Part 28

=The Sultan's Medal for Acre.=--To the officers and men a medal, illustrated facing page 292, was awarded; to the officers ranking as field officers in gold, in silver to quarter-deck and warrant officers, and in bronze to petty officers, seamen, and marines.

The following ships were engaged in the operations upon the coast of Syria in the years 1840-41: "Princess Charlotte," "Powerful," "Revenge," "Bellerophon," "Thunderer," "Ganges," "Benbow," "Edinburgh," "Hastings," "Vanguard," "Rodney," "Asia," "Implacable," "Cambridge," "Pique," "Castor," "Dido," "Carysfort," "Talbot," "Daphne," "Cyclops," "Wasp," "Magicienne," "Vesuvius," "Gorgon," "Hazard," "Phœnix," "Hydra," "Stromboli," "Medea," "Zebra," and "Hecate."

The bar for SYRIA was given with the Naval General Service medal for these operations.

=China, 1840-2.=--In this war, already described on pages 98 and 99, the following ships' crews were engaged: in 1840 "Melville," "Blenheim," "Wellesley," "Blonde," "Druid," "Conway," "Volage," "Larne," "Alligator," "Pylades," "Modeste," "Cruiser," "Nimrod," "Algerine," "Columbine," "Rattlesnake," and the following ships' crews of the Honourable East India Company: "Atalanta," "Queen," "Enterprise," "Calliope," "Madagascar," "Samarang," "Herald," and "Nemesis"; the latter, a well-armed iron steamer, created great terror amongst the Chinese, who named it the "devil ship." The following ships were added from time to time to the fleet: H.M.S. "Cornwallis," "Endymion," "Vindictive," "North Star," "Cambrian," "Hazard," "Pelican," "Harlequin," "Clio," "Wanderer," "Wolverine," "Hebe," "Serpent," "Royalist," "Plover," "Starling," "Driver," "Vixen," and the hospital ship "Minden," likewise the H.E.I. Co.'s steamers "Auckland," "Akbar," "Memnon," "Hooghley," "Proserpine," "Pluto," "Sesostris," "Medusa," and "Phlegethon."

=Scinde, 1843.=--The same medal as awarded to the army was awarded to the naval force taking part in the campaign. One hundred and ten medals were issued to the Indus Flotilla, and of these 40 were to Europeans. For Hyderabad 115 medals were issued to the crews of H.E.I. Co.'s "Comet," "Meteor," and "Nimrod." Medals were given to naval men for Meeanee 1843, Hyderabad 1843, and Meeanee-Hyderabad 1843 (see pages 107-109).

=Punjab, 1848-9.=--A brigade of seamen, 100 strong with 7 officers, from the Indian Navy under Commander F. T. Powell, served at the Siege of Mooltan, and it is noteworthy that this was the first occasion upon which seamen served so far away from their ships. Medals were awarded with and without bar for Mooltan.

=Second China War.=--The squadron of British ships engaged under Rear-Admiral Sir Michael Seymour in 1856-60, in the operations already described on pages 98-100, included the flagship "Calcutta," "Sybille," "Pique," "Winchester," "Encounter," "Bittern," "Hornet," "Comus," "Racehorse," "Barracouta," "Sampson," "Coromandel," "Nankin," "Esk," "Elk," "Amethyst," "Sanspareil," "Cruiser," "Acorn," "Niger," "Inflexible," and a number of gunboats. In the attack on the Taku Forts, August 21st, 1860, the only naval co-operation was made by the gunboats "Clown," "Drake," "Woodcock," and "Janus." Bars were awarded for FATSHAN 1857 (navy only), CANTON 1857, TAKU FORTS 1858 (navy only), TAKU FORTS 1860, and PEKIN 1860. These medals were issued to the navy unnamed, and very few seamen appear to have troubled about having their medals engraved. Many issued to the Indian Navy and some of the marines were, however, impressed in capital Roman letters.

=Pegu.=--To those seamen and marines who took part in the second Burmese War, 1852-3, the India General Service Medal 1854 was awarded with the bar for PEGU, which, by the way, is somewhat smaller than the other bars issued with this medal (see pages 137-138). The following ships' crews were engaged: H.M.S. "Fox," "Rattler," "Serpent," "Sphinx," "Salamander," "Hermes," "Winchester," and a gunboat, together with the H.E.I. Co.'s boats "Berenice," "Bhagerutee," "Moofuffer," "Feroze," "Zenobia," "Sesostris," "Medusa," "Pluto," "Proserpine," "Phlegethon," "Soane," "Spy," "Tenasserim," "Mahanuddy," "Fire Queen," "Enterprise," "Indus," "Krishna," "Luckea," "Damoodah," "Sutledge," and "Lord Wm. Bentinck."

=South Africa, 1853.=--This medal, as previously explained, was awarded to cover all the wars and operations that had taken place in South Africa between 1834 and 1853. No bar was issued with the medal, and the only means of discovering when a recipient was engaged is by looking up the period during which his regiment, or ship, was engaged; but this is not quite so easy in the case of naval medals, as the name and rank only are impressed upon them in Roman capitals in the same type as was used on the Naval General Service medal. The third Kaffir War was the first in which the navy took part, and from the end of 1850 to March 1853 a small naval brigade composed of seamen and marines from the following ships were engaged ashore: "Castor," "Dee," "Grecian," "Hermes," "Penguin," "Pantaloon," "Gladiator," "Orestes," "Rhadamanthus" and "Styx."

CRIMEAN WAR

During the early stages of the war the combined British and French fleets were co-operating in Kavarna Bay, and on April 5th anchored before Odessa, when the Russian commandant firing upon H.M.S. "Furious," which was carrying a flag of truce, the following ships were ordered to open fire on the batteries on April 22nd, 1854. H.M.S. "Furious," "Terrible," "Retribution," "Niger," "Arethusa," and 3 French vessels. The fort was blown up, and the shipping destroyed. Later the "Firebrand" and the "Fury" destroyed the Russian batteries at Sulina, and then with the rest of the fleet took part in the bombardment of Sebastopol.

=Sebastopol.=--The following ships were engaged in the bombardment of Sebastopol on October 17th, 1854: "Albion," "Britannia," "London," "Agamemnon," "Queen," "Firebrand," "Niger," "Furious," "Trafalgar," "Retribution," "Vesuvius," "Rodney," "Bellerophon," "Highflyer," "Spitfire," "Arethusa," "Cyclops," "Triton," "Lynx," "Sphinx," "Tribune," "Terrible," "Sampson," and "Sanspareil." In the bombardment 44 were killed and 264 wounded on board the British ships, the "Albion" and the "Agamemnon" suffering most heavily. The French fleet lost about 200 killed and wounded. Prior to the bombardment a naval brigade of 1,050 seamen, under the command of Captain Lushington, landed with 50 heavy guns, and demonstrated their aptitude, and their right to the name of "handymen," by constructing their own batteries and being ready to take the defensive long before the artillerymen had their guns in position. The success of the attack on the Malakoff tower was in no small measure due to the assistance of the naval brigade with their heavy guns. In the assault on the Redan the naval brigade also played a conspicuous and daring part, as the casualty list showed, for out of 120 men 14 were killed and 46 wounded.

=Azoff.=--The following ships were engaged in the expedition which, together with 3 French men-o'-war and 20 frigates, sailed on May 22nd, 1855, for the Sea of Azoff, blowing up _en route_ the works and magazines at Kertch, and destroying Yenikale: H.M.S. "Agamemnon," "Algiers," "Hannibal," "St. Jean d'Acre," "Princess Royal," "Royal Albert," and 27 frigates. The bar for AZOFF was awarded to the officers and crews of the following ships: "Vesuvius," "Stromboli," "Miranda," "Swallow," "Curlew," "Beagle," "Lynx," "Ardent," "Viper," "Snake," "Medina," "Recruit," "Arrow," "Clinker," "Boxer," "Grinder," "Fancy," "Sulina," "Weser," "Jasper," and "Cracker"; also the first and second launches of the "Agamemnon," "Hannibal," "Algiers," "St. Jean d'Acre," "Princess Royal," and the "Royal Albert."

During these operations Lieutenant (afterwards Admiral Sir) E. Commerell of the "Weser" gained the Victoria Cross for his intrepid conduct while engaged in destroying stores on the shore of the Sivash.

=The Baltic Medal.=--For their services in connection with the blockade of the Baltic, Queen Victoria commanded in 1856 that a medal should be struck and issued to the officers, seamen, and marines who had been engaged in the Baltic from March 1854 to August 1855, during which period they had blockaded Bomarsund, attacked and captured it, and bombarded and destroyed Sveaborg. Two officers and 90 sappers and miners who served aboard the flagship and at Bomarsund were also awarded the medal, which bears on the obverse the same bust of Queen Victoria as on the medals previously described, and on the reverse the seated figure of Britannia, holding a trident in her right hand, with a naval gun and pile of shot, flags, and a naval coronet beside her, and behind in the distance the fort of Bomarsund to the left, and Sveaborg to the right; above all is BALTIC, and in the exergue ~1854-55~. The medal, by L. C. Wyon, is 1⅖ in. in diameter, and depends from a yellow ribbon 1¼ in. wide with blue edges, by means of a curled suspender similar to the Sutlej type. The medals were issued unnamed, except in the case of the officers and sappers mentioned above, and theirs were issued with their names impressed.

The following ships were employed in the Baltic: H.M.S. "Duke of Wellington,*" "Saint George," "Neptune," "Princess Royal," "Royal George,*" "Saint Jean d'Acre," "Majestic,*" "Nile,*" "James Watt,*" "Prince Regent," "Cæsar,*" "Monarch," "Boscawen," "Cumberland," "Cressy,*" "Blenheim,*" "Hogue,*" "Edinburgh,*" "Amphion,*" "Arrogant,*" "Ajax,*" "Euryalus,*" "Imperieuse,*" "Cruiser," "Odin," "Dauntless," "Archer," "Leopard," "Valorous," "Desperate," "Magicienne," "Vulture," "Dragon," "Porcupine," "Bulldog," "Conflict," "Driver," "Hecla," "Basilisk," "Rosamund," "Lightning," "Alban," and H.M. Hospital Ship "Belleisle."

After the recall of Sir Charles Napier, who was censured for not attacking Sveaborg, a fleet was dispatched to the Baltic under Rear-Admiral Hon. R. Dundas. It included the ships named above marked with an asterisk, and the "Calcutta," "Colossus," "Orion," "Cornwallis," "Exmouth," "Russell," "Hawk," "Pembroke," "Hastings," "Retribution," "Falcon," "Esk," "Tartar," "Cossack," "Archer," "Harrier," and "Pylades," with a number of smaller vessels and gunboats. During the second operations in the Baltic, Lieutenant Dowell of the Marine Artillery gained the V.C. for leading a volunteer crew in a boat from the "Ruby," and taking the cutter of the "Arrogant" in tow when she was swamped after the explosion of her magazine during an attack on some vessels at Viborg.

The following vessels took part in the attack on Sveaborg: H.M.S. "Duke of Wellington," "Arrogant," "Euryalus," "Exmouth," "Cornwallis," "Cossack," "Pembroke," "Merlin," "Vulture," "Dragon," "Locust," "Volcano," "Lightning," "Hastings," "Amphion," "Edinburgh," "Magicienne," "Geyser," "Eolus," "Belleisle," "Cruiser," "Princess Alice," and the gunboats and mortar vessels "Redwing," "Lark," "Magpie," "Starling," "Skylark," "Stork," "Drake," "Redbreast," "Weasel," "Badger," "Mastiff," "Snapper," "Biter," "Growler," "Pincher," "Porpoise," "Snap," "Blazer," "Dapper," "Pelter," "Pickle," "Havock," "Prompt," "Manly," "Sinbad," "Beacon," "Carron," and "Grappler."

=Naval Brigade in Crimea.=--Some of the naval brigade in the Crimea received medals with three clasps for BALAKLAVA, INKERMANN, and SEBASTOPOL; others two clasps for INKERMANN and SEBASTOPOL, or BALAKLAVA and SEBASTOPOL. Others, showing they had fought _per mare_, _per terras_, three clasps for AZOFF, BALAKLAVA, and SEBASTOPOL, or AZOFF, INKERMANN, and SEBASTOPOL. The only single bars are for AZOFF or SEBASTOPOL. Some of the marines who fought ashore received the whole four clasps for land service as awarded to soldiers. The medals issued to the navy were generally unnamed, but I have in my possession a few named with the same impressed lettering as on the medals issued to the army. The sailors and marines who fought in the Crimea were also awarded the Turkish medal described on page 152, while fifty of them received the Sardinian medal described on page 153.

INDIAN MUTINY

The deeds of the "Pearl" and "Shannon" Brigades during the Indian Mutiny have always impressed students of the war, and collectors have invariably been found willing to pay relatively high prices for medals without a bar if awarded to a man of the "Pearl" Brigade of 250 men, because of the splendid work they did in no less than twenty engagements. The "Shannon" Brigade was composed of 410 seamen and marines from that vessel, under the command of Captain W. Peel, who landed with six 68-pounders--which were employed for the first time as field pieces--eight 24-pounders, a battery of 8 rockets, and 2 howitzers, also some of the crew of the "Pearl," together with 120 sailors recruited from merchant ships. At Allahabad part of the "Shannon's" company was left to garrison the place, the rest marching to Cawnpore. Near Futtehgur 100 men of the naval brigade, co-operating with 450 soldiers, defeated a force of 4,000 mutineers and captured 2 guns. In November the brigade was attacking and assisting in the capture of the Martinière, and later breached the walls of the Secundrabagh and Shah Nujeef at Lucknow. In this daring work Lieutenant (afterwards Admiral Sir) M. Salmon and three of his men won the V.C. In January the brigade took part in the battle of Kallee Nudee, and in March 1858 was again at Lucknow storming the Dilkoosha and breaching the Martinière, where Captain Peel was wounded. He died on March 27th from an attack of smallpox, just when his gallantry had earned for him a knighthood. With the capture of Lucknow the work of the "Shannon" brigade was finished, and on September 15th she sailed for home. Five hundred and thirty medals were issued to men of the "Shannon" and 232 to men of the "Pearl." Three hundred Europeans of the Indian Marine also received the medals without bars; this medal was generally inscribed INDIAN NAVAL BRIGADE.

=Persia, 1857.=--The crews of the following ships of the Indian Navy received the medal with bar for PERSIA: "Ajdaha," "Assyria," "Assaye," "Berenice," "Clive," "Comet," "Constance," "Euphrates," "Falkland," "Ferooz," "Hugh Lindsay," "Lady Falkland," "Napier," "Nitocris," "Planet," "Punjab," "Semiramis," "Victoria."

=New Zealand.=--I have already described at some length the extended operations in New Zealand between 1845 and 1866. In these operations the navy on many occasions took an important part, particularly the crew of H.M.S. "Hazard" at the beginning of the war in 1845. The ships' crews engaged in 1845-7 were H.M.S. "Hazard," "North Star," "Castor," "Elphinstone," "Racehorse," "Osprey."

=New Zealand, 1845-6-7.=--The ships engaged during this period were H.M.S. "Castor," "Calliope," "Driver," "Elphinstone," H.E.I. Co.'s "Hazard," "Inflexible," "North Star," "Osprey," and "Racehorse."

=New Zealand, 1860-6.=--Members of the crews of the following ships received the medal for this period, although after August 1864, following the Gate Pa affair--in which Samuel Mitchell, captain of the foretop of H.M.S. "Harrier," gained the V.C.--the navy was not actively employed: H.M.S. "Brisk," "Cordelia," "Curaçoa," "Eclipse," "Esk," "Falcon," "Harrier," "Himalaya," "Iris," "Miranda," "Niger," "Pelorus," and "Victoria" (see page 186 for description of medal).

=Abyssinia.=--In the Abyssinian campaign (1867-8), already referred to on pages 189-191 a naval brigade consisting of 83 men, with twelve 12-pounder rocket tubes, commanded by Commander Fellowes of H.M.S. "Dryad," took part, forming part of the first division under General Staveley. Men of the "Octavia," "Dryad," "Spiteful," and "Satellite" took part.

=Ashantee.=--In this campaign (1873-4) seamen and marines from H.M.S. "Argus," "Encounter," "Barracouta," "Druid," "Seagull," "Simoom," "Rattlesnake," and "Beacon" were employed ashore and afloat, while the gunboats "Bittern," "Decoy," and "Merlin" were actually engaged on the coast.

=Perak.=--The crews of H.M. gunboats "Charybdis" and "Hart" were employed in the operations against the Malays during 1875, and the crews of H.M.S. "Egeria," and the gunboats "Fly," "Philomel," "Ringdove," "Thistle," and the corvette "Modeste" in 1876. The I.G.S. Medal 1854, with bar for PERAK, was issued following a General Order of September 1st, 1879. The officers and crews of H.M.S. "Egeria" and the gunboats "Hart" and "Charybdis" received the medal for their services up the Lakut and Lingie Rivers. The naval medals are named in squat, sloping Roman capitals.

=South Africa, 1877-8.=--Sailors and marines from the following ships were engaged at different periods in the various wars in South Africa from 1877 to 1879 (see pages 196-202): H.M.S. "Active," "Boadicea," "Euphrates," "Forester," "Himalaya," "Orontes," "Shah," "Tamar," and "Tenedos."

In the campaign against the Galekas and Gaikas in 1877-8 two small naval brigades composed of men from H.M.S. "Active" and "Florence" were engaged, and both did excellent work with their rocket batteries.

=Zulu War, 1879.=--In this war a naval brigade of 170 seamen and marines from H.M.S. "Active" were attached to the third column under Colonel Pearson. They were under the command of Captain Campbell, and had with them two 7-pounders, a Gatling gun, and two rocket tubes. A brigade from H.M.S. "Boadicea," "Shah," and "Tenedos" marched with the relieving force to Ekowe. At the expiration of the war the naval brigade was warmly thanked by General Sir Garnet (later Viscount) Wolseley for the services they had rendered.

EGYPTIAN WARS

=Alexandria, 1882.=--In this campaign the navy played an important part--indeed, it was opened by the bombardment of Alexandria on July 11th, 1882, the fortifications of which had been strengthened, and the garrison increased by the rebel Arabi Pasha in anticipation of the allied fleets of Britain and France acting on the offensive. Noticing the preparations which Arabi was making, Admiral Sir Beauchamp Seymour called upon him to desist, and as no notice was taken of his demand, or of his ultimatum that unless work was stopped on the fortifications the place would be bombarded, he prepared his ships for action. Meanwhile the French fleet had left the harbour. The British steamed out, and took up a position facing the outer forts; at half-past 6 on July 11th the British ships cleared for action, and the bombardment began by the "Alexandra" firing a shell into Fort Ada. The fort responded, and then the duel between the ships' guns of the British fleet and those of the fort began. In a couple of hours Fort Marsa-el-Kanat was blown up, and very shortly after, nearly all the guns in Fort Mex were silenced. At half-past 10 an attack was made upon the Lighthouse Fort, and within a couple of hours the Ras-el-Tin batteries were silenced.

=The Plucky "Condor."=--Meantime Fort Marabout had been the scene of a memorable action on the part of Lord Charles Beresford. Noticing that the rifled guns of the fort were dropping their shot very near to the ships anchored at about 4,500 yards, viz. the "Monarch," "Penelope," and "Temeraire," he steamed the gunboat "Condor" within range, and by his daring action in pounding away at the fort for two hours diverted the enemy's fire, and thus materially assisted in the reduction of Fort Mex. The "Condor" was assisted in its plucky work by the gunboats "Beacon," "Bittern," and "Cygnet," which the Admiral had sent to help in the work, and so enabled her to be the means of silencing the guns of the fort by 2 p.m. Three hours later all firing ceased, and the battle of Alexandria was won with comparatively small loss to the fleet, the "Alexandra" suffering most from the effects of the enemy's guns. On this vessel gunner Israel Harding won the V.C. for throwing water over a live shell, which had pierced the side of the ship, and then picking it up and placing it in a tub of water; this hero rose to be chief gunner before he retired. A force of sailors and marines were landed, and engaged in keeping order. The successful Admiral became Lord Alcester, and received a grant of £25,000.

The ships engaged in the bombardment of Alexandria were the flagship "Alexandra," "Sultan," "Invincible," "Inflexible," "Temeraire," "Monarch," "Penelope," "Superb," and the gunboats "Beacon," "Bittern," "Condor," "Cygnet," "Decoy," and the dispatch vessel "Helicon."

=Tel-el-Kebir.=--In the operations leading up to the battle of Tel-el-Kebir, a number of seamen were engaged; several strategic points were seized by them, and several minor but vital engagements won by them. Lieutenant Wyatt Rawson, R.N., who guided the Highland Brigade across the desert to Tel-el-Kebir by his correct reading of the stars, was the first to enter the entrenchments--alas! to meet his death shortly after. In the battle of Tel-el-Kebir a naval brigade of 250 men, with 6 Gatling guns, took part; also marine artillery and marines. The latter, attached to General Graham's brigade, were placed in the front line, and suffered somewhat heavily, but the naval brigade did not lose a man.

[Illustration: First type.]

[Illustration: Republican Variety.

CROSS OF THE LÉGION D'HONNEUR.]

For the bombardment of Alexandria the Egyptian Medal 1882 with a bar inscribed ALEXANDRIA JULY 11 1882 was awarded to the officers, seamen, and marines, and for TEL-EL-KEBIR to those who took part in that decisive battle (see facing page 160 for medal, also the Khedive's Star which was issued by Prince Tewfik); the naval medals were named.

=El-Teb.=--When the Mahdi incited the Sudanese to rise against the Khedive in 1883, and practically gained control over the entire Sudan, it became necessary, as I have already explained, to send a British force to deal with the Mahdi and his principal lieutenant Osman Digna. In the war in the Sudan the men of the navy again distinguished themselves by their cheery willingness and ability. At Suakin, Admiral Sir William Hewitt's brigade of sailors and marines was landed from the "Decoy," "Euryalus," "Ranger," and "Sphinx" to defend the place, which they did quite successfully against Osman Digna. On February 1st, 1884, Osman Digna's force practically annihilated the army of 5,000 Egyptian troops at El-Teb under Valentine Baker Pasha (at one time Colonel of the 10th Hussars).

The work this undisciplined force set out to accomplish was then taken in hand by Major-General Graham, and the army with which he proceeded towards Tokar included 13 officers and 150 sailors, with 6 machine guns, under the command of Commander Rolfe, likewise about 400 marines and marine artillerymen under Colonel Tuson. At El-Teb on the morning of February 29th, 1884, the British force advanced in square, over the sickening area where the previous battle had taken place, to attack the Mahdists, who had entrenched themselves upon a narrow ridge about a mile in length. The Arabs opened fire, but the guns of the seamen and artillerymen proving too warm for them, they came forward to meet the advancing square, upon which they fell in their fanatical manner, which was as mad as it was grand. The fire of the naval machine guns stopped their rush, and then their position was taken, but the brunt of the fighting had fallen upon the naval brigade--as well as the "Black Watch" and the "York and Lancasters"--"who contributed materially to the success of the action," in which they lost an officer and 3 men killed, but one naval officer gained the V.C. when the Mahdists almost penetrated the corner of the square and attempted to spear some of the seamen; Captain A. K. Wilson's sword was broken in his gallant effort, and himself would have fallen but for the timely action of some of the 65th (York and Lancasters). The British lost 4 officers and 26 men killed, and 160 officers and men wounded, ere the village of El-Teb had been taken, and the enemy made off in the direction of Tokar, which was taken next day. Those who took part in this action had the bar for EL-TEB added to their Egyptian medal, or, if this was their first experience of Egyptian warfare, the medal without the date, but with the bar for El-Teb, was awarded.