Orders, Decorations and Medals

A rare China War medal for the Wars of 1842 and 1857 awarded to Cornelius Fox, Commander, Royal Navy

CHINA 1842, 2 clasps, China 1842, Fatshan 1857 (Cornelius Fox, Master's Asst., H.M.S. Blonde) original suspension adapted with ring and straight bar suspender to allow fitment of clasps, these loose on ribbon as issued, good very fine and rare

A total of only 101 clasps for 'China 1842' were issued to recipients of the first China War medal who subsequently served in the wars of 1857-60.

Cornelius Fox was Master's Assistant on H.M.S. Blonde during the war in China 1840-42. He acquired the rank of Second Master in 1846 and that of Master in 1853. He was appointed Master of the sloop Hornet in May 1854 and in that ship was present in China 1856- 57, at most of the actions of the early part of the war. Under Captains C.C. Forsyth and W.M. Dowell, the Hornet served with great distinction including the destruction of about 150 war junks in Escape Creek and 70 heavily armed junks in the operations of 1 June 1857, up the Fatshan branch of the Canton River. Fox was mentioned in despatches for effecting a survey of the Gulf of Tartary and the mouth of the river Amoor. He retired with the rank of Commander on 1 April, 1870.