Orders, Decorations and Medals

Baltic 1854-55 (H. S. Gibson * Paymaster * H.M.S. Ajax) contemporary engraved naming, very fine £100-120

Henry S. Gibson passed his examinations to join the Royal Navy as an Acting Paymaster on 28 June 1838 but does not appear to have joined the service until January 1845 when he was appointed to H.M.S. Lilly serving off the coast of Africa. He was confirmed as Paymaster in October 1846 and subsequently served aboard Volcano, Driver, and Hercules. He joined Ajax in December 1854 and was present in the Baltic during 1855. He remained aboard Ajax after she became a guard-ship at Devonport, until March 1859 when he joined H.M.S. James Watt for a commission in the Mediterranean. His next service was ashore in Ireland where he was Paymaster to the Coast Guard Divisional Headquarters at Cork, where he remained until June 1865 when he was appointed Paymaster to H.M.S. Formidable, and subsequently to H.M.S. Asia in February 1866. He was promoted to the rank of Paymaster-in-Chief on 17 May 1870.