Five: China 1842 (John Murphy, Petty Offr., H.M.S. Blenheim) two cuts to obverse rim; Baltic 1854-55, unnamed as issued; Crimea 1854-55, 1 clasp, Sebastopol, the clasp loose on ribbon as issued (Jno. Murphy, H.M.S. “Hannibal”); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., Anchor type (John Murphy, Master at Arms, H.M.S. Tyne. 21 Years); Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, fitted with replacement Crimea suspension, light contact marks, otherwise generally good very fine and a rare group (5)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals.

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See colour plate I.

John Murphy was born at Cove, County Cork, and joined the service as a Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. SEMIRAMIS, aged 16 years. He achieved Petty Officer status aboard H.M.S. BLENHEIM in March 1841 as a Quarter Master, participating in the First China War. He was awarded his L.S. & G.C. medal on 6 January 1847, the Clerk, however, omitting to make any notation of the award of his ‘P, M & G’ on his service records in ADM 29/37/519. He returned to serve in the Royal Navy three years after his awards, in the reduced rate of A.B. (Pensioner), completing 25 years servitude in March 1856. During this period he saw service in the Baltic aboard H.M.S. ST GEORGE, and in the Crimea aboard H.M.S. HANNIBAL.