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Auction: 9022 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 44

x Pair: Private H. Kirby, Royal Welsh Fusiliers Ashantee 1873-74, no clasp, (2499. Pte. H. Kirby, 2 Bn. 23. R.W.Fus: 1873-4); Royal Humane Society, small silver, successful (Henry Kirby Pte Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 30th Nov 1876), lacking top riband buckle, suspension claw re-affixed on last, generally very fine (2) Estimate £ 280-320 Kirby has a joint citation with Privates W. Cox and A. Dornin both also of the 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers and both of whom were to receive silver medals (a Private Houghton was to receive a bronze medal): ´´On the night of the 30th November, 1876, the boat of a Spanish gun-boat was upset in a squall in Catalan Bay, at the back of the Rock of Gibraltar. The night was so dark that the direction of the wreck could only be traced by the cries of the men. A guard of the 2nd battalion of the 23rd or Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who were on duty at the Eastern Beach, assisted by three Spanish boatmen, with difficulty launched a boat, and, being joined by one of the wrecked crew, rescued four men who were clinging to the wreck. On reaching the shore it was ascertained that one of the crew was missing. The boat was again launched, and on reaching the wreck Privates Cox, Dornin, and Kirby swam about the wreck in search of the missing man, whose body was subsequently recovered. Houghton remained in the boat.´´ 2499 Private Henry Kirby enlisted 23rd Foot, 1872, and served with the 2nd Battalion during the Ashantee War 1873-74; after the war Kirby´´s battalion were to spend the next five and a half years based at Gibraltar, during which time he was earn his Royal Humane Society Medal; at a brigade parade held at the North Front Gibraltar, 30.12.1876, a Garrison General Order was read to the troops congratulating Kirby and his fellow members of the rescue party for their conduct and expressing General Lord Napier of Magdala´´s pride in them; Kirby was presented with his medal at another brigade parade, 22.10.1877, held on the Almeda; discharged 12.6.1883.

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