Lot 2108

Description

New Zealand Medal, undated. 456 R Speck A H Corps. Impressed. Very fine.

Ex Horne Collection (Christchurch) 2001. Medals to the Army Hospital Corps are the rarest of all Corps issues for the New Zealand wars. Of the approximately 60 issued less than six are known. The Army Hospital Corps was sent to New Zealand from 1861. Detachments were based at Auckland but then seconded to Infantry Regiments. They also manned the Military Hospitals established at Auckland, New Plymouth, Napier and Wanganui as well as smaller facilities at the front, for example Tauranga after Gate Pa. The New Zealand Wars were the first conflicts where wounded from various regiments were treated at one facility. Prior to this soldiers were cared for by their own Regiment's medical personnel. Private Speck served in New Zealand with the Army Hospital Corps from 1862 to 1867. He was attached to the 12th Regiment of Foot in the Waikato and was responsible for the military hospital established at Queen's Redoubt, Pokeno. He also served with General Cameron's Headquarters at Drury. Private Speck took his discharge in New Zealand on 27 February 1867.