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Auction: 23111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 531

Pair: Chief Engineer W. Siddorn, Royal Navy

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, 1 clasp, Suakin 1885 (W. Siddorn. Chf. Engr. R.N. H.M.S. Dolphin.); Khedive's Star 1884-86, unnamed as issued, mounted for display, about very fine (2)

William Siddorn was born in August 1846 and signed up with the Royal Navy in 1867. Throughout over 20 years of service, he was exclusively a member of the Engineering branch and steadily rose through the ranks from Assistant Engineer 2nd Class in 1867 to Chief Engineer in 1884 and finally Staff Engineer in 1888. During the Egypt campaign he was Chief Engineer aboard the screw sloop H.M.S. Dolphin, and saw action during the Suakin Expedition where four members of the ship's company (the Quartermaster, a Signalman and two Able Seamen) were killed as part of the Naval Brigade.
Returning home and removing to H.M.S Pembroke (the 'stone frigate' at Chatham, base for the torpedo boats stationed there), Siddorn died suddenly just two days before Christmas Day in 1888; his obituary in the local newspaper records that: 'The deceased was a man of the most kindly and genial nature, and was accordingly a great favourite with his fellow officers. Much sympathy will be felt for his widow and seven little ones, who have been in such a sudden and awful manner deprived of their natural guardian and protector.' Sold with a quantity of copied paperwork and research.

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Sold for
£210

Starting price
£110