Three: Commissioned Boatman T. Ward, H.M. Coast Guard, late Royal Navy

Crimea 1854-56, no clasp (Thos. Ward), engraved naming; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (Thos. Ward Comd. Boatmn. H.M. Coast Gd., 21 Yrs.), engraved naming; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, unnamed as issued, with Crimea-style and ornate straight bar suspension, minor edge bruising, otherwise very fine and better, the second rare (3) £340-£380

Provenance: Oliver Stirling Lee Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, December 2004.

Approximately 40 Long Service and Good Conduct Medals of this type issued with years of service on the edge.

Thomas Ward was born at St. Pancras, Middlesex in November 1839 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in May 1855. He saw active service as a 15 year old rating aboard H.M.S. Leopard during the closing operations of the Crimea War, he qualified for the Medal without clasp, and the Turkish Medal. Among his subsequent seagoing appointments was one aboard H.M.S. Warrior during that famous vessel’s first commission with the Channel Fleet 1861-64, during which period Ward gained advancement to Captain of the Mizen Top. Transferring to the Coast Guard in August 1869, he was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in February 1877, and was shore pensioned in March of the same year.

Sold with copied service record and other research.