The unique bronze Crimea Medal officially named to the Captain’s Dog, H.M.S. Leopard

Crimea 1854-56, bronze disk only (The Captain’s Dog, H.M.S. Leopard) officially impressed naming, nearly very fine £600-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

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Collection

Ex Christies, 18 November 1986.

Sadly Admiralty documents do not exist that could verify the presence of canine members of crew aboard H.M. Ships. However, it is possibly significant that Captain George Giffard, C.B., R.N., a distinguished Naval officer and sometime Captain of H.M.S. Leopard, in 1847, married the daughter of one Robert Mushet Esq. - an official of the Royal Mint.

‘On February 20-24th [1855], the Leopard, 18, paddle, Captain George Giffard, and boats, defeated a body of Russian troops at Anapa, captured some guns and stores, and destroyed some buildings. ....’ (Ref. The Royal Navy, by William Laird Clowes). With some copied research.