transferring to CHINA on 10 June 1915. It is probable that some casualties brought home after the Battle of Jutland were transferred for treatment to H.M.H.S. CHINA whilst lying in the Firth of Forth. He continued to serve in Hospital Ships for the duration of the war, his services being recognised by the award of the O.B.E. (Military) London Gazette 1 January 1919.

On 26 April 1918 as a Surgeon Commander he aided the administration of Larbert Royal Naval Hospital with the acting rank of Acting Deputy Surgeon General. After serving short periods aboard LION (1919) and HOOD (1920), his promotion to Surgeon Captain was announced to date from 13 August 1920. He retired as a Surgeon Rear Admiral on 13 January 1923, and died on 18 July 1945.