Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Armourer’s Crew J. Nash, Royal Navy

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Natal (154168 Armr’s. Crew, H.M.S. Terrible) engraved naming; China 1900, no clasp (Ar. Cr., H.M.S. Terrible) good very fine (2) £400-460

John Nash was born in Croydon, Cambridgeshire on 16 October 1869. A Fitter & Turner by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as Armourer’s Crew on H.M.S. Excellent on 20 February 1890. He served as such on board the battleship H.M.S. Camperdown, October 1892-September 1895. The ship, performing fleet manoeuvres in the Mediterranean, accidentally rammed and sank the fleet flagship H.M.S. Victoria on 22 June 1893. 358 men died in the accident - including Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon who was deemed to have been responsible for the debacle. Nash served as Armourer’s Crew on the Terrible, January 1899-January 1902, serving with the naval brigade in Natal and then in the waters off China. He was discharged as time expired on 26 February 1902. With copied service paper.