A very scarce Irish female Doctor's Great War and Colonial 'Malaya' service medal group of 5: Lady Medical Officer, Doctor Mary Josephine Were (nee Ahern) Malaya Medical Service late Civilian Doctor attached to the Royal Army Medical Corps

- The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. O.B.E. (Civil) Officer’s 2nd type badge
- British War Medal. Silver issue (M. J. Ahern.)
- Interallied Victory Medal (M. J. Ahern.)
- Jubilee Medal 1935
- Coronation Medal 1937

Note: The OBE insignia in the group is second type insignia as issued from 1937

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1936: Shown as Mary Josephine, Mrs. Were, L.R.C.P., Colonial Medical Service, Lady Medical Officer, Federated Malay States

Medal verification: All awards confirmed as entitled, per below following cited medal rolls

- Order of the British Empire. O.B.E. (Civil) Officer (London Gazette issue of 1 January 1936)
- British War Medal: WO 329/2324 Civilian Lady Doctor (Lady Doctors) issued 15/12/35
- Interallied Victory Medal: WO 329/2324 issued 15/12/35
- Jubilee Medal 1935: Lady Medical Officer, Malayan Medical Services, Colonies allocation
- Coronation Medal 1937:Lady Medical Officer, F.M.S., Colonies allocation

Mary Josephine Ahern, daughter of William (a Butter Merchant, & Member of the Committee of the North Infirmary, Cork) was a native of Cork, County Cork, Ireland, where she was born on 24 September 1893. A gifted student, Mary became one of the early pioneering Irish female doctors who qualified as a Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians in Ireland in 1913 - at barely 20 years of age (if her recorded date of birth from various sources is to be believed). On 1 November 1916 she was contracted for 12 months as a Civilian Surgeon attached to the Royal Army Medical Corps, and served during the Great War as a Civilian Lady Doctor in Malta Colony, and in theatre of war Salonika from 1 November 1917, predominately with 62 General Hospital. She was demobilised on 5 May 1919, and subsequently married Lieutenant Vivian Nicholas Bonville Were, Coldstream Guards, an Ulsterman who was a native of Londonderry (he was later a Rubber Planter in the Federated Malay States)

Dr. Mary Josephine Were joined the Malayan Medical Service in 1921 and in the following year was appointed to the Infant Welfare Centre in Kuala Lumpur; over the next two decades the infant death rate in the city was greatly reduced, thanks to the tireless work of Dr. Were and the Centre. She appears on the roll for both the 1935 Jubilee Medal, and the 1937 Coronation Medal, both as Lady Medical Officer, Malayan Medical Service, and for her services was created an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, being presented with the insignia by the High Commissioner, Mr. A. S. Small, on 18 June 1936. Retiring to the United Kingdom, she is recorded to have died in London on, 7 January 1975. At the time of her death Dr Were, was residing at, 411 Carrington House, Hertford Street, London, SW1.

Sold with hardcopy photocopied copied research, including newspaper articles from Malaya (now Malaysia) and Singapore.

The 5 x medals mounted in the swing style. The silk ribands suspended from a white metal mounting bar that retains its original long hinged pin and clasp fittings

A rare medal grouping to a remarkable Irish 'Lady Doctor', who was decorated for her outstanding pioneering work with the provision of women's and children's medical services in colonial Malaya

Condition: EF

Code: 24140