Orders, Decorations and Medals

Six: Chief Bosun’s Mate Charles Chaplain, Royal Navy

Ashantee 1873-74, no clasp (Ord. H.M.S. Rattlesnake. 73-74) official correction to initial; South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1879 (A.B. H.M.S. “Shah”); Egypt & Sudan 1882-89, 2 clasps, Alexandria 11th July, Suakin 1885 (Cap. F’cle, H.M.S. “Penelope”); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1885-7 (Actg. Chf. Bos. Mate, H.M.S. Sphinx); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (Ch. Bos. Mte. H.M.S. Sphinx) impressed naming; Khedive’s Star 1882, the silver medals all cleaned bright, light contact marks but generally very fine or better, a rare and exceptional group (6) £1000-1200

Ex Douglas-Morris Collection Part I, illustrated in colour.

Charles Chapman was born in Sutton, Kent on 9 October 1854. He joined the service as a Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. Rattlesnake on 8 October 1870, advanced to Boy 1st Class 15 November 1871 and Ord 2nd Class on 20 October 1872, prior to leaving Rattlesnake on 25 March 1874. Advanced to Able Seaman in January 1875 and drafted to H.M.S. Shah in August 1876, in which vessel he took part in the action against the Peruvian Rebel Turret Ship Huascar in 1877. He was paid off from Shah in October l879 after earning his South Africa campaign medal with clasp. He joined H.M.S. Penelope as Petty Officer 2nd Class during January 1881 and advanced to P.O. 1st Class (Captain of Forecastle) in June 1882. He was not amongst those chosen to serve at Tel-el-Kebir aboard the armoured train. He transferred to H.M.S. Sphinx as Acting Chief Petty Officer on 19 January 1885, becoming her Chief Bosun's Mate in January 1886 and awarded his LS & GC medal on 8 May 1886, prior to being pensioned during October 1892.