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Medals to HMS Active 8 months 21 hours ago #96105
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Medals to HMS Active 8 months 21 hours ago #96106
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Pictures courtesy of Noonan's IGS 1854 (1) Perak (Lieut: H. T. Wright. R.N. H.M.S. “Modeste”); SAGS (1) 1877-8 (Commr. H. T. Wright, R.N, H.M.S. “Active:) small official correction to second initial Henry Townley Wright was born on 28 March 1846. He entered the Royal Navy as a Cadet aboard the Britannia on 13 September 1859, when aged 13 years 6 months. He passed out of Britannia twelve months later and gained three months sea time. He joined HMS Liffey in September 1860 and served aboard her for nearly two years, during which time he was promoted to Midshipman on 22 December 1861. In August 1862 he joined Royal Adelaide and was reappointed to Liffey in September 1862. He continued to serve in this ship until paying off in July 1865. On promotion to Sub Lieutenant on 21 July he joined the Royal Naval College at Excellent in November 1865 for a period of instruction and examination. On passing out of College in December 1865 he spent six months on shore prior to joining Jason in May 1866. He served in this ship until June 1868, having been promoted to Lieutenant on 3 April 1868. In his new rank he was appointed to Scylla in April 1869 and served a four year commission on the Pacific station. On returning to England he was next afloat aboard Modeste on the East Indies Station which he joined in January 1874. During the two and a half years he served on this ship he took part in the Perak Expedition during 1875-6, raised to punish the murderers of the British Resident Mr J. W. Birch and several of his attendants at Passir Sala on 1 November 1875. Sultan Ismail was believed to have had a hand in the murders and had also been troublesome in recent months. Lieutenant Wright was landed with the Naval Brigade and fought onshore with the Laroot Field Force under Major-General Colborne. He was gazetted with praise for the successful attacks on villages below Blanja (Malay Pirates) and for his services with the Naval Brigade attached to the Laroot Field Force and promoted to Commander for these services. On leaving Modeste in June 1896 he was given the command of Duncan in September 1876, but transferred to Tourmaline in October 1876, serving on the Cape of Good Hope and West Africa Station. Whilst in this vessel he was frequently in action with slavers off Zanzibar. In July 1877 he was transferred to Active serving on the same Station. Whilst in Active he landed in Command of the Naval Brigade and fought on shore from September 1877 to June 1878. During this period the Naval Brigade fought at the battle of Quintana and took part in various operations against the Gealekas, Gaikas and other Kaffir tribes. For these services the officers and men who returned to their ship in July 1878 received the medal with clasp '1877-8'. Commander Wright was mentioned in Military Despatches with praise and recommended for promotion by General Sir A. Cuninghame for services with the Naval Brigade in operations against the Kaffirs. 
On leaving Active in July 1878 he was transferred to Flora which he commanded until September 1881 when he was placed on shore on half pay until November 1884, when he served for two years in the Colonial Service until dismissed in 1886. He was placed on the Retired List on 17 September 1886, with the rank of Captain. He died on 11 November 1914. Dr David Biggins
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Medals to HMS Active 7 months 2 weeks ago #96228
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Medals to HMS Active 2 weeks 2 days ago #99198
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Picture courtesy of Noonan's SAGS (0) (B. Symons, S. Corpl. 2.Cl: H.M.S. “Active”); Arctic Medal 1875-76 (R. D. Symonds, A.B. H.M.S. Alert) Noonan's state that 70 Arctic 1875-76 Medals were awarded to members of H.M.S. Alert’s crew. Robert Denham Symons (sometimes given as Symonds) was born in Rotherhithe, Surrey on 19 February 1852 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in February 1868. Joining H.M.S. Alert as an Able Seaman in April 1875, he subsequently participated in the ship’s Arctic expedition, travelling that autumn with Lieutenant W. H. Hay’s sledge ‘Hercules’. Departing the ship on 25 September, and returning on 15 October, two of its eight-man team suffered amputation because of severe frostbite. Then in April and May of 1876, Symons made two trips with Lieutenant G. A. Giffard’s sledge ‘Poppie’, the first outing lasting for 30 days and the second 18 days. His three trips totalled 68 days away from the Alert. Sledging aside, Lieutenant Giffard and Symons had charge of the expedition’s printing press and established ‘The Arctic Printing Office’ which was situated ‘within half a minute’s walk of the foremost Quarter Deck ladder.’ He subsequently served aboard the Active off South Africa from March to April 1879 and was shortly afterwards advanced to Ship’s Corporal 1st Class. He became Master at Arms in June 1885 and was finally pensioned ashore in February 1895. Dr David Biggins
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Medals to HMS Active 2 weeks 2 days ago #99199
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Picture courtesy of Noonan's Jubilee 1897, silver, unnamed; Coronation 1902, silver, unnamed; SAGS (1) 1877-8-9 (Lieut: W. des V. Hamilton, H.M.S. “Active”); Egypt, dated, (1) Alexandria 11th July (Lieut: W. des V. Hamilton. R.N. H.M.S. “Alexandra.”); Khedive’s Star, dated 1882 Noonan's state that seven South Africa Medals with ‘1877-8-9’ clasps were awarded to R.N. officers. William des Vaux Hamilton was born on 17 September 1852, and entered the Royal Navy as a Cadet in Britannia in April 1866. Appointed a Midshipman in June 1868 and advanced to Sub Lieutenant in September 1872, he lent valuable service in H.M.S. Vulture in connection with the suppression of the slave trade in East African waters in 1874-75. Thanked by the Admiralty for the ‘zeal he displayed’ in the capture of a slave dhow, he was specially promoted to Lieutenant. Having then joined the Active in July 1877, he was landed as second-in-command of her bluejackets for operations against the Gaikas, his introduction to the local climate taking its toll: ‘Weather very hot; my face is the colour of the dining-room curtains after they were dyed, and my nose is in a dreadful state.’ Oppressive heat aside, Hamilton was present in several skirmishes in Transkei, as well as the more important action at Quintana on 9 February 1878, when he commanded the rocket party: ‘My party of bluejackets, and the rocket apparatus, were sent away to a hill on the right, where I was told to cover the advance of the Fingoes … to get there they had to ascend a steep incline, directly in front of where my party were extended in skirmishing order. When about half way up the incline, the Kaffirs opened fire from behind a ridge, where they lay concealed, and over which the Fingoes must pass to get into the bush behind. Our allies object very much to being shot at, and looked very like retiring, when I got a message from Captain Upcher to advance and support them. Away we went, leaving our rocket apparatus behind … the firing from the ridge was pretty brisk … we could not do much in the way of returning fire, as we only saw a black head bob up for an instant amongst the long grass and other good cover they were in. When about thirty yards from the top, we doubled up at them, and away they bolted into the bushes, and out of sight in an instant … the casualties on our side were one bluejacket severely wounded in the foot – when we were advancing up the hill – and four Fingoes wounded. The bluejacket is doing very well and has been since sent down to hospital at King William’s Town … ’ Hamilton’s letter home from Ibeka, dated 17 February 1878, added: ‘Captain Upcher was good enough to make a favourable report of our little exploit, and you will be glad to hear I am mentioned in despatches … ’ Subsequently, in the Zulu War, he commanded a company of the Naval Brigade at the battle of Inyezane, where he and his bluejackets charged the Zulu positions. His letter home from Eshowe, dated 24 January 1879, takes up the story: ‘The Zulus had chosen and excellent position to attack us. At every side we were surrounded by high hills, covered with brushwood, and in a moment they opened fire on us from all quarters. Their object was, I suppose, to cut off the waggons, and our immense line prevented any reinforcements being brought up … The Zulus were all around us, and finding it impossible to do much where we were, we moved to the rear and extended along the road. A kraal on the left of the road was at first occupied by the Zulus, but before we came up it was taken by two companies of the natives under Captain Hart, our rocket party having sent a rocket right through the place first. Along the road we were exposed to fire from both sides, as the high ground on one each side was occupied by the enemy. Whilst there, I had five men wounded in my company, two very severely. As there appeared no chance of our fire driving the Zulus from their position, we kept advancing with a view to charging the ridge and forcing them to retire. Before doing so we were reinforced by one company of the Buffs, under Colonel Parnel, and Captain Hart’s natives. Captain Hart was most anxious to advance at once; he and Captain Campbell finally rode on, almost alone. I followed, bringing up my company as fast as I could, followed by the Buffs. Two of the Buffs were killed there, and Colonel Parnel’s horse was shot under him; our other company of bluejackets was some distance behind. The Zulus did not wait for us; they bolted to a man, and we advanced and took the heights without any further resistance … ’ Afterwards, as part of Colonel Pearson’s column, Hamilton and his bluejackets joined the garrison at Eshowe. And by way of closing a period of 18 months ashore, they served in General Crealock’s column in the advance on Port Durnford. He was again mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 5 March 1879, refers). In October 1880, Hamilton joined the Alexandra, in which capacity he witnessed further action at the bombardment of Alexandria in July 1882, in addition to serving in the Naval Brigade at the occupation of Port Said. During this period ashore, he was employed destroying railway lines with gun-cotton and was strongly recommended by Admiral Sir B Seymour. Later in 1882, he was appointed to the royal yacht Victoria & Albert and on leaving her in September 1883, he received promotion to Commander. A succession of senior appointments ensued, among them Flag Commander on the Australian Station from 1884 to 1889, and Captain of the North American Station from 1892 to 1895. Hamilton was subsequently appointed Chief of Staff to Admiral Sir John Hopkins K.C.B., Commander in Chief on the Mediterranean Station, in which capacity he received the Jubilee Medal in 1897 and, as an A.D.C. to King Edward VII, the Coronation Medal in 1902. His next appointment was as second-in-command of the Mediterranean Fleet, but his health deteriorated due to an attack of fever, as a result of which he was invalided to England. His advancement to Vice-Admiral was announced just two days before his death in February 1907. As cited above, his extensive correspondence from South Africa was subsequently published in Letters Lieut. W. Des. V. Hamilton, R.N. (of H.M.S. Active), from Kaffraria and Zululand, 1877-78-79, together with correspondence from his two brothers who were actively employed in Afghanistan 1878-80 (‘Printed by Their Father for Private Circulation’, The Dublin Steam Printing Company, 1881); a file containing copies of the recipient’s entries is included. Dr David Biggins
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