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Auction: 25112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 316

An unusual campaign pair awarded to Paymaster H. C. Medder, Royal Navy, who remained loyal during a mutiny aboard H.M.S. Princess Royal in 1859

Baltic 1854-55, unnamed as issued; Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol (H. C. Medder. R. N. H.M.S: Princess. Royal.), contemporarily engraved naming, mounted for wear, contact marks, very fine (2)

Henry Courtis Medder was born at Plymouth, Devon on 27 July 1840 and appointed Assistant Clerk on 2 February 1855 on Princess Royal. This ship saw service in both the Baltic and later the Bombardment of Sebastopol both of which Medder was present for as well.

After the war he was advanced Clerk on 2 February 1857, with the same vessel and was still with her in December 1859 when a Mutiny broke out aboard. The Hampshire Advertiser quotes the testimony of Commander J. J. S. Josling, stating:

'The captain then ordered the gratings to be placed on the hatchways and fastened down with capstan bars. The men below then commenced to haul down the ladders, and were more furious than ever, throwing cutlasses, broken pieces of mess-traps, and other missiles up the hatchways. Sentries were then placed on each hatchway, with orders to secure any of the men who attempted to come up from below. The Marines had been ordered under arms when the hatchways were secured, and Captain Ballie sent an officer to acquaint the Admiral with the state of the Ship's Company, A party of Marines came on board from the St. Vincent, and other bodies of Marines from the ships in harbour fell in on the jetty alongside which the ship was made fast. The men below, now being intimidated by the arrival of the Marines commenced coming up the hatchway, which had been left open the whole time by the funnel casing, by twos and threes, and were secured as they came up, and assed round to the port side of the deck to have their names taken down.'

Medder was not just present for the mutiny but also took an active role in the conclusion to the drama. The same source continues to quote court proceedings stating:

'Mr H. C. Medder, Clerk on board Her Majesty's ship Princess Royal, took the names of the men on the lower deck as they came up at the close of the disturbance. The prisoners' names were on that list.'

While the mutiny was quashed swiftly by the effective actions of Captain Ballie reports by crewmen and members of the marines note that the mutineers had cutlasses, rifles and shot. Medder was fortunate that the situation had not escalated further as he was clearly present on the deck at the time.

Transferred to Victory on 6 December 1859, directly after the Mutiny he was posted to the Nile on 20 December. While there he was advanced Assistant Paymaster on 24 March 1864 and posted to the Royal Adalaide on 24 April of that same year.

Further promoted Paymaster on 9 August 1870 Medder remained in service for at least the rest of that month. He died on 18 August 1872; sold together with copied research.

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Estimate
£300 to £500

Starting price
£300